Story
Hands-on music industry experience from a young age and a passion for the instruments and musicians who cultivated the artform became the entry into the field—while deep knowledge of consumer mindset and storytelling have remained a constant.
Shepparding global musical instrument brands such as Gretsch, DW, Ovation, Latin Percussion, Vic Firth, DW Drums and many others, every aspect of consumer loyalty and fandom was studied and applied in a unique and specialized way. Working with a collaborative spirit and motivating others resulted in high productivity, massive brand equity for the company and fiscal growth.
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Case-in-point, at a tenure with Drum Workshop, a highly productive in-house agency of 20+ strong was personally hand-picked and mentored. Executing integrated, omnichannel activations from concept to eyes and ears, the specialized group realized impactful and engaging visual elements and media content that consistently generated engagement and record sales ($70m+) for the industry’s leading drum brands. The multi-brand portfolio was positioned and stewarded to be autonomous, with consistent brand messaging, thoughtful consumer touch points, and a holistic, purpose-driven strategy.
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As sales channels and direct-to-consumer tactics have evolved so has an already well-rounded skillset. Most recently, emersed in LIVEstreaming entertainment, brand-building was essential, as well as today’s marketing technologies. Hard metrics guide strategy that drives growth.
At its core, all Marketing is messaging. When that messaging hits the targeted audience authentically, it’s magical.
Key Successes
Organization & Team Development
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Assembled a team of award-winning creatives, Artist Relations staff, and dedicated outside personnel, as the company grew from $9M to $70M+ in annual top line revenue over two decades.
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Signed and built lasting relationships with unparalleled global roster of artists, music producers and other music industry luminaries including Dave Grohl, Bruno Mars, Sheila E., Melissa Ethridge, Don Henley, Tommy Lee, Richie Sambora, Mick Fleetwood and well over 1K+ drummers.
Network Partner Collaboration
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Spearheaded countless product launches and collective branding tactics with Guitar Center, becoming the Musical Instrument Industry retail giant’s leading acoustic drum brand. Guitar Center's annual revenue is currently $1.2B.
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Collaborated with Viacom and Activision for brand inclusion within the highly successful Rock Band and Guitar Hero video game franchises.
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Executed product placement in a wide variety of arenas including countless feature films, SNL, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, SXSW, Superbowl and more.
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Point on partnerships with other top-tier Musical Instrument Industry brands including Fender, Gibson, Paul Reed Smith, Apogee, Audio Technica, JBL, Zildjian, Remo, Universal Audio, Roland and many others.
Content Milestones and Achievements
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Single-handedly launched and produced multiple short form film titles under the DW DVD sub brand. Top-selling titles grossed over $250K+, while simultaneously increasing brand loyalty and strengthening sales of core products.
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Ushered the DW brand into the digital age with a mix of progressive multimedia content, social media engagement, website properties and digital branding partnerships.
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​Art directed every campaign over a 20-year period—zero outside agencies.
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Co-produced an award-winning documentary about the making of a drumset from forest to finished instrument featuring Rush’s iconic drummer, Neil Peart.
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Produced and oversaw a myriad of live events, trade shows, educational events and build-out of a DW-branded mobile stage.
Brand Positioning
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​Successfully rebranded Gretsch Drums, resulting in record top line sales of high-end instruments at premium prices.
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Unified the marketing efforts for the iconic, 50+ year legacy Ovation Guitars brand.
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Established the company’s non-profit arm, DW Music Foundation. Brought onboard an Executive Director, guided fundraising efforts, initiated music education programs and spearheaded strategic partnerships.
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Developed key consumer touch points including “DW Family Album” coffee table book, “Welcome Box” packaging, glossy DW Edge Magazine, clothing and promotional product lines, extensive collateral and point of purchase design and activation.
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Negotiated numerous royalty agreements with key artists, including Neil Peart (Rush), Roger Taylor (Queen), Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Ralph Johnson (Earth Wind and Fire), Daru Jones (Jack White), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Sheila E. (Prince) and many others.
The goal is to fuel brand loyalty and create evangelists, ensuring growth and brand equity well into the future.
The importance of creative collaboration was instilled at a young age, as a group of kids from the San Fernando Valley “banded together” to forge a music career in Hollywood. Achieving a major label deal, then working with notable music producers, record company execs, and all facets of the record biz offered an eye-opening education. An appreciation for the marriage of art and commerce was born.
Seeking out, then landing a home in musical instrument manufacturing proved valuable on many fronts. The landscape is niche yet competitive and covers several bases including cult brand development, specialized products tailored to passionate consumers, multi-platform content marketing, as well as business and marketing methodologies and tactics that crossover multiple industries.
