BRAND ACTIVATION + ENGAGEMENT
NICOLE M. PHILLIPS
Hello! I’m Nicole, a senior brand strategist and activator who believes in the power of marketing to establish a rallying cry amongst stakeholders. I am a storyteller of remarkable brands and the heroes driving them, leveraging a variety of channels to engage audiences, create lasting impact and establish industry icons.
Select Works
2022 Year in Review: Nutrien Ag Solutions
Brand strategy and targeted marketing helped drive a record sales year for Nutrien Ag Solutions, one of the world's leading Ag retailers. In addition to finishing the year at 78% brand awareness amongst decision-making growers (for reference, the brand sat at 28% brand awareness as of end of 2018), Nutrien Ag Solutions was first in all brand funnel metrics (awareness, consideration, conversion and loyalty) out of all North American Ag retailers. I led this unique mix of channels and messaging to move beyond a farmer’s pocketbook and move toward a grower’s heart, highlighting a true partnership between the company and its grower customers vs. a transactional relationship. Activations included:
-NASCAR Xfinity sponsorship of AJ Allmendinger and the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro
-Hyper-focused location marketing of agronomic and competitive responses featuring both product and shelf
-Sustainable Agriculture proof of concept partnership and video creation with The Normal Brand - A Common Thread
-Commodity Classic brand experience in New Orleans
-Leading the Field and Two-Track Mind (seasons one and two) brand docuseries
2023 Commodity Classic: Nutrien Ag Solutions
After a record year, Nutrien Ag Solutions celebrated its growers and sales staff at the 2023 Commodity Classic in Orlando. During four days in one of the brightest entertainment cities for families, we had multiple meetings converging at once — separate sessions and events for Seed Council, Sustainable Ag, Key Accounts, Dyna-Gro High Yield contest winners and other key company stakeholders. This multi-purpose, single-themed event leveraged my experiential expertise, showrunner skillset and high-impact branding experience.
Step one: make our VIPs FEEL like VIPs, giving them a taste of luxury while still making it feel homey and welcoming. So all events were anchored at the JW Marriott Bonnett Creek resort, a facility with beautiful meeting spaces, superior chefs and menus and high-end amenities — the perfect combination of business and vacation.
Step two: provide surround them with the Nutrien Ag Solutions brand via an event hub that delivered on our key message — Leading the Field, driving home the difference that comes with partnering and working with the brand.
Step three: deliver a best-in-class experience, accomplished via signature events, premium entertainment and a demonstration of their importance to the organization.
NASCAR Partnership: Nutrien Ag Solutions
When developing a brand from the ground up for growers across the United States and into the Ag lands of Canada with a limited budget, you must be extremely strategic with the channels you use to get the word out. Instead of employing “tried and true” ag advertising vehicles presented by endemic publications and old-school tradeshow set ups, I drove the brand to tap into a vehicle that was more than an advertisement; it was a true manifestation of Leading the Field.
Quantitative research showed that the grower population had a huge followership of motorsports. And their top sporting events included NASCAR races. Instead of crawling to the market as many young brands do when trying to breakthrough a crowded landscape, we raced forward. In 2019, I led the process to forge a NASCAR partnership with Kaulig Racing that surged the brand forward on one of sports’ largest stages.
With eye-catching paint schemes, driver stories that presented parallels to grower experiences, unparalleled hospitalities and access to this dynamic sport, the NASCAR partnership was woven through each part of the Nutrien Ag Solutions marketing proposition for various business units within the company. In 2022, with strategic race selection and use of in-car cameras, we achieved a 1,456% media return and, over the four years of the program, created immeasurable brand affinity and tens of thousands new Nutrien Ag Solutions fans.
Manifesto: Nutrien Ag Solutions
When CPS rebranded to Nutrien Ag Solutions in 2019, it was more than a change of logo. The company was shifting from being merely a retailer that sells inputs to an agronomic partner invested in grower success and providing the tools, services and field expertise to lead them to a more profitable, sustainable future.
This was a shift not only for the growers who had been working with the company for decades, but also for the staff who were being asked to present an entirely new value proposition to their customers.
To introduce this new concept in agriculture, I led creation on a manifesto video that demonstrated the difference Nutrien Ag Solutions wanted to bring to the industry, providing all stakeholders with a touchstone as they worked to become the Ag Retailer of the future.
