Projects
A sample of projects that have provided unique experiences and learnings. None were achieved alone, and I must thank my team mates and colleagues for their invaluable contributions.
We've had a lot of fun and success!
Founder of The Kool Bag Co. - a clever solution to complete the fresh food chain
A great deal of care goes into ensuring that food remains fresh from farms to grocery stores. But once we leave the store with our shopping, that refrigerated chain gets broken. Research shows that in Canada, we are particularly bad at storing meat properly, which can have serious health implications. I designed The Kool Bag™ Shopper to solve this problem, keeping your shopping cool from store to your fridge or freezer, and sitting conveniently inside the PC® Green Box® to save space in the trunk of your car when not in use. It makes a great cool bag for your picnic, camping or fishing trip!
Architect of ‘Original Stash’ - a illicit market busting value brand
The newly legalised adult-use cannabis market in Canada was not producing the desired impact of reducing illicit market purchases; the 2 primary issues cited by consumers were accessibility to authorized stores and prices were 30% or more higher in legal stores. I was the architect of a new brand, which was launched from concept to on-shelves within 8 weeks, packaged in a beautiful odour blocking sealed zip 28g / 1oz pouch, and priced lower than the prevailing black market price. Through simplified manufacturing processes and packaging, gross margins were higher than the traditional jar filled product. Original Stash products were so successful that they sold out within days and we had to scramble to replenish!
Introduced subscription business model (SaaS) to flagship software product
With a rapidly changing market for software delivery, it was vital for Corel to offer its millions of loyal graphic designers around the world, the option of paying for their favourite application on a subscription basis. A cross functional commitment was made to introduce this new model in record time, changing the way the application was developed, marketed and sold, and providing users with quarterly product updates. The underlying business remained solid and new users contributed to sustained growth, attracted by the lower cost of entry and the promise of always working with the very latest version of the flagship software application.
Created new positioning & advertising campaign for Coleman brand in Europe
Coleman had just acquired the Camping Gaz business in Europe, which occupied the same mass market positioning as Coleman in the USA. In order to build a complimentary business in Europe, without cannibalising share from its existing business, I established a new differentiated positioning for the Coleman brand as 'rugged professional quality products used by professional to perform their jobs in extraneous conditions'. An award winning campaign developed with TBWA helped relaunch Coleman, and a new category of outdoor recreation products was created, making a significant contribution to top and bottom lines.
Used design software to create durable tents and sleeping bags with manufacturers in China
Carving out a niche in the crowded European outdoor equipment market, I set about designing tents and sleeping bags using graphic design software, that were tough and built to last, and which reflected the new rugged positioning for the Coleman brand. Working with hand picked manufacturers and outdoor specialists, we selected high quality fabrics, hardware and accessories, implemented quality control processes and put the products through rigorous testing procedures. I built up strong partnership relationships and developed high levels of trust with our manufacturers in China, resulting in the production of consistently high quality products. Introducing them to design software and teaching them the basics, soon allowed them to develop more efficient processes and competitive advantage. Coleman tents and sleeping bags are recognized are some of the most durable outdoor equipment products on the market.
Extended PUMA brand to build a fast growing UK sports apparel business
When Rudolf Dassler broke away from the family business to form PUMA in 1948, little did he know that he was establishing one of the most formidable sports companies in the world, that would continue to rival his brother's company (adidas) to this day. With UK sales volume coming primarily from sports footwear, the company decided to expand into sports apparel. I was given the mandate to build this new division and achieve rapid revenue growth. With the help of freelance designers in the UK using early CAD solutions, and a network of high quality manufacturers in Asia, Puma sportswear soon became the brand of choice for sports and leisurewear in the UK.
Co-founded of a sports apparel and accessories company under the Gola brand
Gola was established in 1905 as a UK manufacturer of football (soccer) boots, and was one of the original brands in the sports footwear market. Looking for an established brand to develop a collection of sports apparel and accessories, I put together a business plan and approached the Gola owners, who agreed to fund the venture. With a focus on adult and teenage sports and fashion apparel, the business grew rapidly across several worldwide markets and continues to be a leader in retro-fashion design.
Learned from mistakes with Virgin Cola
Virgin Cola was launched in 1994 with typical Richard Branson bravado, by driving a tank through a wall of Coke cans in New York’s Times Square! Virgin Cola’s formula was manufactured by Cott, and as their representative in France, I was part of the team that launched in partnership with Monoprix. We captured significant shelf space and market share in the initial months, but we had poked the bear, and Coca Cola quickly reacted by exploding marketing spend and putting heavy pressure on the retail chains. A great learning experience, and as Richard Branson said: “I consider our cola venture to be one of the biggest mistakes we ever made - but I still wouldn’t change a thing.”
zazuhōm - from napkin to nascent tech company (start-up)
zazuhōm is a mobile and web solution that helps householders capture (using mobile phone), store (in the cloud) and find (from any device), all their home product information, such as user manuals, warranties and receipts, whenever they need it most. zazuhōm was put through a rigorous 12-week Founder Institute incubator program in the Autumn of 2016. Check out zazuhōm here!
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like, design is how it works”