Marketing Quality Assurance

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JEFFREY ZAFFRON

**** **** ******, *******, ** 79424

806-***-**** abic5i@r.postjobfree.com

WHO:

I'm a professional marketer, branding expert and award-winning creative

director with the proven ability to build brands and create messaging that

swings the door. Over the past 17+ years I've created ultra-successful

fully-integrated advertising and marketing solutions (strategy, research,

creative execution, measurement, etc.) for global super-brands like Wal-

Mart, Serta, Albertsons and, most recently Ashley Furniture. I've led teams

big and small to achieve and surpass organizational goals and create a

strong ROI. My leadership skills are superb, my vendor network unparalleled

and I'm ready to put my skills, experience and overall business acumen to

use for you.

WHAT:

. Creative development and management . Strategic and

relational marketing . Organizational / workflow development

. People and process management . Budget development and

management . Media planning and management

. Brand identity / graphic design . Copywriting / script

development . TV, radio and web production

WHERE & WHEN:

The Ashley Companies / Ashley Furniture HomeStore / At Home Furnishings,

LLC

VP Marketing & Creative Services: Ashley Furniture HomeStore W. Texas

Jan. '08 - Present

Responsible for the advertising, strategic and relational marketing, PR and

all MarCom activities for seven stores with total sales of $85 million

annually. Develop and manage a $7.5 million advertising and promotion

budget. Manage an internal advertising staff, customer care staff / call

center and all production agencies and media outlets.

Managing Director: At Home Furnishings, LLC. - Ashley Furniture HomeStore

W. Texas July '08 - Present

Developed the methodology, business plan and all functions related to

opening a new, boutique furniture gallery. Managed every pre-opening

process from real estate to contractor to ordering and IT functions.

Continual executive management of all ongoing operational processes

(advertising, sales, training, P&L, merchandising, workflow development,

delivery, etc.)

Director of Creative Services: The Ashley Companies

Feb. '05 - Jan. '08

Chief marketing and creative strategist for $3 billion Ashley Companies.

Created, directed and implemented full line of promotional advertising

programs for Ashley Furniture HomeStore which helped them achieve the

number one home furniture retailer position. From ideation through final

production of all integrated marketing materials and programs (broadcast,

print, online, video, outdoor, etc.), I managed the people, the processes

and helped increase the awareness and profitability of this company more

than 33% during my tenure.

Notables:

. Successful development and rollout of new national brand identity

program across the licensee network resulting in 45% increased brand

awareness and recall in our target demographic.

. Achieved 100% on-time delivery of all marketing and advertising

materials across a 350+ store licensee network.

. Development and implementation of Web-based production system

allowing for only a 10% staff increase to handle 120% increase

in store count.

. Promotional plan for 2009 generated increased overall store traffic

(15%) and + comp sales - in recessed economy.

Albertsons Grocery Stores, Inc.

Creative Director

Feb. '03 - Feb. '05

Role with Albertsons was multi-dimensional. Initial charge was to help

design a single in-house advertising facility (policy / procedure,

staffing, IT, etc.) to consolidate nationwide advertising efforts (done

regionally at the time) to build and strengthen the brand through

consistency. Task was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. Once

completed, I assumed primary role of Creative Director for the company;

managing both the Phoenix- based production facility (50+ employees),

working with corporate management, and guiding all marketing and

communications efforts for the entire Albertson's enterprise (broadcast,

web, print, etc.).

Notables:

. Successfully completed set-up of fully functioning advertising

production facility in 10 months; 2 months ahead of schedule and $100,000

under budget.

. Launched successful integrated re-brand of Albertsons; via the

"Helping make your life easier" campaign in all media.

. Developed and managed first ever integrated advertising focus groups

across Albertsons network resulting in the methodology behind

our re-branding.

GES Exposition Services

Regional Director of Creative Services

Jan. '02 - Feb. '03

Managed 5 cross-functional teams totaling 30 employees (structural design,

graphic design, floorplan, detailing and production). Designed and built

structures and produced graphics for large-scale trade shows at venues like

McCormick Place, Navy Pier and more. Also served a creative director and

production management for GES' Central Division satellite offices in

Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Kansas City, St. Louis and

other centrally located major metropolitan areas; managing an additional

indirect staff of 20.

Notables:

. Revamped procedural processes providing 50% more effective

communications and workflow.

. Renegotiated existing vendor contracts resulting in a 20% across-the-

board cost savings for consumables.

. Chaired national task force responsible for discovery, testing and

implementation of graphics & design standards, best practices and

equipment.

Serta Incorporated

Director of Marketing / Creative Services

Sept. '98 - Nov. '01

Hired as the Director of Marketing Services, my role was to oversee

relational marketing and branding opportunities enterprise-wide. From co-

branding with retailers to developing the marketing plan and rollout

methodology for new lines, I developed and controlled the brand image.

Within 1 year I took over all strategic creative, expanding my role from

strictly business-to-business to include the business-to-consumer

communications as well. Worked on the award-winning Counting Sheep

advertising campaign as well as the branding of Serta's luxury subsidiary,

Masterpiece Mattresses; heralded as one of the most successful brand

launches in mattress history. Managed internal and external creative

resources as well as strategic, production and vendor relations.

Notables:

. Worked on national Counting Sheep campaign (broadcast, print, Web,

etc.) that increased unaided brand awareness 53% in first 6 months.

. Successfully re-branded, redesigned and marketed corporate Web site

increasing traffic from 80M hits/mo to 12MM hits/mo.

. Researched and hired battery of new vendors / re-negotiated existing

contracts cutting production expenses by 50%.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Group Creative Director

Sept. '95 - Sept. '98

Managed the internal creative department responsible for design and

production of print advertising and collateral materials for all divisions

of Wal-Mart. This included circulars, catalogs, brochures, POP, national

magazine advertising, outdoor, direct-mail, identity, etc. Managed and

produced over 500 jobs annually. Saved the company over $500,000 annually

by bringing outsourced work back into creative services department.

Notables:

. Cut controllable expenditures by 50% with development and

introduction of new quality assurance measures.

. Pitched and successfully brought in new business groups - saving

over $1.5 million during my tenure.

. Increased productivity by 120% with same staff by streamlining

procedures.

Montgomery Ward & Co., Inc.

Copywriter / Designer

Dec. '91 - Sept. '95

Writer and designer of advertising and marketing collateral material

including circular, catalog, in-store signage, hang tags, etc. Worked on

hundreds of projects across all departments (apparel, electronics, home

goods, automotive, etc.)

Notables:

. Designed entire branding line for proprietary fashion line.

. 3 promotions in less than 4 years.

WHY:

Bachelor of Arts Degree: English

Western Illinois University

Dec. '91

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