Sheena D.

When I decided to leave my role as SVP of Marketing Billd back in June of 2023 to start my own CPG brand, there was ONE thing I heard very consistently from almost everyone I spoke to.... "Have you heard of SKU?" It was clockwork. I'm not kidding. If I met anyone in CPG (Founders, investors, etc.), they'd all say "You need to get in touch with the folks at SKU. Even just the connections will be helpful." 14 months later, Amia was accepted into the Fall 2024 Cohort at SKU and will be joining 7 other exciting brands and founders on a journey towards acceleration, learning, community, and opportunity. I'm thankful for all of the opportunities that I continue to get with this brand. To me, it's a testament to our mission and vision of empowering a billion people worldwide to take control of their migraines through more holistic, dietary approaches, without the need for pharmaceuticals. We have a big vision. To ensure every single grocery store worldwide has a "Trigger-Free" aisle that people with migraine can shop, just like allergen or gluten-free aisles. Don't get me wrong. This shit is hard. The opportunities that have opened up are great. And it's nice validation. But nothing is handed to me. I'm busting my ass every step of the way. Thanks to Brooke Wilson, Buff Greebe and Michelle Breyer for the opportunity! Looking forward to working with you all. About SKU: SKU was founded in 2011 by lawyer Shari Wynne Ressler and serial entrepreneur Clayton Christopher, founder of Sweet Leaf Tea and Deep Eddy Vodka, with the mission of accelerating CPGs. It has been a catalyst in establishing Austin as a CPG powerhouse. Since it was founded, more than 100 companies have completed the SKU program. SKU has gained a national reputation for excellence, with such publications as Forbes naming it one of the top CPG accelerators. Learn more at www.sku.is.

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Whataburger’s digital marketing push for their "Whataburger's Spicy Chicken Sandwich" campaign shows how powerful a well-executed campaign can be. By using Twitter and Instagram to create viral moments and engage directly with fans, they’ve solidified their brand’s presence nationwide. Whataburger 📊 Winning Strategies: - Leveraging trending topics and hashtags - User-generated content campaigns - Direct and witty engagement with customers This level of success isn’t accidental – it’s the result of meticulous planning and expert execution. At Innovate Social Media, we know how to build your brand’s story in the digital landscape. https://lnkd.in/eHcWcRF #BusinessOwner #SmallBusiness #LegacyBusiness #FranchiseRestaurant #Whataburger #DigitalMediaMarketing #Texas

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Today’s modern consumers – especially women – are more multifaceted than ever before. How can brands break through? According to Cristina Wells, SVP Marketing, Subway, it's about delivering content and engaging guests in a much more meaningful way. "Consumer needs must be at the center of everything we do." For more insights check out the full webinar, Women Leaders Redefining Restaurant Marketing: https://okt.to/htPMeG #restaurantmarketing #subway #womeninleadership

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🔮 What’s Ahead for 2025? The future of the digital, marketing, and creative industries is taking shape. Cella's 2025 Predictions explores the trends, challenges and opportunities you need to know to stay ahead. This mini eBook guides you to navigating what’s next, from AI advancements to talent strategies and emerging technologies. Read on to learn more! bit.ly/4iSq7FJ #2025Predictions #MarketingTrends #Cella #RandstadDigital

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Big news for pizza lovers! 🍕 Excited to welcome Pizza Hut as our newest client partner. Together, VML will take the lead on customer promotions, loyalty programs, CRM strategies, and organic social for this legendary brand. Here’s to a new era of growth! Read more via the link! #VML #PizzaHut #ClientAnnouncement #GrowthJourney

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Innovation plus fundamentals equals success. That’s one of the lessons brands can learn from Dunkin’s Hall of Fame-worthy OOH strategy.

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📚 Serendipity struck at Powell's Books in Portland! I stumbled upon Mike Kim's "You Are The Brand" - a book I've been eager to explore. As I settled into a cozy corner of the hotel lobby, I was reminded of the irreplaceable joy of holding a physical book. In our digital age, there's something magical about the tactile experience of turning pages. Anyone else feel this way? Diving in, I knew I bought the right book when I read: "For so much of our lives, we see ourselves through the lens of a company, organization, or role rather than the skills we possess or who we inherently are. We fail to see our unique expertise." How often do we define ourselves by job titles, overlooking our unique skills? Focusing on the life we want to live is the way to see ourselves not what job titles we have had. I'm excited to uncover more gems of wisdom. I'm curious: Have you read "You Are The Brand"? How do you approach your personal brand? #PersonalBranding #YouAreTheBrand #ProfessionalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #PowellsBooks

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With over 4 million possible Chipotle Mexican Grill combinations, the chances of someone ordering the exact same burrito bowl as you at the exact same time are slim. But during Chipotle's Doppelgänger Campaign, whenever an identical order with at least 8 menu customizations came through (chicken and rice burritos didn't make the cut), Chipotle-goers got an email alert letting them where in the world their doppelgänger ordered from. Chipotle's email campaign led to a click rate 176% above benchmark in the first four weeks and $4.8M in revenue. Creepy? Ingenious? I'd love to hear your thoughts! #emailmarketing #chipotle #doppelgangercampaign Stagwell

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"Lose all the indulgent cock about courage and possibilities and transparency. We aren’t saving the world. We are serving it coffee. Remember that brand positioning, whatever you call it, is what we want our customers to think when they think about us. Nothing more." Brands, know your place. #brandstrategy

