THE BUSINESS VALUE OF DESIGN

The best design performers increase their revenue and shareholder returns at nearly twice the rate of their industry counterparts.

- McKinsey Quarterly, the October 25th, 2018, Report

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS – MICKEY MOUSE AND WINNIE THE POOH

The slide below lays out how Disney Consumer Products drove growth at retail. Key to this success was developing a brand plan and business strategy at included customer segmentation, key focus and retail charge, retail strategy, individual category strategies, and exclusive retail opportunities.

Skills Utilized:​

• Leadership​
• Brand Strategy​
• Business Strategy​
• Merchandising Strategy​
• Retail Partnership Strategy​
• Relationship Management​
• Brand Direction ​
• Presentation

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE & WINNIE THE POOH

The key to growing the Winnie the Pooh brand and reinvigorating the Mickey Mouse brand was to establish a clear story on who the characters are, their personality, how the consumer views them, the main character's relationship to the supporting characters, and what the world they live in looks like. This strategy separated the characters in both the consumer's and retailer's minds, opening room for both brands to exist in the same store on the same self.

Skills Utilized:​

• Leadership​
• Brand Innovation​
• Brand Positioning Strategy​
• Collaboration​
• Stakeholder Unification

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - WINNIE THE POOH

Packaging strategy is another important driver for expanding retail position. Adding value through innovative packaging proved to be fundamental to increasing retail shelf space and growing sales. For character brands, toys are an opportunity for consumers to interact with the characters. When we add the character's world into the packaging it increases the child and parent character experience. For example: on the Candy Land box the characters interact together in the Hundred Acer Woods. In the Pooh's Friend's Places line, the child interacts with the characters in Pooh's world. When we add the character's world and relationships to the Bounce Around Tigger packaging, the perceived value increases because it builds on the character's story and increases entertainment.

Skills Utilized:​

• Brand Management​
  
• Packaging Strategy​
  
• Package Direction​
  
• Product line Management​
  
• Relationship Management​
  
• Licensee Management
  

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE & THE STANDARD CHARACTERS

As with Pooh, increasing the play value of the packaging by adding environments, character skits, and props via punch-out printed character accessories builds the product story of Mickey Mouse and his friends. In turn, this delivered increased retail shelf space and increased sell-through.

Skills Utilized:​

• Brand Management​
  
• Packaging Strategy​
  
• Package Direction​
  
• Product line Management​
  
• Relationship Management​
  
• Licensee Management
  

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE, WINNIE THE POOH & MOVIE BRANDS

Style guides are a valuable tool to unify Disney character brand products worldwide. For example, the curtains should match the bedspread and the bathroom accessories. To achieve these cohesive product lines, we produced and delivered style guides to licensees enabling manufacturers in distinct categories to coordinate product collection at retail.

Skills Utilized:​

• Creative Design & Direction​
  
• Brand Management​
  
• Product Line DEVELOPMENT & Direction & Management​
  
• Marketing, Advertising, and Promotion Direction​
  
• Licensee Management​
  
• Collaboration​
  
• Negotiation​
  
• Stakeholder Unification
  

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE, WINNIE THE POOH & MOVIE BRANDS

Style Guide development, design, and production are major projects requiring large teams of designers. These guides established a system of design deliverables that provides the licensee with everything they need to develop a product line. Key sections include legal, editorial, badges, icons, color pallets, typography, character art, and product examples.

Skills Utilized:​

• Retail Strategy​
  
• Trend Reporting​
  
• Tool development​
  
• Creative Design & Direction​
  
• Project Management​
  
• Staff Management​
  
• Licensee Management​
  
• Budget Management​
  
• Product Line Development
  

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE, WINNIE THE POOH & MOVIE BRANDS

To set expectations, guide, and inspire quality character-specific brand product design we created concept products to provide to the licensees.

SKILLS Utilized:​

• Business strategy​
• Opportunity Identification​
• Brainstorm Direction​
• Product Design​
• Licensee Management​
• Presentation

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE, WINNIE THE POOH & MOVIE BRANDS

Identification and development of new product category opportunities. This is a proposal for Mickey Mouse developmental baby products that was successfully implemented.

Skills Utilized:​

• Opportunity Identification​
  
• Business Strategy Development​
  
• Business Case Development​
  
• Product Design​
  
• Presentation​
  
• Stakeholder Unification
  

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - ALL DISNEY 3D CHARACTER BRANDS

Designed, directed, corrected, and approved products to manage licensee product and character quality for all Disney, mass, and specialty retail 3D character products.

Skills Utilized:​

• 3D product design &
  
• direction
  
• Package design & Direction​
  
• CHARACTER Correction & APPROVALS
• Licensee management

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - LICENSEES

Licensees oversight, coordination, direction, and approval for product design, development & manufacturing of mass market and specialty retail toys, gifts, and sporting goods. I Partnered and negotiated with 45 licensees.

Additionally, I have developed products as a licensee for brands including Disney, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Power Rangers, Builder Bob, Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues, Sailor Moon, and Nickelodeon.

Skills Utilized:​

• Brand Direction
  
• product direction
  
• Packaging Direction​
  
• CHARACTER APPROVALS
• Licensee management
• Product Line unification

WALT DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS - MICKEY MOUSE, WINNIE THE POOH & MOVIE BRANDS

Design, development, production, and implementation of branded environments for entertainment, showrooms, retail signage, point-of-purchase collateral, and displays.

