Therese K. Wilbur

University of Southern California

Marshall School of Business

3660 Trousdale Parkway, 306P

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0443

310-600-5941

Academic Experience:

January 2006-Present

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing

Undergraduate Course Experience includes:

New Product Development & Branding

Practicum in New Product Development & Branding

Integrated Marketing Communication: Advertising & Promotion Design

Practicum in Advertising & Promotion Design

Professional Selling

Marketing Honors, Senior Project

Curriculum Development:

Practicum in New Product Development and Branding

Publications:

American Society for Engineering Education, Contributor to 2009 Paper, A Fully Interdisciplinary Approach to Capstone Design Courses

MBA PRIME Course, Co-Faculty for Shanghai/Taipei destination, Spring 2012

  • Selected to co-direct a team of 45 USC MBA students in 6 project teams that complete different business projects for companies in Shanghai and Taipei.
  • Accompany teams to Shanghai and Taipei in May where teams make final presentations and conduct additionalcorporate visits.
  • Shanghai Corporate Sponsors: Green Tree Hotel, Bank of Shanghai, Kerry Properties, Lotus Supermarkets
  • Taipei Corporate Sponsors: HTC, Transcend, Giant Bicycle

Siam Cement Trading Company, Bangkok, Thailand

Marketing Consultant Internship, Summer 1991

USC IBEAR MBA Program

  • Researched and analyzed impact of NAFTA on Thai exports as well as identifying best opportunities for future export products.
  • Presented research findings and strategic recommendations to senior management.

Teaching Honors & Awards

  • Golden Apple Teaching Award, Marketing Electives, Marshall School of Business, 2009. Elected by senior students as their favorite Marketing Department Professor for 2008-2009.
  • Evan B. Thompson Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award, Marshall School of Business, 2009, Awarded from the Dean’s office for the interdisciplinary curriculum development and launch of the Practicum in New Product Development and Branding
  • Chevrolet Campus Promotion Program, First Place Winner Nationally for Overall Campaign & Achievement of Client’s Objectives, Spring 2011
  • American Advertising Federation, National Student Advertising Competition, District 15 Winner for 2008, AOL Instant Messaging Campaign
  • Subaru of North American Collegiate Achievement Award, 2nd place Winner Nationally for 2007 Integrated Marketing Campaign

University Service

Global Branding Center, Assistant Director

Committee for Interdisciplinary Curriculum, Faculty Member

Committee for Clinical Faculty, Faculty Member

American Advertising Federation, Faculty Advisor

National Society for Collegiate Scholars, Faculty Advisor

Global Branding Center Presentation for Procter & Gamble, Clay Street Project Team,

Spring 2011

Initiated and co-developed a confidential,strategic presentation for Procter & Gamble’s Innovation Lab: Clay Street Project Team. Presentation outlined proprietary research and possible marketing strategies related to a directive coming from the CEO.

Forever Barbie Symposium, Global Branding Center, November 2009

Initiated, developed, funded and executed a 2 day symposium to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the brand. Attended by over 100 undergraduate and graduate Marshall students in addition to Marshall faculty, the Dean, and Mattel executives. I also proposed and established the Excellence in Global Branding award. The first ever award was presented to the Barbie brand from the Center as part of the Symposium events.

Corporate Experience:

Summary

Global Brand Management Experience on a category leader—largest, most successful Girls’ Brand in the World, Barbie, with $2 billion in retail sales.

Mattel, Inc.

1992 –2005

Senior Director, International Marketing, Girls/Barbie

May 1999 to October 2005

May 1999—Int’l Marketing Director of Girls for Asia/Australia/Japan

May 2000---Int’l Marketing Director of Barbie Dolls/Customized/Collector, total international

July 2002—Int’l Marketing Director, Barbie (added Barbie Accessory, Fashions, Plush and Activity categories, total international)

June 2004—Int’l Director Barbie/Girls (added responsibility for 12 more brands across Small, Large and Fashion Doll categories, along with Electronics)

Responsibilities:

Global Marketing and Brand Management

Meet international needs across all Girls toy brands, valued at $2 billion for 2005 retail sales.

  • Requires understanding the consumer, customer, and competitive environment in 9 major developed markets as well as 5 key emerging markets to create strategies and actions across a brand and product portfolio. Hands-on experience with an average travel of 33 days/year to Europe, Latin America, Asia.
  • Create and direct key input for new toy line every Spring and Fall by gathering and communicating international consumer needs across products, pricing, age segmentation, competition, and market development.
  • Deliver marketing tools and programs to drive worldwide consumer growth.
  • Collaborate and approve international marketing plans across markets.
  • Identify and escalate any legal infringements of Barbie trademark and intellectual property among int’l competitors to Mattel Legal.
  • Lead and develop an international marketing team of 8 persons, including 2 Brand Champions (one in Europe and one in Latin America).

