Michael Essex
Tampa,FL
Summary
Senior-level team leader with 20 years of brand sales experience, working with teams to manage and exceed goals, across multiple platforms. Strategic and motivated with a passion for driving brand awareness and product performance. Expertise: Strategic planning, executive leadership, brand portfolio strategy, analytics, consumer insights, financial management, talent development, training, mentoring.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
02.2008 - 08.2023
- Analytics
- Cultivated the overarching vision for the Brand Marketing & Analytics department that drove project identification and prioritization across three teams of brand marketing, consumer insights and marketing analytics to comprehensively help answer the most important business questions of the organization
- Directed marketing strategies and research plans to support top organizational priorities including the launch and ongoing measurement of Publix’ first loyalty program, Club Publix
- This has proven to increase the recency, frequency, and monetary value (RFM) of customer trips in-store and triple digit ROI
- Led the introduction, integration, and evolution of Marketing strategic planning and research analytics best practices, knowledge, methodologies, processes, techniques, and tools
- Initiated a new, data-driven process to identify the top strategic priorities for the Marketing Annual Plan with the most critical insights around consumers, customers, competitors and the marketplace
- Accelerated the timeline to deliver consumer insights by creating an in-house research capability
- Empowered associates to cultivate custom, proprietary analytical solutions that better serve the unique needs of the organization at a lower cost
- Ensured the development of insight-supported Marketing plans to successfully engage customers, increase revenue, and promote the Publix brand across seven US states, five geographical divisions, and more than 1,300 retail locations
- Identified, allocated and managed a $10 million budget for research and analytics including Trends research, qualitative and quantitative custom consumer research studies, tracking studies, and customer segmentation
- Directed and continually evaluated resource requirements (budgetary and human resources) for strategic brand planning and research analytics that drive strategic decisions around new site selection, product and service offerings, and marketing strategy
- Prioritized all Marketing efforts for the upcoming calendar year based on the input from several competing business areas for limited marketing resources
- Executive team decision maker in the management and evolution of Publix’ private label brand portfolio to grow Publix’ brand equity across a family of brands with distinct customer benefits
- Executive decision maker and direct advisor to the Marketing VP on the policies, resources, processes, and organizational structure of the Marketing department of 330+ associates to ensure efficiency, consistency, and highest quality marketing services to the organization
- Examples include:
- Proposed reorganization of the Marketing department to centralize the strategic decision responsibilities under one Director to build a center of excellence and consistency
- Accurately forecasted for long term and short-term staffing needs to develop and implement a new analytical infrastructure to support the launch of Club Publix loyalty program
- Recommended policy changes to hire and retain top talent in a highly competitive job market.
Manager
04.2006 - 02.2008
- Marketing Brand Management
- Led, developed and provided oversight in brand management and strategy development for a team of 15 Brand Marketing Managers assigned to all fresh/grocery product groups, Pharmacy, and Omnichannel business areas to increase sales, profitability and long-term customer loyalty
- Leveraged data/analytics and consumer insights to develop strategies and integrated marketing plans that drove trial and brand loyalty
- Served as the sole marketing expert on several strategic initiatives to drive revenue growth and defend market share in a highly competitive, low margin grocery industry
- Example:
- Strategy development for an implementation of the first Publix GreenWise Market – a new store banner focused on natural/organic, specialty and local products
- Executive decision maker informing the allocation of the multibillion-dollar annual marketing budget on the highest priorities with the best chance to generate the strongest ROI for the organization
- Mentored high potential, high performing Marketing associates for future growth and succession planning.
Corporate Marketing Services Manager
Publix Super Markets, Inc
07.2001 - 04.2006
Division Marketing/Advertising Manager
Lakeland
05.1999 - 07.2001
Division Field Marketing Coordinator
Lakeland
01.1997 - 05.1999
Secretary, Advertising Manager
Jacksonville
05.1995 - 01.1997
Ad Letter Clerk
05.1994 - 05.1995
Cashier
12.1987 - 05.1994
Education
Bachelor of Science degree - Advertising, Business Administration
University of Florida
Skills
- Business Planning
- Project Management
- Budget Control
- Contract Negotiation
- Business Development
- Charismatic Leader
- Team Management
- Digital Marketing
- Partnerships and Alliances
- Sales Tracking
Affiliations
- SEMA Pack Organization
Timeline
Director
02.2008 - 08.2023
Manager
04.2006 - 02.2008
Corporate Marketing Services Manager
Publix Super Markets, Inc
07.2001 - 04.2006
Division Marketing/Advertising Manager
Lakeland
05.1999 - 07.2001
Division Field Marketing Coordinator
Lakeland
01.1997 - 05.1999
Secretary, Advertising Manager
Jacksonville
05.1995 - 01.1997
Ad Letter Clerk
05.1994 - 05.1995
Cashier
12.1987 - 05.1994
Bachelor of Science degree - Advertising, Business Administration
University of Florida