Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Maria Sauer

Carmel,CA

Summary

15+ years of experience in events and experiential marketing in high octane environments. My true passion lies in crafting powerful experiences that engage audiences in an authentic way and foster brand recognition. I provide a meticulous approach & execution of all event elements, from initial planning to final implementation.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work History

Experiential Account Director-Contract

Coffee N' Clothes
08.2024 - Current
  • Led team communication for LaCroix Beverages experiential pop-ups in the NY market.
  • Established trusted relationships with key project stakeholders by providing consistent and exceptional service throughout the account lifecycle.
  • Implemented creative solutions for complex client challenges, resulting in increased customer satisfaction & brand awareness.
  • Identified opportunities for improvement in existing experiential marketing strategies, leading to more impactful campaigns.
  • Oversaw preparation of program creative, branded merchandise, social strategy, tech integrations and other collateral.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure consistent branding across all company touchpoints and communications channels.
  • Analyzed market trends to identify new opportunities, adjusting marketing plans accordingly for maximum effectiveness.
  • Thrives working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
  • Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.


Experiential Account Lead

Crush Palace
05.2019 - Current
  • Crush Palace is a women-powered creative agency crafting bespoke experiences that stand out and make an impression. From pixels to popups, digital to IRL, we build events with a fresh eye and 15+ years of street cred to bring you both expertise and modern takes.
  • Established a successful business by identifying market needs and developing innovative solutions.
  • Led the strategic planning process to define business goals and ensure alignment across all departments.
  • Shaped solutions and approaches by leveraging trends in customer marketplaces and industries.
  • Collaborated with legal, accounting and other professional teams to review and maintain compliance with regulations.
  • Initiated strategy to drive company growth and increase market share and profitability.
  • Accounts include: Anheuser-Busch, E&J Gallo, Coca-Cola, Netflix, Gopuff, Diageo.

Experiential Account Director- Contract

The Visionary Group
10.2019 - 12.2019
  • Managed and led client accounts for Google Nest and Google Home @ Camp Pendleton Holiday Program
  • Conducted in-depth program research and client site visits
  • Facilitated account kick-off calls and meetings
  • Developed and implemented strategies for key event functions
  • Ensured smooth execution of event activations by maintaining project goals throughout the campaign process
  • Successfully managed client communication strategies in a complex and ever-changing project scope of $2M+.

Senior Experiential Producer- Contract

Giant Spoon
05.2019 - 09.2019
  • Spearheaded various high-profile projects for renowned clients such as Adobe-VidCon, Warner Brothers-Dr. Sleep Pitch, and ESPN-Austin F1 Fan Experience.
  • Acted as the primary point of contact for internal divisions including Design, Strategy, Accounts, and Finance, ensuring surpassing of client objectives for each project.
  • Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, providing expert guidance and direction to oversee fabrication, budgets, and buildout processes.
  • Effectively managed production schedules, client-facing documents, and logistics during pre-during and post-production phases.

Vice President, Business Development

COLLiDE Agency
05.2016 - 05.2019
  • Secured new business and oversaw end-to-end production, from ideation to execution
  • Managed and cultivated client relationships from initial pitch to project inception
  • Successfully executed over 50 immersive consumer experiences at renowned Arts & Culture festivals
  • Maintained an impressive client roster including reputable brands such as Netflix, MARS, Wrigley, E&J Gallo, PMA, Anheuser-Busch, Wrangler, and Stetson.

Head of Global Partnerships

Rdio + Westwood One
12.2014 - 04.2016
  • Successfully represented a cutting-edge music streaming service, established by the renowned founders of Skype, within the East Coast territory.
  • Achieved a commendable track record in securing and executing transformative business initiatives across high-profile events including SXSW, The Grammy's, Billboard Music Awards, and American Music Awards.
  • Rdio was acquired by Pandora in 2015.

Director of Integrated Brand Partnerships

Live Nation Entertainment
02.2010 - 12.2014
  • Successfully managed an extensive account list in the New York, NJ, and ATL regions, ensuring high levels of client satisfaction and retention.
  • Accomplished the acquisition of several large brand accounts such as Starwood, Microsoft, Unilever, Church & Dwight, Nestle, MARS, Bloomin Brands, Bacardi, and Honda (Honda Stage).
  • Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing multi-platform 360-degree programs, including online, offline events, artist alignment, social, and mobile initiatives.
  • Consistently achieved outstanding results by effectively selling multi-year, seven-figure partnerships, establishing a proven track record of exceeding sales targets.

Integrated Sales Manager

Rolling Stone + Us Weekly (Wenner Media)
12.2008 - 02.2010
  • Sold integrated programs across Us Weekly + Rolling Stone platforms in the digital, print and event space.
  • During tenure broke several large brand accounts such as Novartis, Pernod, Diageo, Hasbro, Nestle, Unilever, Sprint and
  • Cotton.
  • Met all revenue goal of 2MM +year over year.

Account Executive, Integrated Brand Partnerships

Variety
05.2007 - 11.2008
  • Met and exceeded goal by over 120% for four consecutive quarters
  • Responsible for Travel, Alcohol, Auto and Fashion verticals
  • Responsible for obtaining sponsors for up to fifteen Variety events per year
  • Closed new business in key accounts such as Volkswagen, Audi, Gucci, Richemont, British Airways, Neiman Marcus, Diageo, Heineken, Barney's, Stella Artois, L'Oreal, Mercedes, The Beam Brands and Porsche.

Digital Media Sales Planner

IAC
10.2005 - 04.2007
  • Key member of a high-volume sales team that exclusively sells for Citysearch, Match, Evite, Ticketmaster, Huffington Post, Iwon, Excite, Expedia and Max Online
  • Primary liaison for national client accounts with key cross functional areas: Sales, Billing, Marketing + Traffic Departments
  • Responsible for the execution and success of national brand campaigns such as Coca Cola City, Wall Street Journal, NY Times and Kraft.

Education

BA, Marketing & Communications -

Hofstra University

Skills

  • Experiential Event Strategy
  • Event Production
  • Livestream Curation & Production
  • Influencer Marketing
  • Media & Sponsorship Sales
  • Client & Agency Relationships
  • Sales Strategy Development
  • Content Creation
  • Multi-Tasking
  • Creative Thinker
  • Solution Oriented
  • Eternally Optimistic
  • Rain Maker

Timeline

Experiential Account Director-Contract

Coffee N' Clothes
08.2024 - Current

Experiential Account Director- Contract

The Visionary Group
10.2019 - 12.2019

Experiential Account Lead

Crush Palace
05.2019 - Current

Senior Experiential Producer- Contract

Giant Spoon
05.2019 - 09.2019

Vice President, Business Development

COLLiDE Agency
05.2016 - 05.2019

Head of Global Partnerships

Rdio + Westwood One
12.2014 - 04.2016

Director of Integrated Brand Partnerships

Live Nation Entertainment
02.2010 - 12.2014

Integrated Sales Manager

Rolling Stone + Us Weekly (Wenner Media)
12.2008 - 02.2010

Account Executive, Integrated Brand Partnerships

Variety
05.2007 - 11.2008

Digital Media Sales Planner

IAC
10.2005 - 04.2007

BA, Marketing & Communications -

Hofstra University

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