Bookmark/Search this post with
Lisa GRALNEK
VP Brand Marketing | CHOBANI
As Chobani’s Vice President of Brand Marketing focused on emerging product platforms, Lisa is charged with driving growth through innovation for America’s No. 1–selling Greek Yogurt brand, recently recognized by Fast Company as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in the world. More recently prior to Chobani, Lisa headed up US marketing at online print and design company moo.com based in Boston.
Lisa began her career in the fashion world – first as a Producer and Art Buyer working with fashion and entertainment brands from David Yurman to Britney Spears –and later as a Talent Agent managing a top-tiered roster of photographers, stylists, and set designers worldwide. Before completigettingng her her MBA from at INSEAD, Lisa wasworked in Paris and New York City, as a Photo Producer and Art Buyer leading work for for iconic fashion and entertainment brands likesuch as David Yurman, Talk Magazine and Britney Spears, and later among others – before becoming a Talent Agent representing a top-tiered roster of international fashion managed global photographers, stylists and set designers. Lisa holds a BA in Political Science and French from Bates College.
questionnaire
What was your very first job?
Production Assistant at Art Partner Paris. And a Flower Shop girl pre-college.
Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.
I’m the Vice President of Brand Marketing at Chobani. Working at a fast-growing, founder-led company that operates in a highly competitive and dynamic category means that no two days are alike. At a high-level -- my job consists of working cross-functionally with partners throughout the organization to define our business goals, bring the best products to market, and ensure that we’re reaching consumers in meaningful ways to continue to grow the brand and expand our share of yogurt consumption. More nitty-gritty – it means, tasting new food, reviewing profit margins, analyzing data, building presentation slides, running consumer testing, and much more.
How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? What was there train of events that brought you to where you are today?
I think I have always lived in the so-called creative world. I grew up in LA going from contemporary art gallery to artist studio most of my childhood, while also spending a lot of time making art myself and exploring nature. The professional ‘creative world’ however I got access to when I entered the fashion world and began learning about the business of creativity more. As for the train of events that led me to today—I guess what I can say is that it’s been a journey- one fueled by intellectual curiousity, a willingness to take risks, and what is probably an unhealthy dose of impatience.
In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
I believe there is inspiration all around us always – in books, people, art, nature, architecture and more. I’ve also learned that it in places where ‘culture’ in the high-brow sense isn’t always as available, nature can be the greatest proxy with a message that is always fresh and relevant especially in times like these.
If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation it required, rather than its recognition or industry “success,” what would it be?
There would be two: the first would be the branding of David Yurman and first campaigns that set the brand on track to becoming the iconic American jewelry brand it is today; the second would be the design and implementation of highly complex global change-management program that allowed one of the adidas brands to deliver more meaningful innovation to market 3x faster than before.
