1. “People don’t buy what we do, they buy why we do it.”
—Simon Sinek—
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KIRK SCHROEDER
619 East 57th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55417
612.670.0279 (mobile)
kschroeder62@gmail.com
CONSUMER INSIGHTS MANAGER/STRATEGIST
A strategic Innovator & highly diversified in & Product & Brand forward Development”, Consumer Insights
& Strategy, Social Media, Emerging market Trends - effective Product development Leader professional with
Domestic & extensive International experience. Growth orientated with a documented record for delivering
exceptional Product both emerging & with stabilized companies.
Leadership in design, digital assets, Visual content, Product - Brand development & having the ability to
manage complex projects while bringing forth meaningful innovation & any unexpected challenges in
alignment with the Brand’s exclusive strategy with a greater return on investment.
As a Leader my role is to successfully maximize profitable market share by supporting my past organization,
ongoing Leadership/Product & Retail Development strategies – 1st to Market, “open to buy”, margin
targets, inventory levels – GMROI metrics to achieve the overall company sales & profit targets.
Proven track record of identifying “white space opportunities” & creates a more memorable shopping &
digital forum experience. Passionate in cutting-edge Merchandising, Consumer products & new Household &
Brand initiatives driving market share thru specialty & big box retailers, Digital & eCommerce platforms,
Web presence with increasing landing page optimization
Responsible for the ideation process throughout the final product lifecycle assuring its meets all marketing,
pricing, quality & branding strategy.
Competitive data Analysis & Trend forward expert identifying new product segments & marketing strategies
Computer skills: Outlook, Excel, Adobe Suite, Auto Cad, “Rendering/Sketching” & Presentations skills
 P & L/Gross Margin
 Reduce product development cycles &
material waste – 15%
 15+ years – Product & Project Management
 Passion for Home Living development &
trending for the Millennial audience
 Project direction & Leadership
 Proven ability in identifying new Consumer
retail, emerging fashion & Household trends –
WOW factor.
 24/7 trend spotter & strategic innovative
thinker.
 Packaging & Branding development
 Fiscal & Budget Management
 Technology trends & efficiencies

2.  
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Gel Communications Current
Insights & Trend director - Licensed Product Marketing strategist
Product Development & Management - Hershey’s, Mattel, Target, Disney Consumer products
Licensed Product development & Branded Style Guides & Strategies
SEASONAL SPECIALTIES & TARGET 2005 – 2013
Sr. Director of Trend Development
Product Development & as an Importer collaborator: Directing & leading with both Licensed & in store
Marketing strategies in Design, Product & Branding development – “creating exclusively” while sustaining
pricing margins, on brand & quality standards with Target’s private label Threshhold & Seasonal Gift &
Home decor categories in alignment with Target’s “5 - 7 Guest Segments” – Increased sales in Dept 51/65
& private label recognition by 18%
Lead & train cross-functional teams for the improvement of current & existing product offerings, appropriate
productions cycle “faster to market” structural & cost reduction quality improvement, by reducing inventory
& the development buying cycle & customer satisfaction against multi year product goals.
Executed several “Good - Best” P&L strategy Collections for Target thru competitive analysis & Trend
insights. $50 – $100++mm in product sales in all stores & increasing brand awareness by 13%.
Developed several successful seasonal “Graceful Lux” Holiday fashion forward hard goods, Table top Decor
& seasonal Giftware collections exclusive to Target all stores. Driving new sales by 15%.
Created quarterly Target D51 “Trend Global Seasonal Market place Look books” forecasting new emerging
trends & Mood boards that consisted of new Ecommerce concepts, “Lifestyle/Fashion”, Licensed products,
Home Living Trends, Colors, Materials, Finishes Innovation, comp shopping, Seeking - Retail &
Merchandising Trends, Competitive Analysis, Collateral Materials, Sustainability, Organic, New social media
outlets & Ecommerce campaigns.
 Directed and managed a staff of 5+ of designers, engineers & - Trend staff, buyers & specific category
managers at Target to meet all creative & marketing objectives, Line reviews, & managing digital
property timelines which resulted in relevant product solutions & approvals.
 Attended various events and tradeshows to gather new emerging trends and ideas such as the Maison
d’ Object Show Paris, Berlin & London/UK & Brussels – Trend Spotting & Shopping. Attends: Paper
World - Christmas World/Frankfurt, Canton Fair in China, and Licensing Show & Surtex in NYC.
 Developed several in house Target Trend Collections with unified Packaging in store “state of the art”
- supported by Lighted Visual Displays & Branding exclusive to 5 Guest segments - Classic Traditional,
Elegant LUX, Modern Casual, Whimsical/Young Adult, Casual Traditional & Homespun Craft. Overall sales:
$30 – 45 mm for each of the 7 seasons
SHINDIGZ Fort Wayne, IN 2003–2005
Director of Product Development
Responsible for trend right, selecting & developing exclusive party & seasonal product offerings in line & on
strategy - Leading my team of designers, sourcing, new Conceptualization to a final Design solution of all
themed “ Girls Kit & Kaboodle Birthday Kits & Seasonal themed paper Party Arts & Craft kits, Birthday,
Wedding & Party gifts, Party accessories, decorations and kits - all seasonal themed Party & Prom Kits and
decorations this included Licensed & Private label Buyer & Merchant.