Indiana Field Report: DEKALB Disease Shield
DEKALB, the largest corn seed brand in the world, was preparing to launch a new product, designed to lessen the impact of corn diseases. However, with a premium price point and a tight commodities market, retailer feedback showed farmers hesitant to invest in the disease threat of “what if.: The reality is that many of them had not experienced the complete devastation these diseases could cause. As new group account director on Monsanto and new to agriculture, I worked with my team to go beyond the numbers and tell the story of true yield loss impact to a family farm operation.
There was no need to create drama; the true-life telling was compelling enough. Therefore, to develop and demonstrate the value proposition of Disease Shield, my team identified a family farm ravaged by Southern Rust in Indiana to talk with us about their experience. Conceptually, the team took inspiration from the opening scenes of the film Interstellar, with a steady cam capturing the emotion of the farmer and his family.
Throughout edit, the team confronted and portrayed the pieces that were hard to hear. The reality - farming isn’t all blue skies and green fields. Farmers’ greatest influencers are their peers - and the truth of the situation is paramount to engagement. As a result of this digital video campaign, pre-orders for Disease Shield far surpassed expectations. In addition, this video demonstrated a famer being open and vulnerable about the difficulties of running a successful operation, an important example, as so many of their peers are isolated and hesitant to share their experiences.
The Force: Volkswagen
In 2010, Volkswagen of America opened its first U.S. plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. Their goal was to change the perception of VW in North America, moving away from the quirky, niche brand it had become to taking on a top five OEM position, as it was in the rest of the world. As an account lead at Deutsch LA, it was an honor to help them take on the challenge from the top and drive it through the dealerships.
To start that process, VW designed a vehicle specifically for the American market (cup holders! power outlets! heated everything! more cupholders!) to be produced on American soil with hallmark German engineering and superior safety standards. The all-new Passat was created to be the perfect sedan for families, commuters, retirees and everyone in between. With such a broad audience, what was a common truth everyone could share, whether Boomer, Gen X-er or Millennial? The answer was written in the Stars.
Star Wars was that universal trust around which The Force was created. Through the story of a little child trying to embody the power of Darth Vader, we evoked nostalgia, whimsy and joy. And we created two new heroes - a clever dad and a beautiful new Passat.
With a meaningful insight, a stellar media strategy, strong client partnership and poignant story telling (made all the more powerful with rights to use “The Imperial March” and a real Darth Vadar helmet straight from LucasFilm), The Force topped the lists of all media pundits evaluating the 2011 Super Bowl spots. It remains the number one Super Bowl commercial of all time. And the Passat? Tripled goals for prospect engagement, doubled pre-order goals and kept the Chattanooga factory busier than busy for the subsequent 24 months.
Sign Then Drive: Volkswagen
November and December 2008, Volkswagen of America had a unique opportunity. They had just launched a number of new vehicles into the market, and with the American OEMs on their heels due to the economic bailout, the door was open to get more Americans into VWs for the first time. So when it came time for the year-end sales event that every manufacturer has in some shape or form, how could VW stand out? By showcasing not only price — which is the industry’s go-to answer, but also showing how with the new vehicles, VW truly had a match for every driver. Featuring three spots, this campaign helped VW surpass sales goals, get into the driveways of more first-time VW owners than ever before and provide a much-needed award-winning humorous take on the typical end of year car sales. And we shot in the home of “Iron Man,” an extra bonus for this Avengers fan. Move some metal — goal accomplished.
Jane Says: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s is the world’s biggest whiskey brand, reaching that pinnacle by appealing to a broad spectrum of consumers, from bikers to bankers. To celebrate their special place in the market and show the many types of establishments where Jack turns nights into stories, we created the spot “Jane Says.” Using the iconic track from Jane’s Addiction, the spot gains momentum as Perry Farrell counts us in. It showcases why Jack and its iconic square bottle and Old No. 7 brand has been made for everyone since 1866.
Experience
August 2016-June 2019
Senior Director - Brand Activation + Engagement, Nutrien Ag Solutions
February 2013-July 2016
SVP, Account Management + Strategic Planning, OBP
January 2010-May 2012
VP, Business Development + Account Management, Switch
May 2012-January 2013
SVP, Branding + Insights, Fleishman-Hillard
February 2008-December 2009
Account Director, Deutsch LA
August 2006-January 2009
Management Supervisor, Crispin Porter + Bogusky
March 2005-July 2006
VP, Brand Integration, Adamson
July 2019-May 2023
Account Supervisor, Arnold