Marketing Analysis and Strategy

  • Consulted and communicated strategic feedback to all Fashion Doll Leadership Plans. Insured implementation of all support needed.
  • Supported Worlds of Barbie implementation internationally across 3 key age segments from 2003 to present.
  • Analyze and share on-going POS trends, market share status, and competitive developments.
  • Co-authored an initiative to compete with strongest European competitor developing princess fashion dolls and accessories.

Senior Director, International Marketing, Girls/Barbie continued

New Product Development and Branding

  • Introduced a new toy line of 1000+ toys per year across Girls/Barbie during 2 internal previews and 5 Toys Fairs throughout the year (Headquarters Pre-Toy Fair and Toy Fair, Hong Kong Toy Fair, Nuremberg Toy Fair, and New York Toy Fair).
  • Extended the Barbie Brand by creating and executing the international marketing/entertainment releases for 5 Barbie Princes Titles and 1 Fairytopia title with our Entertainment Partners, Universal and Entertainment Rights
  • Directed the creation of international only toys, when needed, as well as communicating input and approvals with the Design teams.
  • Responded to international requests for customer or market specific products.
  • Developed and launched the My Scene sub-brand as “voice of international” for pricing, number of segments, price/value, advertising strategy, in-market research in Europe and Barbie brand umbrella.
  • Communicating with subsidiaries, brand champions, and brand groups on an on-going basis to support business planning cycle of: Line Reviews, Toy Fairs, Business Reviews, Financial Forecasts, Key International Initiatives, US POS trends, and all product and/or marketing changes.

Advertising and Promotion

  • Identifying and meeting all international specific advertising needs across 50 centrally produced commercials/year.
  • Managing a non-media budget of $3-4MM for Barbie and $1-2MM for Girls, Inc.
  • Sharing creative briefs with international markets to insure they meet local brand, legal and cultural guidelines.
  • Highlighting storyboards issues for agency and brand teams to resolve prior to commercial shoots.

Marketing Research

  • Prioritizing, directing, and supporting execution of all International Consumer Research Studies.
  • Understanding and reacting to various types of research reports, such as: product viabilities, brand tracking, consumer studies, advertising effectiveness, media tests, hot button tests, commercial diagnostics, competitive studies, youth trends, and consumer trends.

Internet Marketing

  • Directing Barbie international website plans for 9 sites:
  • Reinforced need for subsidiaries to integrate marketing plans with websites
  • Shared best practices for driving traffic
  • Initially added all international website url’s to all international packaging and advertising materials.

Senior Director, International Marketing, Girls/Barbie continued

Accomplishments:

Global Marketing Management

  • First Mattel brand to achieve over 50% of sales volume from International!
  • Lead International sales mix from 38% to 57%.
  • Developed category leadership in 11 of 14 key markets.
  • Created and implemented international packaging guidelines for Barbie, which has become the template for all Girls brands.
  • Provided key testimony in Simba-Germany intellectual property case, Feb. 2005. The court awarded settlement to Mattel. In addition, provided key testimony for a new, pending intellectual property case in Mexico, June 2005.

Marketing Analysis and Strategy

  • Supported total Barbie TOY revenue growth of $137MM, a CAGR of 5.2%, from 1999 to present.
  • Competitive category share for princess fashions dolls declined in 3 out of 5 Euro markets while minimizing category share growth in other markets to less than 5%.

New Product Development and Branding

  • Created the most successful international entertainment franchise for girls, Barbie, next to Disney Princess, worth $500MM year-to-date in retail revenue, sold in over 70 int’l markets in 30 languages. Directed TV placement strategy and approved TV deals in 60+ markets/year.
  • Achieved mega-brand status with My Scene, growing to annual retail sales of $180 million.

Advertising and Promotion

  • Roughly 95% of airdates are met globally and within annual budget.

Marketing Research

  • Summarized and recommend marketing strategies/implications based upon on-going research studies and communicate globally to all regions/markets.

Internet Marketing

  • Total 2004 YE traffic of 427MM visits, with 2.2MM unique visits across Barbie and My Scene sites.

