Brian Lanahan

Experience

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  The Coca-Cola Company

  Jan 1986 - Jan 1994

  Brand and New Product Development

  Director of Special Projects, Worldwide Marketing Division• Led combined Coke/Wieden+Kennedy team in creating and launching OK Soda. Brand Management, US Division• Responsible for strategic direction and marketing execution for Diet Coke• Led national reintroduction of Fresca. Executive Assistant to Vice President, Marketing; US Division• Directed strategic planning process for US business plan.. Advertising Manager, US Division•Managed creative process from brief to execution for seven brands. Show less

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  Portland State University

  Jan 1996 - Jan 2000

  Adjunct Professor, School of Business

  Taught MBA course on Ethics and Social Responsibility; Undergraduate course on Consumer Behavior. Also consulted on identity and strategy for organizations seeking to combine commerce and social values. Clients included: Green Mountain Energy, McDonough-Braungart Design Chemistry, Earth Justice, and International Sustainable Development Foundation.

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  Character

  Jan 2001 - Jan 2008

  Partner and Managing Director

  Founding Partner and Managing Director for this firm pioneering a new approach to brands using screenwriting principles. *Team developed story frameworks for over sixty-five brands. *Projects included reviving the Old Spice brand, rediscovering the core story of Wal-Mart, and finding the conflict in Cheerios. *Primary advisor for clients in translating character analysis to brand actions.*Directed firm operations, including business strategy, product and process, PR and social media, brand identity, people, investor relations and finance.www.characterweb.com Show less

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  Patients+Families

  Jan 2008 - Jan 2010

  Co-Founder. Brand, Insight and Communications Lead

  Director of Brand, Insight and Communications and co-founder of this Health 2.0 start-up that provided a web-based hub to help families stay involved in their loved one’s care and medical treatment. Company ceased operations in 2010. www.patientsandfamilies.com

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  Celilo Group Media

  Jan 2011 - Jan 2013

  Vice President Marketing

  Celilo is a B-Corp that publishes Chinook Book, a coupon guide for local sustainable businesses in six cities. Responsible for brand strategy and connecting mobile-social-local to activate user community. Helped transition from a print centric model to a mobile platform and developed strategy to scale the business nationally. Primary focus on mobile strategy and user experience + bringing values to life through brand actions. Published company's first Community Impact Report tied to mobile data. www.chinookbook.net Show less

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  Align

  Jan 2013 - Jan 2017

  Strategist

  Free lance brand strategy, user insight and messaging. Projects include:User insight and challenger strategy for DuckDuckGo--the search engine that doesn't track you. Brand story and design projects with Deutsch Design Works: Vintage Electric Bikes, Sprint. Strategy and positioning work with Swirl: iON wearable cameras, Cool Effect carbon reduction program,Ebay, Kipling, JAB formal wear, PG&E Home Energy. User insight projects with Mindswarms: Microsoft Hololens, Dick's Sporting Goods, Nike FuelBand, Xbox. Strategy for Amazon Kindle with Mutt Industries. Message strategy for S2G Biochemicals— natural chemicals. Show less

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  Loop Energy Inc.

  Jan 2013 - Jan 2016

  Brand and Marketing Lead

  Marketing Lead for this Clean Tech start-up building hydrogen fuel cell solutions for zero-emission vehicles and power generators. Developed new brand name and identity, executed re-launch as Loop Energy. Responsible for message strategy, content and communications. Company IPO'd in 2021.

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  Presidio Graduate School

  Jan 2015 - Jan 2019

  Adjunct Professor, Marketing and Sustainability

  Taught MBA course on building 21st century brands.

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  FINN Partners

  May 2017 - now

  Senior Partner, Strategy

  Working with Chase, Google, Charles Schwab and VMware, Brian’s job is to see below the surface, piece together meaning and uncover new ideas to move an audience. Heading up our strategy team, he combines human insight with sustainability trends to help brands tell compelling stories and lead with purpose.

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  University of Oregon - Charles H. Lundquist College of Business

  Sept 2021 - now

  Pro Tem Faculty

  Teach course on Sustainable Business Strategy.