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My dad was diehard Heinz ketchup fan. He refused to use any other brand of ketchup, even at restaurants. That kind of loyalty rarely exists anymore. Why? Well, it’s partially due to economic uncertainty. Consumers are more sensitive to price, and willing to swap their favorites for cheaper alternatives (looking at you, store brands!). But the paradigm shift is more generational than anything. Some store brands are perceived to be equivalent to national brands. Those classic TV commercials many of us grew up memorizing (“Maybe she’s born with it…!”) have been replaced by influencers showing off their favorite bargain buys with little-known products. In fact, store brands are more popular than ever. Often, store or emerging brands are tapping into unmet consumer needs. The product simply needs to meet or surpass expectations, whether that’s cost, quality, or results. If it does, then it doesn’t matter who made it - and the more economical the better. Even the most financially secure households are going in this direction – 72% of high-income ($100k+) U.S. shoppers are favoring private label alternatives to brand name goods. This shift in consumer behavior highlights the importance of using insights to more deeply understand your customer and provide a great experience. Traditionally, brands relied on building brand loyalty through advertising and a focus on emotional connection. Now, successful brands, whether national or store-owned, need to prioritize what the customer truly wants. And reach their audience where they are. #MarketInsights #BrandStrategy #ConsumerIntelligence

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Tell me a story. Why do so many QSR’s (Quick Service Restaurants) feel that they must rely on the prerequisite hero shots of their food only to get you to care? Some of the best work that has been done in the category that either put these brands on the radar or helped get needed awareness to continue to stand out, you never see anymore. The most immediate best in class examples that come to mind: 1.) Chipotle Mexican Grill: “Back To The Start” with Willie Nelson’s stellar cover of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” told a story that focused on what made Chipotle and their ingredients (and brand) different from the rest. 2.) Burger King: “The Whopper Detour”, a textbook stunt that drove engagement and sales while having fun with their main competitor 3.) Kentucky Fried Chicken KFC: “The Colonel”, a collection of great work that leveraged their brand icon to tell stories that highlighted the chicken vs. trying to just highlight the chicken only with beauty shots of it on a table. Brand marketing works. And yes, you can create strong brand work while also highlighting the product itself. If you want to get people to buy what you’re cooking in the kitchen, make them care about your brand and the stories you’re telling out in the world. #marketing #branding #culture #qsr #content #storytelling

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Exciting to witness Krispy Kreme's uptick in social engagement and foot traffic from their recent partnership with PrettyLittleThing. However, noticing a sales gap in grocery locations highlights a key lesson: ensuring partnership alignment across all channels is essential for success. Broader distribution requires tailored strategies.

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In the face of rising costs and growing choice, 66% of consumers say that experience is still more important than price when dining out. This report has some really interesting insights on how the restaurant industry can win, delight, and keep more customers by delivering better experiences. Worth a read! Bill Chidley Alexa Jewell Schaefer Rebecca Dersh Andrew Carpenter ChangeUp

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Haven't checked out Part and Sum's recent QSR Loyalty Report yet? Watch Leila Wu share a quick insight on Raising Canes 👇🏻 and then click here (https://lnkd.in/e2SPsGtV) for many more!

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Delivering customer value goes beyond offering discounts—it's about crafting memorable experiences that consistently exceed guest expectations. Restaurant brands that prioritize building emotional connections and rewarding their loyal customers are succeeding in today's competitive market. Dive deeper to explore how these strategies are transforming the future of the dining industry: https://okt.to/Lx2r4b #restaurantinnovation #customerexperience #corecustomer

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To anyone wishing to help the victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, please be wary of scammers (unfortunately, this needs to be said.) Ensure your donations go to actual people affected and not scammers, with these two options: 1) GoFundMe.org has an official 2025 Wildfire Relief Fund, which they use to provide direct relief to people in need after a wildfire. The donations allow them to send critical cash grants quickly and directly to people who need them. https://lnkd.in/grvfgyYr 2) As well, they have also compiled a centralized hub of all VERIFIED fundraisers related to the LA wildfires, with those impacted by the Pacific Palisades, Hurst, and Eaton fires in the section nearest the top. https://lnkd.in/gpDhhwgv

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5  spicy 🌶, from-the-trenches topics Blue Seedling’s positioning lead Jordan Elkind will be tackling together with retail executive Kim Gallagher (Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Nuuly) in our live event in two weeks: 1. The most common mistakes tech vendors make in pitching AI products 🤦‍♀️ 2. Why your product team hates your marketing team right now – and what to do about it 😡 (<-- love this one - so true!) 3. AI-washing: what it is, and how to do it right 🖌 (<-- we’ve done it and we’re not ashamed) 4. What market leadership looks like in a world where buyers don’t know what they want or need 🤷‍♂️ (<-- I’m seeing this one on a weekly basis) 5. Why everything you think you know about positioning is wrong…sort of :) 😵 Join our live webinar on 7/17: Positioning your AI venture: The definitive playbook for winning in 2024. Learn more and sign up free in the comments.

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Want to retire with a Crunchwrap supreme in each hand? I don’t, but if you do, you now have the chance to get a taste of the más life. Taco Bell just announced a retirement community-inspired brand activation. “The Cantinas,” will invite guests of all ages (as long as they are Taco Bell Rewards Members over 21) to a two-day getaway Aug 17-18 in San Diego, CA. What are your thoughts on this experiential marketing tactic? Would you go?? Reservations open July 16. Link in comments. #MarketingTrends #MarketingStrategy #ExperientialMarketing #MarketingInnovation

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Consumers expect personalization and are rewarding brands that go beyond cookie-cutter marketing. Our latest Restaurant Brand Rankings Report reveals how fast-casual, QSR, and popular chains are winning customers with innovative strategies like gamification, loyalty programs, and personalized messaging. Discover the standout brands, proven success strategies, and key takeaways for restaurant marketers to thrive in 2025. 👉 https://lnkd.in/g4Nb5dRx #RestaurantMarketing #BrandSuccess #CustomerExperience #QSR #FastCasual

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