Center for Brand Leadership

The Center for Brand Leadership hosted its annual 2025 Board Panel featuring CBL board members Julie Bowerman from Kellanova, Edgar Diaz from Nestlé, Todd Getz from GE Appliances, a Haier company, Jason Horowitz from Mattel, Inc., Keith Mann from Pella Corporation, Erik Sword from Conagra Brands, and guest speaker Diana 周游 Tobey from IDEO.? ? The panel provided an incredible opportunity for Kelley School of Business students and faculty to engage with some of the brightest minds in marketing. Each board member shared their unique perspectives on branding, strategy, and the ever-changing consumer landscape. ? We’d like to extend our thanks to Director, Keith Niedermeier, Graduate Assistant Director, Austin J. Whitsett, Undergraduate Assistant Director, Anushka Nair, Marketing Department Chair, Lopo Rego, and the CBL Board for a great event!

We were thrilled to welcome Diana 周游 Tobey, Senior Design Director of Play Lab at IDEO, to address Indiana University - Kelley School of Business Consumer Marketing Academy and Consumer Marketing Workshop Indiana University students on the power of design thinking. Diana shared her expertise in applying design thinking to marketing, emphasizing that asking "why" before "how" is crucial for understanding consumer needs and developing meaningful solutions. The Center for Brand Leadership board as well as several Kelley faculty members attended the session. ? Her insights on how to approach problem-solving creatively and strategically sparked engaging discussion and offered a valuable perspective.

The Center for Brand Leadership recently hosted its 2025 Board Meeting which included board members April Anslinger from Purpose Brands, Julie Bowerman from Kellanova, Edgar Diaz from Nestlé, Todd Getz from GE Appliances, Jason Horowitz from Mattel, Keith Mann from Pella, Erik Sword from Conagra, and board member emeritus, Bob Stohler. Director, Keith Niedermeier, discussed the growth, achievements, and future goals of the Center with the board. We were also happy to welcome Senior Design Director at IDEO, Diana 周游 Tobey, and GE Appliances Chief Commercial Officer, Rick Hasselbeck, as board guests. ? We are deeply grateful for the board’s continued support and engagement. Their dedication has strengthened our mission of developing the next generation of brand leaders, connecting the Indiana University - Kelley School of Business to leaders in industry, and advancing brand thought leadership.

Thank you Keith Niedermeier for inviting me to speak on innovation and how brands can design for their next generation of consumers. It’s incredible to see the impact you’ve made at the Kelley Center for Brand Excellence in your short time there, especially with the CMA and CMW programs to prepare a new wave of consumer brand leaders. It was a pleasure talking to your students and board yesterday and thanks for digging up those throwback photos from AMA 2008 ?? Can’t believe how time flies!

Last week, The Consumer Marketing Workshop's Cohort 4 had the incredible opportunity to visit Procter & Gamble’s headquarters and witness firsthand how P&G harnesses the power of marketing, innovation, and consumer insights to build the world’s leading household brands that have shaped our daily lives for decades. It was a thrill to reconnect with CMW alumni from Cohort 1, including Grace O'Donnell and Shane Alonso—CMW’s very first president! During the visit, members explored P&G’s 188-year history, starting with Tide and evolving into a powerhouse of 65 interconnected brands, including Dawn, Febreze, Charmin, and more. The members also had the chance to dive into a creative case on Olay’s new campaign, “Only Olay,” and learn how the brand stays true to its origins while driving continuous innovation. We want to give a huge thank you to the rest of the P&G team Hannah Glazier, Claire Austin, and Lucas Mota Rodembusch for the warm welcome and valuable insights!

This week, The Consumer Marketing Workshop's Cohort 4 had the privilege of learning from Euromonitor International, the leading independent strategic research company. Our members got to explore Passport, Euromonitor’s global intelligence research database, and learn how to use the platform for insights into industries and brands by country, consumers, and economics. Members also gained a deeper understanding of Euromonitor’s extensive global network, including its On-Ground researchers, who physically collect data to ensure a more comprehensive understanding of global markets. A huge thanks to Courtney Ulrich for sharing her expertise and guiding us in our exploration of Euromonitor and the Passport platform!

Last week, The Consumer Marketing Workshop was thrilled to welcome Pella Corporation, the leading window and door manufacturer, to celebrate their 100th anniversary with Cohort 4! Our members gained valuable insights into Pella's journey, from how they build brand awareness to their commitment to innovation, which has allowed them to continue their legacy for 100 years. Cohort 4 also got to work on a case that allowed them to understand targeting specific customer segments and how to come up with marketing strategies for different brand products. A huge thanks to Kaleb Korver, Alicia Henderson, Victor Calderon Rojas, and Bruno Divardin for sharing their expertise and insights!

The Consumer Marketing Workshop Indiana University Cohort 4 had the incredible opportunity to engage with Circana, a leader in market research and technology, for an inside look into how they collect and utilize data to support businesses worldwide. From understanding the different roles and work within their data collection to understanding the core values that drive Circana’s decision making, our members gained valuable insights into the power of data in shaping business strategy. To top it off, members tackled a hands-on case to practice analyzing real data to make key decisions such as optimizing store supply levels. A huge thanks to Justin Woody, J Winckelbach, and Ellen Sneed for sharing their expertise and providing a deeper understanding of data-driven strategy!

Recently, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company visited the Consumer Marketing Workshop Indiana University to discuss SMG marketing strategies and introduce a case for Cohort 4 to tackle, with a focus on their brand: Bonnie Plants, LLC. Special thanks to Kelley Alums Andrew Hoke and Kayla Brady for speaking to the workshop and to Taylor Thrash-Talkington and Katie Sullivan for their added insight! We look forward to seeing the creative ideas Cohort 4 comes up with when they present their recommendations at the end of the semester!

“Where Dreams Come True” w/ Kelley Global’84 alum Stanley Cheung, former Chairman of The Walt Disney Company - Greater China???? ? Center for Brand Leadership Director Keith Niedermeier ? Kelley Global Executive Director Fred Perry