Kristin Lynch wears a few hats. Superstar marketer for World Kitchen, avid Nicholas Sparks fan, and “the glue,” an affectionate title she earned among friends and family for her efforts to keep everyone together. As a marketing leader she’s often served as the glue that cemented successful marketing initiatives at companies such as Del Monte Foods, Heinz, Kimberly-Clark, and Sears. Results of these efforts include spurring significant sales gains by revamping 9Lives cat food and identifying pipeline opportunities for Cottonelle, Viva paper, and Kleenex.
Marketing strategy: My approach is to see everything through the eyes of the consumer. I ground myself and my team in what the consumer is looking for and how he or she wants to be communicated to. I’m also a passionate, creative, and a diverse thinker.
Winning ways: My leadership has transformed the role of marketing at World Kitchen, reaching millions of consumers while creating deeper relationships and driving traffic to retailers. I engaged consumers in marketing programs by delivering relevant content via brand websites and social media channels, generating 1.2 million YouTube views and 700,000 Facebook likes. I drove 25% of sales in product innovation, strengthening retail partnerships, and distribution. These accomplishments at World Kitchen are important to me because, prior to me, the company didn’t really know what great marketing could do for such great brands and I was able to show them.
Defining moment: Making the decision to leave Del Monte Foods and my home town of Pittsburgh. This decision allowed me to experience new colleagues, new brands, and new marketing disciplines. I was able to think differently from the beginning, which helped me identify $30-plus million product pipeline opportunities for Cottonelle moist wipes, Viva paper towels, and Kleenex facial tissue. I also helped construct the Brand Shopper Marketing discipline at Kimberly-Clark.
Trend watching: Reaching and engaging consumers where they are. Consumers are so preoccupied with smartphones, gaming, work, school, life, etc., that we as marketers need to reach them where they are.
Words to live by: Things change so much in life and there are new experiences behind every door…enjoy them.
Good read: Reading to me is a leisure activity. I read a lot of fiction to get my mind away from the day-to-day. What I’ve gotten from this is the ability to balance work and personal life.
Good advice: Speak up and ask questions to find out the details, but also listen to your gut in making decisions.
Meet the rest of the 2014 Marketing Hall of Femme honorees and read their inspirational stories.
