Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
Boards Councils
Awards & Accomplishments
Timeline
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Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett

Austin,TX

Summary


A bold and charismatic marketing executive with proven success in transformation, strategic growth and brand visibility. Adept at leading cross-functional teams to deliver best in class marketing campaigns aligned with business goals. Strong focus on data-driven decision-making, technology enablement, creative problem solving, and fostering collaborative environments to achieve outstanding results - including two recent and successful acquisitions.

Overview

22
22
years of professional experience

Work History

EVP/Chief Marketing Officer

Mattress Firm
06.2023 - 04.2025
  • Robust CMO scope covering all disciplines for $5B company, with $400M in marketing spend, 100-person marketing team, 2500 store footprint for category leading omnichannel retailer. Executive team member that completed acquisition to TSI in February 2025.
  • Four years of ROI improvement, steady growth in brand health metrics like top-of-mind awareness +10%, consideration +18% and purchase intent +17%. 1200 bps of market share growth, +43% increase in CRM Omni ROAS and 300% growth in ecommerce YOY by deploying omni-strategies.
  • Transformational leadership through vision and capability development including: internal data & analytics team modeling and robust test & learn program, audience-first planning enabled through CDP and Epsilon platform, AI adoption in creative and media buying, and insourcing of key media channels for agility and performance improvement- all while improving marketing team engagement scores.

SVP, Marketing

Mattress Firm
09.2020 - 06.2023
  • Led organization through internal brand purpose articulation and re-brand, resulting in Cannes and gold Effie-winning campaigns resulting in a year one beat of EBITDA goal by 100%.
  • Shifted media spend from 75% traditional/25% digital to 75% digital and 25% traditional over term driving significant ROI improvement and measurement capabilities.
  • Stood up internal content capabilities and developed award-winning custom podcasts, extensive influencer program, best in class PR approach and SEO-driven ecommerce product content.

VP, Head of Marketing

Barnes & Noble
01.2019 - 01.2020
  • Part of executive team that pitched and sold the legacy retailer to Elliott Capital by re-branding and enhancing marketing capabilities, beginning with data & technology, and ending with award-winning campaign work with Malcom Gladwell.
  • Re-vamped membership program through pricing and value proposition adjustment, taking program from a consistent double-digit decline to 30% growth in year one.

Brand Marketing Director

Best Buy
01.2017 - 01.2019
  • Partnered with CMO on Best Buy re-brand in 2018, including internal and external campaign activations across the US, Mexico and Canada.
  • Responsible for $50M brand marketing strategy and overall campaign planning for $600M in campaigns across all lines of business.
  • Stood up internal content studio and launched 'Best Buy Labs' making influencers out of our Blue Shirts- resulting in $25M of incremental co-op dollars from vendors like Samsung, Apple and Microsoft.

Creative Services Director

Best Buy
01.2015 - 01.2017
  • Led internal creative team and multiple external agencies to develop unified creative strategies for all BBY campaigns with $600M in spend across all categories- resulting in growth in brand health, traffic and ROI.

Strategy Director

Martin Williams
12.2013 - 12.2014
  • Digital and brand strategy director and discipline lead for portfolio of clients including Kubota, Wolverine and Pei Wei.

Experience Strategy Director

GSD&M
01.2011 - 12.2013
  • Stood up and led multi-faceted strategy team dedicated to digital and emerging media activation for core clients such as: Marshalls, LL Bean, Walgreens and Ace Hardware.

Director of Digital Strategy

GSD&M
01.2008 - 01.2011
  • Consultant tasked with developing internal capabilities including digital, mobile and social strategies and user experience for agency, while working across client roster to win and grow existing business. Wins included: Marshalls, US Air Force and Stainmaster.

Account Supervisor

GSD&M
01.2006 - 01.2008
  • Led John Deere commercial & consumer equipment accounts globally, American Red Cross and BMW.

Account Executive

T3 / The Think Tank
09.2003 - 01.2006
  • Led online ad campaigns and e-commerce for Dell small and medium business.

Education

Bachelor's Degree - English

Baylor University
01.2003

Skills

  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Visionary Leadership
  • Collaboration & Influence
  • Curious & Eager to Learn

Awards

  • Gold Clio for 'Get Matched. Sleep at Night.' campaign, 05/25/25
  • AICP shortlist for 'Get Matched. Sleep at Night.' campaign, 04/25/25
  • OMMA Award for Custom Podcast, 'Are you Sleeping?', 10/23/23
  • ARF Ogilvy Award for Multi-cultural campaign, 'Hablemos de tu descanso', 08/22/22
  • Cannes Lion, Shortlist, 'Junk Sleep' campaign, 06/22/22
  • Effie Gold, Brand Renaissance, 'Junk Sleep', 06/22/22

Boards Councils

  • National Women's Shelter Network Advisory Council, member, 12/24/24
  • Meta Advisory Council, 2023-2024

Awards & Accomplishments

· Gold Clio for “Get Matched. Sleep at Night.” campaign, (5/25)

· AICP shortlist for “Get Matched. Sleep at Night.” campaign, (4/25)

· OMMA Award for Custom Podcast, “Are you Sleeping?” (10/23)

· ARF Ogilvy Award for Multi-cultural campaign, “Hablemos de tu descanso” (8/22)

· Cannes Lion, Shortlist, “Junk Sleep” campaign (6/22)

· Effie Gold, Brand Renaissance, “Junk Sleep” (6/22)

Timeline

EVP/Chief Marketing Officer

Mattress Firm
06.2023 - 04.2025

SVP, Marketing

Mattress Firm
09.2020 - 06.2023

VP, Head of Marketing

Barnes & Noble
01.2019 - 01.2020

Brand Marketing Director

Best Buy
01.2017 - 01.2019

Creative Services Director

Best Buy
01.2015 - 01.2017

Strategy Director

Martin Williams
12.2013 - 12.2014

Experience Strategy Director

GSD&M
01.2011 - 12.2013

Director of Digital Strategy

GSD&M
01.2008 - 01.2011

Account Supervisor

GSD&M
01.2006 - 01.2008

Account Executive

T3 / The Think Tank
09.2003 - 01.2006

Bachelor's Degree - English

Baylor University
Sam Bennett