Skills Utilized:​

• Retail STRATEGY
  
• Retail display design & Development​
  
• Entertainment ENVIRONMENT design
• Showroom Design
  
• Business Case Development​
  
• Presentation​
  
• Stakeholder Unification
  

NEXT MARKETING AND NEW MEDIA

Consulting and agency work for client companies as diverse as Fuels, Augmented Reality, Restaurants, Health Care, and direct and digital consumer product design, marketing, and sales.

Skills Utilized

• Entrepreneurship​
  
• Business Strategy​
  
• Opportunity Identification​
  
• Innovation Strategy​
  
• Business Case Development​
  
• Relationship Management​
  
• Partnerships Development​
  
• Sales​
  
• Vendor Identification​
  
• Marketing, Advertising & Media Design​
  
• Product Design
  

SDI INNOVATIONS

My charge at SDI Innovations was to change the paradigm of the existing company from a company with a successful product line into a company that started companies and produced innovative products that the customer needs. Today, SDI Innovations has grown from two companies to five and increased product line offerings and sales channels in all subsidiaries.

2016

2023

Skills Utilized:​

• Business strategy​
  
• Opportunity Identification​
• Innovation Strategy​
• Partnership Development​
• Stakeholder Management​
• Opportunity Presentation​
• Change Strategy & Management​
• System and Process Development​
• Product Management

STEM EDUCATION WORKS

The idea for STEM Education Works was born in 2016 at the Hong Kong Toy Fair. Our goal was to deliver a best-in-class STEM curriculum coupled with gold-standard education technology that delivers hands-on, experiential education to students while simultaneously addressing workforce development. We partnered with Purdue University and Asia Pacific manufacturers to make this happen. Today STEM Education Works has multiple lines of products all supported by digital curriculum and is perfectly positioned to grow in a multibillion-dollar market.

Skills Utilized:​

• Entrepreneurship​
  
• Opportunity Identification​
  
• Category Innovation​
  
• Brand Design​
  
• Product Design​
  
• Partnership Sourcing & Management​
  
• Curricula Design​
  
• Digital Delivery Design​
  
• Marketing & Sales​
  
• Social Media, Email, Website, & Text Engagement
  

AMAZON

School Datebooks had a 3-5% production throwaway rate on dated products. Instead of writing off this wastage we listed these products on Amazon and turned the cost into a $350,000 profit. We then expand this latest sales channel opportunity, by adding several fashion product lines including coloring book products and achieved sales of $1M.

Skills Utilized:​

• Market Research​
  
• Sales & Marketing Systems and Process Development​
  
• Merchandizing Strategy​
  
• Product Strategy​
  
• Product Design​
  
• Product Line Direction​
  
• Manufacturing​
  
• Digital Marketing & Sales
  

STEM EDUCATION WORKS & EVENTLINK

Directed SEO, social media, email, and experiential message marketing campaigns. Provided soft content such as free resources, webinars as well as direct sales engagement.

Skills Utilized:​

• Marketing Strategy​
  
• Vendor Management
  
• Marketing Design​
  
• SEO Marketing Direction​
  
• Social media Marketing Direction
• email Marketing direction
• Message Marketing Direction
• Website Direction
  

EVENTLINK

School Datebooks bought a product called Pinwheel which was a school scheduling software. Following a failed launch, we renamed and rebranded the product, created an exceptional user experience, and built a roadmap for services that we planned to build as product adoption grew. Today, Eventlink is used by 98% of high schools in Indiana and is quickly moving into Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky. We launched a digital ticketing feature last year and profits are sourcing providing the team with the opportunity to invest in additional features and increase sales and programming personnel.

Skills Utilized:​

• Product Roadmap Development​
  
• Feature Identification​
  
• Business Case Development & Presentation​
  
• Market Research​
  
• Brand Design​
  
• Style Guide Direction​
  
• Product Management
  

TOPPLEBOX

Topplebox is an employee engagement app that incentivizes idea submissions using a gamified platform. Additionally, Topplebox catalogs IP, captures knowledge, and fosters cooperative idea development.

Skills Utilized:​

• Opportunity Identification​
  
• Innovation​
  
• App development
  
• Business Case Development PRESENTATION & Pitch​
  
• Branding Design​
  
• Product Design​
  
• Market Discovery
• FEATURE Validation
  
• Budget Management​
  
• Idea Management
  

PURDUE UNIVERSITY DISCOVERY PARK, PURDUE FOUNDRY, AND PURDUE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Supporting local entrepreneurs, start-ups, and innovators. These communities produce exceptional ideas, technology, and companies that can grow into partnerships, investments, and hiring opportunities. I founded the edupitch competition with Purdue University to get the first option on exciting education start-up investments and partnership opportunities. Additionally, I supported sponsored projects with Purdue's Industrial design department students to generate innovative product concepts and to scout new talent.

Skills Utilized:​

• Community Engagement
  
• OPPORTUNITY Identification
• Product Innovation
• Human RESOURCES
  

I am fluent in all required design programs and have exceptional experience and proven success in all categories for product, packaging, presentation, environment, marketing and sales 2D, 3D and digital design, direction, production, and implementation.

Skills Utilized:​

• Adobe Suite
  
• Logo design
• Retail Point of PURCHASE Design
• Package Design
  
• Type Design
• Character Design
• Product Design
• Presentation Design
• Web Design
  

have a demonstrated record of identifying, hiring, and supporting the right people for the position. I believe in continuing education, performance management, and empowering employees to grow and take as much responsibility as they can handle. The following are some past employees for whom I take great pride in their continued growth and successful careers.

Skills Utilized:​

• Human Resources​
  
• Performance Management​
  
• Employee Growth Strategy​
  
• Teamwork & Collaboration
  
• Education​
  
• Mentoring
  

Contact

email: davidsanders321@outlook.com

Phone: +1 (765) 337-6408