Marketing & Creative Inspiration

Land O’Lakes, Inc. is not only one of the U.S.’s leading premium dairy businesses. It is a farmer-owned cooperative with a century-long legacy of empowering farmer-owners and growing the future of agriculture and the world. Following its 100th anniversary and the consolidation of four business units (dairy/retail, animal feed, grain and crop protection, sustainability), it was time to reshape the internal and external perception of Land O’Lakes, Inc. from a consumer packaged goods brand to a future-oriented and mission-driven enterprise. 

Grounded in an immersive understanding of the divide that separates "big ag" from fresh farmed produce, rural from urban, and farmers from everybody else, we "un-stuck" the enterprise with a unifying strategy that guided their path forward. In addition to a new brand design, the objective was to create an emotion-driven campaign to launch the new corporate mission statement “Rooted in Tomorrow” — honoring past and present members and setting the stage for the next phase of growth.

Mountain Dew is a storied American brand with its earliest roots dating back to 1930s Prohibition. But the brand spent the last three decades chasing youth by innovating around wild flavor LTOs, investing in skateboarding and gaming partnerships, dramatizing its design with neon colors and a jagged logo, and chasing “cool” through the use of celebrities and slapstick humor. While unique and entertaining, these efforts inadvertently turned away users who grew out of the brand and made it harder for younger generations to engage.

By pinpointing the barriers holding the brand back, I worked closely with brand, design and agency teams to re-position the entire Mountain Dew portfolio. Reclaiming its roots in mountains and outdoor adventure takes the brand from trend-chasing to authentic and provides an aspirational and active “home” for Mountain Dew. Communicating its “refreshing citrus kick” provides a clear consumer benefit tied to its citrusy ingredients and thirst-quenching flavor. And softening its harsh edges makes it more approachable to more people of all ages without abandoning its fun and youthful spirit.

42 million Americans are without access to broadband internet. And if there's one thing COVID has taught us, it's that the internet is essential for healthcare, education, and access to critical information and infrastructure that businesses need to grow.

Farmers and underserved rural communities are most impacted by lack of broadband infrastructure, which is why Land O'Lakes Inc. - a century-old, farmer-owned cooperative - created the American Connection Project and recruited 175 coalition members to join its mission. Together, they advocate for awareness, support, and investment in broadband infrastructure to close the digital divide.

In support of this heroic effort, I worked alongside Land O'Lakes to craft the marketing and creative strategies that led to the awareness campaign "Reach". To resonate meaningfully, this campaign was designed not to focus on the broadband internet itself. That's merely a means to an end. Rather, we intentionally focused on the end - the endless possibilities broadband internet opens up for people.

In the wake of COVID, Smartwool was looking to up-level its D2C business in a monumental way. The task was to expand the brand's consumer base into new generations and promote diversity outdoors, all while continuing to resonate with existing fans. They had already won over the hardcore top-of-the-mountain enthusiasts. Next up: conquering the hearts, bodies, and feet of people with a shared love of the environment and its beauty.

Looking to macro-cultural forces and factors, target consumer needs, competitive positioning, and sacred brand equities, I triangulated a strategy that was on-trend, on-demand, on-brand, and NOT on competitors. The result was "Do What Feels Natural"—an integrated Fall / Winter campaign centered around a respectful nod to our shared love of nature, the fun-loving people it brings together, and the empowerment we feel when we "do the outdoors" our own way.