Marketing, Innovation, Insights

Kathy Hayes

925-***-**** ********@*****.***

Consumer insights thought leader, driving organizational performance by apply consumer and shopper understanding. Skilled across durables, consumer packaged goods and retail industries, with deep experience in both qualitative and quantitative research.

Safeway, retail grocer 2013-present

Director of Consumer & Shopper Insights; Pleasanton, CA

Lead a team of insights professionals to drive informed business decisions supporting Shopper marketing, loyalty and category teams.

Led company-wide strategic assessment of competitive position across 14 operating areas nationally, delivering insights forming foundational strategic plans for company.

Deepened organizational understanding of Hispanic, Asian and Kosher shoppers though in-depth ethnographic study resulting in improved sales due to better targeted communication in circulars, improved assortment in store and relevant signage in store.

Shaped company’s ‘local’ program through collaboration with executive leading the program, providing consumer and shopper insights, driving more effective in store execution by tailoring positioning, assortment, messaging and in store execution.

Drove category improvement in carbonated soft drinks, recapturing lost share by partnering with Coke to test in store merchandising displays. Provided insights, driving sales up 2% while optimizing costs to Coke.

Tested shopper marketing programs, from ideas to in store execution, to deliver stronger promotions store wide

Conducted loyalty drivers analysis to improve performance and engagement with shoppers, and better connect emotionally with shoppers.

Skilled in a wide range of research tools such as: shop alongs, in home interviews, idea screening, segmentation, discrete choice, quantitative concept tests, trackers, A&U, decision trees, virtual store shopping, shop ability, qual and quant panels

2006 - 2013

Nestle, worldwide food and beverage company

Global InsightsLead, Corporate Headquarters; Vevey, Switzerland (2010-2013)

Led global research study on health and wellness utilized to develop company strategy for improving products and portfolio worldwide though studies in Brazil, Philippines, South Africa, Mexico and via syndicated research from Health Focus across 18 countries globally.

Created strategic positions on childhood obesity and aging for Nestle adopted by Nestlé’s Executive Board, leading to policies, programs and new product introductions globally.

Created and facilitated market innovation workshops worldwide taking insights into action by tailoring insights for local markets and collaborating with Nestle’s market business leaders to develop health and wellness product and marketing pipelines and programs.

Taught global insights class at training center in Switzerland to Nestle leadership worldwide.

Marketing and Innovation Insights - Prepared Foods Division; Solon, Ohio (2006-2010)

Identified opportunity to revitalize bagged meal category resulting in launch of Stouffer’s Sautés with sales of 27 million in first year, and maintained sales level through second year by better understanding the category user’s needs.

Developed insights driving a new market opportunity for Stouffers leading to a successful test market of Anytime Gourmet, a sub brand of Stouffers, with 24 million in projected sales. Collaborated with marketing, product development, ad agency and packaging agency. Developed insights from white space opportunity through idea screening, concept testing, product development testing, volumetric testing, packaging testing, advertising testing and in market test.

Developed new business strategic platforms for Nestle prepared foods, with brand level execution and positions, specific to health and wellness, cooking methods and meal preparation.

Built capabilities of marketing team by leading weekly ideation sessions developing comfort and familiarity with creative problem solving for innovation and became resource for entire marketing organization for ideation and innovation.

Smith Dahmer Associates privately held marketing research firm 2002 - 2005

Director – led market research team to deliver client projects

Interacted with key clients to understand business needs and where research could be utilized to drive business growth.

Led research team to deliver projects on time, on budget and on strategy.

Moderated qualitative research: focus groups, dyads, in home interviews, shop alongs

Led quantitative research: segmentation, need/gap, concept testing, idea testing, loyalty tracking, brand tracking, brand fit, consumer panels, communications creative testing

Deliver comprehensive presentations to client’s management leadership teams to enable and guide decision making and drive strategy

Key clients were Whirlpool, Indiana University, Overhead Garage Door, Kimball Office Furniture

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Whirlpool Corporation 1994 - 2002http://www.google.ch/imgres?imgurl=http://www.diamondappliance.com/service/images/whirlpool_logo.png&imgrefurl=http://www.diamondappliance.com/service/whirlpool-repair.html&usg=__AxC67n4B8mCpckiIuaMzSiQUCfA=&h=191&w=283&sz=37&hl=fr&start=5&zoom=1&tbnid=bzUO_DVYRVkQyM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=114&ei=1ZFpULrcEqSA4gSHp4CQDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwhirlpool%2Blogo%2Bpng%26hl%3Dfr%26safe%3Dactive%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1

Global consumer kitchen appliance company

Director of Marketing

Led team of marketing professionals in innovative space – identifying opportunity area, translating consumer needs into product specs, developing marketing materials and sales communications for the internet connected home

Conducted extensive consumer research to identify latent consumer needs and translate those needs into product specifications and understand how to communicate to consumers about the proposition

Partnered on cross functional team of marketing, technology, design, usability and engineering to drive project objectives and deliver on consumer needs

Developed marketing strategy for innovation space, created platform pipeline, developed positioning, distribution strategy and partnerships with technology companies

Developed branded web site for direct sales of products on line

Division Sales Director – San Francisco, CA

Turned around an ailing sales division of 100 million/year, growing sales by 5%

Increased profitability by 7% through analysis of brand mix and setting sales strategy to drive results

Utilized strong interpersonal skills in managing team of 12 sales people across 4 states

Senior Brand Manager – KitchenAid Portable Appliances

Managed brand P&L, driving profitability through marketing spend analysis

Increased division sales through product development and launch of KitchenAid toaster generating 25M in sales (category opportunity identification, consumer needs assessment, product testing, packaging testing, consumer communication testing and advertising testing all were part of project)

Redesigned brand packaging, increasing sales by 4% due to better retail displays (consumer testing validated design direction)

Re launched the hand mixer, redesigning line and packaging and moving manufacturing in house (consumer insights and product, packaging and advertising testing were part of project)

Marketing Communications Manager – KitchenAid Portable Appliances

Managed all brand communications – both consumer and trade

Developed and lunched new national brand advertising campaign, increasing brand sales by 5%

Managed all agency relationships – advertising, promotions and PR

Created record breaking Mother’s Day promotion, increasing sales by 12%

Education

The Ohio State University – MBA in Marketing and Finance

The State University of New York at Buffalo – BS in Management cum laude

Community

Adjunct Business School Professor - Andrews University 2002-2004

Sarett Nature Center – Board of Directors 2002-2004

Hosted foreign exchange student from Russia – AYUSA 2001-2002

Yoga teacher 1999-2010

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