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Lead Creative Strategist

Expertise in:
Advertising Communication
Brand Strategy
Business Analytics & Strategy 
Consumer Research & Insight Development
Creative Strategy & Problem Solving
Marketing Strategy
Media Strategy & Planning
Multimedia Content Production
Public Relations & Experiential Event Planning 
Social Media Communities & Content Strategy


Responsible for developing marketing and creative advertising campaigns that uniquely position the Target brand, drive sales and build emotional connection with new and existing guests.

• Co-led development of a marketing communications framework and creative strategy for a multidimensional Holiday campaign that performed above goals

• Evolved strategy for Target Run campaign to motivate guests to shop Target via new fulfillment services (Same Day Delivery + Drive Up), generating the highest short-term sales and ROI companywide, in addition to building awareness and consideration of services

• Crafted a cross-channel marketing & creative launch strategy for Auden intimates resulting in the highest earned impressions, social campaign engagement and double digit market share growth, moving Target into 3rd position over longtime holder, Kohl’s


Brand & Campaign leader for Behr DIY consumer segment, driving gallon sales and defending brand’s quality perception through integrated advertising campaigns executed in the USA and Canada.

• Planned and managed $55MM annual advertising budget, including resourcing
for 4 agencies of record (creative, media, PR, naming), integrated media planning & buying, multi-media content production, PR influencers and experiential events

• 2017 campaign resulted in a 15% lift in paint gallons and 2018 campaign resulted in the highest advertised sales in the history of the company in a declining category

• Created publicity around 2017 color trends palette, tripling editorial earned media coverage and a 40% increase in paint dispenses of trend colors versus previous year

• Demonstrated value of newly formed “Brands + Campaigns” team to support brand strategy and advertising initiatives, doubling headcount to expand team capacity

• Managed and developed a high-performing team of 4 direct reports in brand marketing, public relations and content strategy roles


Director of Marketing

Part of start-up team that established internal operations, resourcing, and brand and creative strategy processes to gain new businesses.
• Consulted clients on primary and secondary research to identify growth opportunities
and proposed plans for how to achieve business, marketing and brand equity goals
• Identified and recruited research, strategy and creative resources to fit client projects

Account Director

Behr Paint:
Led new creative agency of record team to build a successful strategy repositioning the brand to connect more emotionally with DIY consumers.

• Partnered with a newly established marketing team, media and PR agencies to develop an integrated brand campaign for the first time in Behr’s history, resulting in double digit
increases for purchase intent across all three products advertised

• Built strong relationships with new client team, opening up the opportunity to work directly for Behr Paint client in 2016

• Managed the growth and responsibilities of two direct reports, in addition to agency creative, planning, production and project management resources

Kohl’s:
Planned and executed a consumer-generated, digital campaign to promote exclusive merchandise for Kohl’s in partnership with Disney’s Frozen franchise and the 2014 American Music Awards.

• Generated over 30,000+ votes for the finalists and above goal for social mentions

PepsiCo:
Agency lead responsible for developing the brand strategy and creative platform for new premium water through an awareness building campaign rooted in a social and experiential driven campaign.

Rooms To Go Furniture:
Day-to-day account lead overseeing development of brand-building campaigns for a furniture retailer.

• Successfully managed multiple TV and digital content productions featuring celebrity talent, Sofia Vergara and Cindy Crawford

• Identified digital and social opportunities for the brand, resulting in 20% organic growth and the highest online engagement at the time

Gap:
Part of the pitch team and day-to-day account lead for the Holiday 2013 global campaign that resulted in a continuation of the agency relationship and also produced Grand CLIO award-winning work.

• Crafted omni-channel “Make Love” campaign which included video, print, OOH, digital, social and PR touch points, prompting 17,000 social mentions, 20,000 article shares and most importantly, a 30% increase in brand sentiment vs. the 2013 quarterly average

• Led strategy and creation of “lo-fi” digital video content that was featured on the Instagram “most popular” page in 2014

• Responsible for editing and maintaining lengthy seasonal campaign guidelines for consistency across owned, earned and paid channels for cross-channel partners


Find out detailed information about Kara Belair, Lead Creative Strategist in Minnetonka, MN

Kara Belair: Lead Creative Strategist in Minnetonka, MN

Kara Belair

Target Corporation

Behr Paint Company

Tipping Point Inc

Peterson Milla Hooks

University of Minnesota