Nicole Ransom

Brand Solutions Director across a few key clients - such as New Balance, Blockchains, Southwest, Petco, Mastercard, Wild Turkey, Progressive, and helping execute Grey Goose's mixed reality component for their Grey Goose Essences: In Bloom event.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Work cross functionally to strategically align the creative idea with marketing elements to create compelling, sellable and executable marketing programs and pitches for prospective new clients
• Spearhead and project manage client partners: fielding questions, problem solving, giving campaign updates, and providing data/context as needed
• Serve as the client’s primary contact while also helping manage those who report into me by having a clear R&R
• Prepare and present project reporting, analyzing performance relative to the campaign objectives and providing actionable recommendations
• Serve as the internal team’s primary contact - leading their communications with the client and managing team workload while achieving client’s deadlines
• Communicate the planning, production, talent, digital strategy, media, promotion, branding, design and creative of our programs to our client

Program Results Highlights:

World Premiere of the TRACK at New Balance: New Balance asked First Tube to help introduce the TRACK at New Balance: a new world class multi - purpose athletic facility. FT helped create a meaningful experience for people attending in real life while also creating a must watch experience for global audiences to view online, tapping into Jack Harlow to help bring the program to life.

• The livestream premiere of the TRACK at New Balance generated 22.8m impressions and 15.1m views of the show The program exceeded all campaign KPI’s
• Impressions 27% above goal, Views 172% above goal, Reach 62% above goal Captured audience attention driving an average watchtime of nearly 8 minutes on New Balance’s Youtube channel Delivered over 598M seconds of content watched

Adventure Awaits Sturgis: Progressive, FT and Wasserman - FT generated scale and excitement around Progressive’s Sturgis Buffalo Chip partnership, as well as their presence and influence at the Sturgis rally by extending programming to audiences at “home” through an episodic docuseries. Our content strategy furthered Progressive’s top of mind awareness as the #1 motorcycle insurer while support the rider community

• The Adventure Awaits campaign exceeded all KPI’s for Progressive, most notably doubling our view goal and delivering over 8.3k entries into the sweepstakes with a site conversion rate of 20%
• Impressions 40% vs goal totaling 12.1m Views 109% vs goal totaling 3.2m Total Watchtime in seconds 147% vs goal totaling 441.4m 1

Oversee development and implementation of strategy for the integrated Live Nation and music programs, balancing commercial availability and visibility in venues. Facilitate planning, ensuring IAT involvement and activation strategies. Deliver playbooks and tools for the organization to drive partnerships. Launch new-to-market innovation products leveraging brand plans to meet commercial goals.

Live Nation/Music integrated programs

• Increased brand sales by 62% in amphitheaters and 70.6% in Clubs and theaters in FY20
• Successfully executed all experiential activations surrounding Sound of Rum music platform across festivals, driving research results into on-going brand perception both at Bonnaroo and Governors Ball music festivals; achieved highest awareness, live music association, and lift in consideration across all demographics, as well as being ranked in top 3 for recall and good fit
• Increased sales at Bonnaroo by 3x vs prior year
• Generated 24M+ overall impressions through digital media content from Life is Beautiful Music and Arts Festival handle
• Achieved an 82% return rate of Bacardi stage at Life is Beautiful and a 40% return rate of the Bacardi Art Motel activation within festival grounds

Strategized, managed, and executed Sound of Rum private brand owned events:

• MAJOR LAZER: Two events spanning two summers hero-ing our partnership with Major Lazer. One in Miami and one in Chicago
• Worked separately with Walshy Fire on his Rum and Bass programs in 6 markets, bringing both visions to life
• HALLOWEEN: 2019 event headlined by Ciara
• National Rum Day Bus Tour with Luis Fonsi

Directed multiple Sound of Rum Virtual Music Experiences in FY21, including Michael Brun: Bayo x Bacardi (20.4M total audience reached with 12 press features); Run that Back: Wyclef Jean x Bacardi (1.1M views, 7.3M impressions, 96% positive rum talk sentiment); Major Lazer Carnival (67M reached); Inside Lands (14M total impressions); Bonnaroo – Rooality (309k social reach); Gov Ball from the Vault (15k social impressions); Shaq Bowl (10M views, 349M social media impressions, 8,7M social media interactions); Banding Together at Home (130 event attendees)

Environmentally Friendly Initiatives:

• Maintained association with Lonely Whale Corporate Social Responsibility platform, monitoring materials produced for compliance with Global CSR initiatives; nominated for a Webby Award for #FutureDoesntSuck Straw Vinyl Campaign with Lonely Whale, Major Lazer, and Anitta in 2019
• Established CSR taskforce and sponsored World Oceans Day 2020 with Ever & Ever/Lonely Whale to facilitate plastic-free initiative

Established monthly reporting cadence: using Nielsen, Brand Dashboard, and Executive dashboard, as well as Malibu deep dive to enhance global analytics

Set up on and off-premise national sampling programs for BACARDI Carta and Innovation during and after Covid-19 pandemic

New to market innovations:

• Launched BACARDI Canned Cocktails: Bahama Mama, Mojito, Sunset Punch and our Variety Pack
• Launched Ready to Serve: Island Punch
• Set up interagency briefings and strategy for the brands nationally

Advocacy:

• Created an education website housing product sku’s, production, and family history to facilitate global ambassador training and online programs
• Directed BACARDI Rum Shaker Program in F20 that promoted health and wellness in the bartender space while keeping positive BACARDI sentiment

Managed and developed presentations for national sales meetings, global brand team meetings, and senior leadership presentations including PowerPoint template development, sizzle reel creation, storytelling management of our integrated activity plan.

Created and executed a test launch in Tampa to generate data to drive successful national rollout. Implemented lessons learned to enhance national rollout, including changing sampling tactics, broadening target audience, and expanding on premise focus.

• Enhanced brand value by creating a blueprint deck for all global innovations moving forward based on test launch programs, improving bottom-line performance and long-term growth potential.

Maintained accountability for branding department budget, ensuring operational alignment with established goals and margins. Facilitated Sponsorships and Experiential Executions for music platforms, including Live Nation, Major Lazer, and five Music Festivals. Created strategies and briefs for key tent poles, including the Kentucky Derby, National Rum Day, Halloween, and Mardi Gras

• Closed FY18 0.32% under budget with 99.68% accuracy on a $40M+ budget
• Established brand strategy for LGBTQ+ initiatives, receiving a community leadership award, and recognition for promoting equality at the Aqua Ally Awards
• Integral part of the launch of Bacardi Banana Flavored Rum, running internal communication metrics, working with operations and sales to drive market penetration.

Assisted with the launch and repack of Oakheart Spiced Rum with the Jacksonville bottling plant, collaborating on creative design of label. Leveraged a sports-focused strategy in go-to-market initiative

• Developed a Competitive Analysis of the Industry to maintain working knowledge of industry and company operations