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BRAND CASE STUDIES

SHIPT

Over-Delivering Delivery.

Brand Strategy

Campaign Strategy

Shipt is a same-day delivery service owned by Target Corporation that connects customers with groceries, home products, and electronics through a network of personal shoppers across the United States.

The challenge
Shipt faced intense competition from Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and Walmart in a market commoditized by speed and price. The brand felt transactional and undifferentiated. Shipt needed a positioning that could drive competitive advantage and sustainable growth.

Strategic approach
I led the repositioning of Shipt around "Over-Delivering Delivery," a platform that elevated the brand from transactional logistics to a high-touch, human-centered service. Through research and competitive analysis, I found that Shipt's true differentiator was its personal shoppers, who went above and beyond to make each order exceptional, such as picking bananas at the perfect ripeness and adding thoughtful touches that created moments of delight. This new idea positioned personal shoppers as brand heroes and established the strategic foundation for the entire rebrand, including the new visual identity, brand voice, marketing campaigns, and product experience.

Results

  • 350% increase in sales through Shipt since brand launch

  • 60% increase in unaided brand awareness

  • Tripled membership base while reducing acquisition costs by 50%

  • Established Shipt as the #1 delivery brand in the southern United States


These results were achieved in conjunction with marketing work - please see my Shipt marketing case study
 

This work was developed with talented creative folk @Huge

JOURNEY

Multidimensional Experiences.

Brand Strategy

Messaging Strategy

Journey is a global design and innovation agency formed from the merger of acclaimed studios, including ICRAVE, Squint/Opera, 59 Studio, and VMI Studio, bringing together over 250 employees specializing in strategy, design, architecture, and technology.

The challenge
The newly formed agency needed to present multiple world-class studios as a unified practice rather than a collection of separate capabilities. Without clear positioning, Journey risked being perceived as a holding company pitching disconnected services rather than a cohesive design powerhouse.

Strategic approach
I led the work to establish Journey as a pioneer of "Multidimensional Experience Design" (MDX), positioning the agency as the first to formally integrate physical, digital, immersive, and virtual design capabilities from the start of every project. Through stakeholder interviews and competitive analysis, I identified that Journey's true differentiator was its ability to consider every dimension of an experience simultaneously rather than sequentially. The framework established four core dimensions (Physical, Human, Technological, and Chronological) that Journey considers as interconnected from day one, reframing the traditional sequential design process and positioning the merged studios as essential components of a single, revolutionary methodology.

Results

  • Established Journey as the first "truly multidimensional experience studio in the world," creating a new category in the design industry

  • Successfully unified multiple acquired studios under a cohesive strategic narrative

  • Created proprietary "MDX" framework that became the central organizing principle for brand identity, website, and client engagements

  • Positioned agency to win major projects, including MSG Sphere, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025, and Musée national de la Marine in Paris


This work was developed with talented creative folk @Journey & @ReadyMadeCompany

SARONIC

Redefining Maritime Superiority.

Brand Strategy

Product Naming

Messaging Strategy

Saronic is a defense technology startup developing autonomous surface vessels. The company designs and manufactures AI-powered unmanned vessels ranging from six-foot reconnaissance craft to 24-foot modular platforms capable of blue-water combat missions.

The Challenge
Saronic faced the perception problem all defense tech startups encounter: being dismissed as a "garage industry" tech company rather than a trustworthy defense contractor capable of reliably supplying critical assets to the Department of Defense. The company needed positioning that would establish credibility with Pentagon decision-makers and differentiate them from other promising startups competing for DOD contracts.

Strategic Approach
I developed the brand vision "Redefining Maritime Superiority," a strategic platform grounded in the insight that the next era of naval dominance will be built on sophisticated unmanned capabilities rather than traditional manned fleets. For decades, maritime superiority has been defined by massive, "exquisite" vessels such as aircraft carriers and destroyers. However, conflicts like the Ukraine war demonstrated that these multi-billion-dollar ships could be destroyed by small, cheap unmanned surface drones, fundamentally challenging traditional naval doctrine. This positioning shifted Saronic from a promising tech startup to a strategic partner revolutionizing naval warfare, establishing them as a credible major defense contractor.

Results

  • After the rebrand, Saronic won $392M U.S. Navy contract for Corsair autonomous surface vessels

  • They were also one of only a handful of defense tech startups to win a "program of record" with the Pentagon

​

This work was developed with talented creative folk @RawMaterials

RANDSTAD

Human Forward.

Research

Brand Strategy

Messaging Strategy

Randstad is the world's largest HR services provider, operating over 4,500 branches across 39 countries. The company generates over €20 billion in revenue annually, providing services from temporary staffing and permanent placements to workforce solutions.

The challenge
Randstad faced a critical tension as digital transformation revolutionized talent acquisition. While 84% of employers valued recruitment technology, they overwhelmingly preferred staffing partners who provided a personal perspective about candidates. Randstad needed positioning that would differentiate the brand while addressing this fundamental human need in an age of AI and automation.

Strategic approach
I led the complete repositioning of Randstad through extensive research with employers and candidates, identifying that while digital transformation was revolutionizing recruitment, human connection remained the most important element in matching candidates to meaningful work. I developed the "Human Forward" brand promise, shifting Randstad from a technology-focused recruiting company to a people-first organization that leverages technology to enhance human connection. This positioning established Randstad's "Tech & Touch" strategy and laid the foundation for the global rebrand, including a new visual identity, branch experience concepts, digital touchpoints, and a sonic identity.

Results

  • Replaced 14-year-old positioning with a strategic platform that balanced human connection with technological innovation

  • Provided foundation for global rebrand rolled out across 39 countries, 4,500+ branches, and 36,000+ employees

  • Established "Tech & Touch" as a guiding strategic framework for business operations

 

This work was developed with talented creative folk @Huge

AIRHEADS

Play Delicious.

Research

Brand Strategy

Campaign Strategy

Airheads is an iconic American taffy candy brand owned by Perfetti Van Melle, known for its chewy texture, tangy fruit flavors, and bright colors. Launched in 1985, Airheads became a nostalgic favorite among millennials who grew up with the candy.

The challenge
After decades of marketing primarily to children, Airheads needed to expand beyond its kids-focused positioning to capture millennials and Gen Z adults who viewed it as a nostalgic childhood treat rather than something for their current lives. The brand needed new positioning that would reintroduce it to a broader generational audience and give permission to compete in adult afternoon treat occasions.

Strategic approach
I led the repositioning work to shift Airheads from a kids' candy to a brand for all ages. Through consumer research with millennials and Gen Z adults, I identified a critical insight: adults needed permission to inject playfulness back into their daily routines, particularly during afternoon moments when they sought a mental break from responsibilities.

I developed the brand platform "Play Delicious," a strategic positioning grounded in the idea that eating Airheads could give adults permission to embrace moments of playful levity in their everyday lives. This framework articulated that play was not just for kids, but a necessary and delicious form of self-care for adults navigating an increasingly serious world. The positioning celebrated how people had always played with Airheads (shaping, stretching, and molding the candy), establishing this behavior as central to the brand experience rather than just kid behavior.

Results

  • Elevated Airheads from the 4th to the 3rd most popular candy in the US, with a significant increase in retail sales

  • Successfully repositioned from kids' candy to a playful brand for all ages

  • Established "Play Delicious" as an enduring platform that has guided creative campaigns for over seven years

 

This work was developed with talented creative folk @Huge

DONE.

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