Phil Mero

• Planned, implemented and tracked sales and marketing strategies to promote brand products.
• Executed marketing strategy; branding, packaging, merchandising, product development, consumer and trade marketing.
• Monitored digital advertising and social media campaigns to assess success of different strategies.
• Built out national broker network.
• Built grocery business from 60 doors (regional) to 1900 doors (national) in 18 months.
• Contributed to social media outreach initiatives, including content development and management.

• Freak Flag Foods: Built Go-To-Market strategy for start-up food company. Led to being hired full-time with equity in company.
• Zone Coverage: Supported expansion of podcast programming by bringing in new talent to organization; Tom Chorske, Eric Perkins. Built and sold strategic partnership and sponsorship programming.
• Brick + Mortar Club: Supported new member outreach and member retention programming for shared workspace and social club for professionals. Grew membership by 20% in 8 months.

• Leadership position helping to build out infrastructure for new business unit and bring in new business.
• Built out strategic roadmap to procure new business for branding and retail design group.
• Provided strategic and business development direction to developing and optimizing marketing, sales and customer relations plans.
• Prospected and landed Caribou Coffee fabrication design project.
• Designed new snack fixture to support their new grab-and-go program. 300+ units were manufactured and deployed into Caribou Coffee stores.
• Landed CoCo 5 Rebranding project.
• Provided strategic marketing consultation in support of Caribou Coffee's in-store experience development.
• Developed 3 brands in-house; men’s grooming brand, vegetable-based bread brand and pet grooming brand.
• Managed cross-functionally between in-house creative, insights/analytics, and sales teams as well as manufacturing partners.

• Managed $2 million budget.
• Worked on newly developed Guest Experience and Innovation team.
• Owned development and management of B-Dubs TV in-restaurant television network designed to amplify in-restaurant guest experience, overall brand loyalty, and drive revenue.
• Managed platform from beta, to market test, to system roll out.
• Developed engagement and content strategy for network.
• Managed RFP process for software vendor partner for B-Dubs TV platform.
• Identified and developed strategic partnerships for content curation and collaboration. (GoPro, Red Bull Energy Drink, Enthusiast Network, 30 Watt).
• Managed 3rd party vendor partner relationships (Reflect Systems, HEROFi, 30 Watt).
• Managed network roll out to 560 corporate restaurants.
• Led cross-functional management team to execute (IT, Construction, Ops Excellence, Field Leadership, Training, Franchisees, Store Level Management).

• Key member on regional leadership team.
• Developed strategic, regional marketing strategies and programs for national wireless service provider.
• Translated global and national initiatives into regionally relevant marketing plans for MN/WI markets.
• 50+ T-Mobile branded retail outlets, 200 Mass merchants, and 400 independent dealer outlets.
• Created regional marketing campaigns featuring outdoor, radio, print, in-theater, digital, direct mail.
• Key campaigns increased sales revenues on average of 15%.
• Delivered 28% YOY lift in highly coveted holiday in-store traffic through KDWB Jingle Ball Partnership.
• Integrated campaign included radio/digital/in-store/event activation.
• Managed independent retailer (franchisee) relationships.

• Independent marketing consultant working with multi-national brands, startups and agencies to develop and manage strategic marketing and sales strategy.
• Client List: Target Corp, MillerCoors, Angie’s Artisan Treats, Compellent Technology, Red Bull Energy Drink, KIND Snacks, Total Source Solutions, Jingit.com, H.E.R. Energy Drink, FRED Brands, US Pond Hockey Championships

Accomplishments:.

• Target Corporation: Developed and managed Winter and Summer X-Games experiential programming.
• USPHC: Brokered sale of USPHC from founding owner Haberman Associates to SportsEngine.
• FRED Brands: Sold Fred Water into 280 Holiday Station Stores. Procured exclusive water partnership for Red Bull Flugtag event selling 800 cases in 1 day. Created regional marketing plans to build awareness and drive sales.
• Angie's Kettle Corn: Developed and launched digital media strategy. Contributed to rebrand. Facilitated sale into Target.

• Leadership team member.
• Developed, and managed national Field Marketing program from ground up.
• Contributed to 400% company sales growth with grassroots marketing programming.
• Recruited, hired, and managed 14 national field marketing managers.
• Established key business metrics, goals, and objectives for FMM's resulting in strong brand awareness and sales growth.
• Led Cost Co RoadShow program resulting in record breaking events and national Cost Co placement.
• Developed national Go-To-Market plan.

• Led development and implementation of marketing strategy to achieve revenue and brand exposure goals in MN, ND, SD.
• Major contributor to 100%+ growth YOY in region while with company.
• Hired and managed 2 Team Managers and 6 Student Brand Managers.
• Created multiple branded events to support brand growth. (Red Bull Kite-Ride, Red Bull Skyride, etc)