Marketing Director, Barbie Collector

1994-1999

1994-1995 Associate Product Manager

1995-1996 Product Manager

1996-1998 Senior Product Manager

1998-1999 Marketing Director

Responsibilities:

New Product Development and Branding

  • Direct responsibility for managing the P&L: setting and meeting all financial goals.
  • Lead the Design and Development teams to create collector dolls that appeal to all types of collectors: new, casual and avid adult collectors, in addition to cross-generational girls/moms. Distinguish dolls by channel, price point and type of collector edition.
  • Gained experience in variety of distribution channels: mass market, toy specialists, department stores and direct (print ads, database direct mail, catalogs—ours/syndicated, infomercials), and home shopping networks.
  • Presented and persuaded potential licensors to co-brand with Barbie by developing comprehensive plans including positioning, consumer target, pricing, packaging, channel of distribution, volume potential and integrated marketing plans. As part of licensor relationship, define approval process and meet team’s deadlines for approvals. Actual Licensors included: Movie Characters (Gone With The Wind, Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music), Celebrity family members and their management (Priscilla Presley, Tina Sinatra, Sean Ferrer (Audrey Hepburn’s son), Luci Arnaz (Lucille Ball’s daughter) and Fashion Designers/Houses (Burberry, Vera Wang, Bob Mackie, Byron Lars, Swarovski Crystals, Faberge, Wedgwood) and Pop Culture tie-ins (Coca-Cola, Star Trek, Grand Ole Opry).

Advertising and Promotions

  • Developed print advertising and campaigns targeting moms of girls or adult collectors along with media plans and all approvals.
  • Directed creative execution for direct mail pieces, catalogs, and magazine ads.
  • Developed 2-30 minute infomercials: Barbie in My Fair Lady, Bob Mackie Jewel Essence Collection.
  • Created innovative PR programs to attract new Barbie collectors.

Marketing Research

  • Attending focus groups on product concepts and the collecting hobby.
  • Participated in an annual Barbie doll collector convention in 1995.
  • Conducted in-market, split cell tests for Direct ads and interpreted results.
  • Leveraged consumer insights from Direct Marketing database to developing product and marketing programs that would attract new collectors and grow overall business.

Marketing Director, Barbie Collector continued

Accomplishments:

New Product Development and Branding

  • Acquired the business acumen and management skills to advance from Associate Product Manager level to Marketing Director level. Managed and promoted 2 direct reports.
  • Launched the Celebrity Collector doll business in 1996 with the first I Love Lucy doll. The series is in its tenth year.

Advertising and Promotion

  • Partnered with PR agencies to create innovative, break-through programs, such as:
  • Breakfast at Tiffany’s Event at Tiffany’s, Beverly Hills to launch Audrey Hepburn doll collection
  • Launched 30th Anniversary Barbie and Ken Star Trek gift set at the Star Trek convention, Huntsville, Alabama with Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura)
  • Singing debut of Country Rose Barbie at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee

Associate Product Manager, Barbie Dolls and Fashions

1993-1994

  • Developed strong creative judgment and aesthetic sense in evaluating product, packaging, advertising and communicating point of view.
  • Lead product development teams for 12 segments per year.
  • Lead client on 6 commercial shoots.

Assistant Product Manager, Barbie Dolls and Fashions

1992-1993

  • Developed a basic understanding of Barbie consumers and customers.
  • Learned how to work with internal design, development and packaging to lead product from concept to production.
  • Observed and supported the advertising process.
  • Presented product to sales and customers

Professional Service:

Member of Mattel’s International Leadership Team, July 2004 to October 2005

Completed Mattel’s Global Leadership Program at ThunderbirdUniversity, November 2002

Honors and Awards:

  • Honored with 2004 International Passport Award for Newest, Most Impactful Girls’ International Marketing Initiative, April 2005
  • Special Achievement Award, March 2003
  • Received Girls’ President’s Award for Globalizing the Barbie Brand, September 2001
  • Best Infomercial, 1997, Direct TV Magazine, Bob Mackie Jewel Essence Barbie Doll Collection
  • Best Infomercial, 1996, Direct TV Magazine, My Fair Lady, Barbie Doll Collection

PRUCO Securities, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Subsidiary of Prudential Life Insurance Company of America

Senior Sales and Service Analyst, Mutual Funds Division

1987-1990

  • Responded to product and service questions from sales agents selling mutual funds.
  • Developed and managed quality review programs to maintain service excellence.
  • Supervised and trained staff of ten analysts.
  • Awarded Quality Service Leader recognition and Creativity bonuses.
  • Registered with NASD, Series 6.

Andersen, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Human Resources Assistant

1986-1987

  • Assisted with the orientation, transfer, and termination process for an office of 500+ employees.
  • Co-administered annual promotion and salary reviews.
  • Managed office wide employee database, including all reports and inquiries.

Education:

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

Master of Business Administration, Marketing Concentration, May 1992

Dean’s Fellowship recipient 1990-1991, Dean’s list

University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota

Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, December 1985

Honors: Delta Epsilon Sigma National Honor Society, Dean’s List

Dual Citizenship:

United States of America, Panama