3. Ecommerce Categories: Party Kits, Seasonal decorations, Prom Kits, seasonal Paper & Cardboard displays,
decorative seasonal papers, Table Top decorations, Home décor themed assortments, textiles & all new
Decorations every seasonal launch.
Responsible for all Digital implementation of exclusive Product & Branding offerings in line for the Shindigz
customer
 Managed all projects with my team in the Sustainability process to lower cost margins & design
changes in lessen of product waste, increase water based inks & to the use of recyclable materials.
 Designed & Executed several cutting edge & relevant Shindigz themed Party Kits & introduced several
new & fresh product offerings that drove new sales by 35%
HALLMARK CARDS, Kansas City, MO 2001–2003
Manager of Product Development
Collaborated with the DMM, Licensing, sourcing team, planning & other cross-functional teams to ensure all
internal timelines are improved & to set up a matrix to evaluate suppliers based on performance metrics,
execution & cost.
Lead a staff of 10+ artists, designers, producers, artisans, and technicians through the special Occasional
Seasonal “Keepsakes Collections” –Branding message consistent to & Product development process meeting
many of “Hallmark’s Gifts & Collectible” objectives for all Gold Crown stores & Hallmarks ecommerce
strategy.
 Interfaced with & managed specific creative & product development teams ensuring the Hallmark
Gold Crown brand is aligned with its Customer needs in the Branded Strategy - on air Ads, print ads &
Digital platform for relevant design direction within the Hallmark Gold Crown Keepsake & Seasonal
strategies.
 Increased several Licensed Keepsakes - Warner Bros., Disney, Barbie etc. & updated new & innovative
Gift product categories & overall sales by 16% with new innovative styles & licensed properties.
MATTEL, Los Angeles, CA 1998–2001
Director of Product Development/Licensing - Ferrari
Lead all Licensing, Product Branding development – packaging, retail & visual Merchandising
Developed, directed & re-Branded all Digital & Licensed Toy & Apparel development for the new “Hot
Wheels” Style Guide for all licensed Consumer products & Retail Merchandising - targeted Kids & Tween,
Youth & Adult Collector market which resulted in increased royalty revenues of 35%. (Introduced, designed,
and created three Hot Wheels collections for Fall Holiday 2000 & Packaging Identity guidelines for Barbie &
HW).
 Co-produced and developed the new Digital Hot Wheels logo along with updated Icons, updated
colors, patterns & a Retro HW Log identity targeted for the Collector & for all Toy assortments & all
Licensed Consumer Product categories. Increased sales by 28%
 Managed cross-functional teams of engineering & design meeting all product deliverables by style,
quality & the on brand strategy, including 30+ licensees that resulted in the retail sales of $150+mm
worldwide.
 Developed & directed the upscale Ferrari Branded Licensed Fashion Consumer Licensed branded
collections including new trend forward product categories - interactive retail merchandising programs
driven by history of the brand - its authentic point of view & an in Store Signage/Editorial message
targeting the new Young adult exclusive to Target & other retailers around the globe & other digital
platforms. Increased profitable sales & brand awareness by 17%

4. THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, Atlanta, GA 1995–1998
Product Manager – Licensing Consumer Products
Managed several Coca Cola Global Household Branded Licensed initiatives into many successful Consumer
products & making process changes in support of marketing. “Created a high-resolution limited access digital
ART library exclusive to key Licensees” - resulting in a more seamless & faster approval process.
Expanded consumer understanding & the vision of the Coca-Cola “Visual Brand guide” & the “World of
Coke” Retail experience to drive all branded “Vintage & Drive Refreshed” Festoons - Giftware table top
“Bedding & Home” Licensed Consumer products by vintage inspired advertising from the 1930’s & 40’s
Leveraging new Product marketing strategies & sustainable digital & consumer products Licensing guidelines
for Coca-Cola Licensees around the globe. Resulting in a consistent & relevant brand message both in
packaging, eCommerce, Visual Merchandising & specific product applications.
Developed digitally & trend right branded eCommerce platforms & an extensive ART Library exclusive to all
Licensees. Resulting in a more seamless & approval process when submitting branded consumer products.
Created & developed a successful “Coca-Cola Ware”/5 Lifestyles RTW/Vintage Table top & Apparel
Collectibles & branded Sports ware Collections” Licensing program & Retail Store Environment that was
introduced both in the US & European Markets. “Increased Brand awareness & sales by 30%.”
 Developed and engineered the ever popular today “1st Branded” Coca-Cola Contour Glass to receive a
design patent, (hybrid of the 1930’s contour bottle) – for Walmart/TARGET and European Licensing.
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY, CA. 1990 -1995
MANAGER OF RETAIL DEVELOPMENT
“The LION KING” Theatrical Release – All Branded LK Global Visual digital Styles Guides for all
Licensees Worldwide - $1billion sales – All consumer products categories
Supplemental Style Guides for both Girls - Boys worldwide
Created & Developed several Licensed Consumer product Collections – Lion King, Disney & Classic Pooh,
Mickey & Co into “Softlines & Hardlines, Fashion Everyday Apparel,” including Toddler accessories”
categories, including the extension into Adult Branded fashion collections & continued development acting as
a creative partner within the Consumer products team of “Disney Pooh & Lion King” for the mass channels.
Drove sales $150mm++
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
Bachelors Degree/B.F.A. – Industrial & Graphic Design – Digital & eCommerce.
CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART – Cleveland, Ohio