CASE STUDY | STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
The People Were Already the Story
Customer and staff interviews revealed what makes Weiland’s special: customers love the staff, and the staff love their customers. I partnered with the existing team to build a marketing strategy around that connection—and help them carry it forward.
IN-HOUSE NOW
EMAIL • SOCIAL • EVENTS
The opportunity
With new owners in place, Weiland’s had an opportunity to grow its marketing while preserving the personal feel customers valued. Research with customers and staff surfaced a defining strength: the relationships between the people who work there and the people who shop there.
The partnership
I came alongside Weiland’s existing team as a strategic partner. With Kris Howell’s research as our starting point, I worked with the team to shape email and social around what customers valued: personal, employee-focused marketing that never felt corporate.
I looked for ways to build on each person’s strengths, adding practical structure, tools, weekly guidance and outside expertise where it helped the work. I also partnered with Ayuka Shichinohe on video and supported three summers of Party in the Parking Lot events.
01 | Listen
Customer and staff interviews brought Weiland’s strongest asset into focus: the relationships between its people.
02 | Build the strategy
Together, we shaped email, social and video around the people and personal connections that make Weiland’s distinctive.
03 | Build on strengths
Practical tools and added expertise helped the team build on their individual strengths.
What it made possible
Sophia Reza and Nicole Banatka now make up Weiland’s in-house marketing team. They lead email, social media and event marketing using the strategy and systems we built together, bringing their own strengths to the work.
PROJECT CREDITS
Research & Strategy — Kris Howell
Creative Direction, Videography, Production & Editing — Ayuka Shichinohe
In-house Marketing Team — Sophia Reza and Nicole Banatka
Need a strategic partner to help your team move its marketing forward? Let’s talk.