Vanessa Dones

• Collaborate with external PR firms, as well as internal sales and marketing managers, to determine branding, product positioning and media messages.
• Develop innovative marketing and PR strategies.
• Produce and distributed internal and external communications.
• Raise brand awareness through consistent marketing efforts and product campaign launches.
• Align projects and daily activities with company vision, strategies and tactics.
• Manage internal, external and crisis communications.

*Laid off due to indirect client budget cuts.

• Led alignment of brand strategy and sales goals with strategic earned-led media and marketing plans and executions for Espolòn Tequila, Montelobos Mezcal, SKYY Vodka, Knob Creek Bourbon and more
• Provided strategic public relations and social media counsel to clients, both reactively and
  proactively
• Successfully launched new products, including Espolon Cristalino and PR programs
• Worked with Account Directors to set and manage budgets for clients
• Led account planning, including public relations and social media campaign and budget
  development, and effectively presented plans to clients and new business prospects
• Mentored and managed junior staff, including assisting in the leadership of the NYC team

● Grew agency business with the Campari White Spirits business by increasing programming budget for 2024 and in 2023 securing incremental spends on added value programming that was developed based on real-time cultural developments (i.e. SKYY Vodka's SKYY Says I Do pop-up wedding chapel program in support of the 2023 passing of the Marriage Equality Bill)

• Aligned organizational objectives with company mission, driving revenue, profit and business growth by collaboratively developing integrated strategies.
• Developed key operational initiatives to drive substantial business growth.
• Established and administered annual budget.
• Set, enforced and optimized internal policies to maintain responsiveness to demands.
• Developed sales and promotion initiatives to drive owner acquisition and increase brand awareness.
• Studied market to determine optimal offerings and pricing of services to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
• Interviewed, supervised and motivated 10 staff members to achieve optimal productivity.
• Developed innovative sales and owner acquisition strategies to facilitate business expansion.

• Developed and implemented innovative marketing and PR strategies for the Kobrand portfolio including Champagne Taittinger, The Fladgate Partnership, Cakebread, Craggy Range, Louis Jadot and more
• Managed media and consumer facing activations including media events, seminars, one-on-one press appointments/dinners and other consumer/trade events (i.e. Aspen Food & Wine Classic, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, etc.).
• Managed and expanded sponsorships and partnerships that resulted in publicity and branded content including video, print, online and social media content (i.e. Chamagne Taittinger's sponsorship of the SAG Awards and event sponsorships, etc.).
• Managed US media tours and international press trips, securing key press participants, and collaborated with key press to generate brand coverage.
• Developed media materials for distribution including press releases, media alerts, media dossiers and POVs.
• Managed vendor and agency partners; led junior staff members in creating pitches and media mailings.
• Maintained media relationships within wine, spirits, lifestyle and trade press.

• Supervised and executed communications programming for a portfolio of luxury wine, spirits and tourism clients including the Pernod Ricard wine portfolio, several small-batch whisky brands and iconic destinations like Bryant Park and SPiN Ping Pong Social Club.
• Spearheaded day-to-day client services including research, planning, implementation and evaluation of public relations activities.
• Managed budgets, contracts, resources and timelines for all brands.
• Generated effective and comprehensive public relations programs.
• Secured placements for clients in key target outlets including Wine Spectator, Forbes, TODAY Show, Men's Journal, etc.

• Managed communications activities for brands including Maker's Mark Bourbon and Pisco Porton
• Executed large-scale events to support market activities and encouraged engagement
• Engaged daily with media to secure regular press coverage
• Developed partnerships with food trucks across major cities to create press-worthy, Maker's Mark Bourbon infused treats as a timely and buzzworthy way to secure press coverage and engage with media

• Managed below-the-line marketing and promotional strategy for Moët Hennessy brands including Moët & Chandon, Belvedere Vodka, Cloudy Bay and others.
• Supervised internal creative process, managed timelines and vendors to produce and disseminate POSM to markets across the US.
• Developed thematic programs for on-premise and off-premise activations for all brands.
• Managed social media for Moët & Chandon USA and supported social media strategies for other brands.
• Developed and managed all sweepstakes for Moët & Chandon and Belvedere Vodka.

• Managed communications activities for clients including national/international media tours, social media campaigns and educational trade events.
• Coordinated press outreach, including the creation of effective press releases, background materials and other collateral for media
• Secured press coverage for clients in target outlets including Wine Enthusiast, Brides, The New York Times, Glamour, etc.