Case Studies
John & Mark have helped drive healthy growth for some of the world's most renowned brands––from big name corporations to entrepreneurial start-ups. Their combined efforts have resulted in over 15 Billion in revenue growth.
Weleda North America
Health and Wellness
Case Study
Before founding Lumin Strategy, John created a health-and-wellness segmentation model and crafted an emotive brand positioning and communication platform for Weleda North America that set the brand apart via the company’s biodynamic farming, minimally processed ingredients, and the products’ distinctive beauty and efficacy. The team performed an in-depth opportunity analysis of Weleda categories with recommendations included in a “relaunch” North American business plan.
Back to Nature
Natural Foods
Case Study
Before Lumin Strategy, John crafted an emotive brand positioning and visual conceptual treatment that set the brand apart as an optimistic, happy, and permissive natural brand of snack products for the whole family in a sea of serious, natural, and organic competitive brands. The team created an innovation pipeline, with technical and manufacturing feasibility assessment, across several focus categories to position Back To Nature’s sale. Brynwood Capital sold Back To Nature to B&G foods for >$150M.
Red Lobster
Hospitality Case Study
Prior to Lumin Strategy, Mark led Red Lobster to drive reappraisal of the brand among casual dining and polished-casual dining guests by activating major new brand enhancements. Key elements of the brand enhancements (e.g., wood-fired grills, certified Grill Masters, Bar Harbour redesign) were headlined by the new "Sea Food Differently" campaign, which reversed dated perceptions and declining sales. Through digital and traditional media, the campaign utilizing the authenticity, pride, and passion of real Red Lobster “everyday heroes," from crab fisherman to Grill Masters to servers, as a competitive advantage in a category ruled by price. This concept-wide initiative stabilized sales through step-changed food quality and appeal. Over time, the campaign evolved into “Now This Is Seafood,” which helped create 12+ quarters of profit and EBITDA growth.
Kashi
Natural Foods
Case Study
Before founding Lumin Strategy, John led Kellogg’s Kashi Company to grow aggressively as a way into the rapidly growing natural-foods space. John led the team to develop a Kashi growth strategy that led Kashi out of the cereal aisle and into frozen foods, snacks, cookies, and crackers to create a North American brand growing profitably beyond $600 million.
Longhorn Steakhouse
Hospitality
Case Study
Before Lumin Strategy, John led the transformation of LongHorn Steakhouse toward an elevated experience that appealed to casual dining and polished casual dining guests, looking for that “extra” experience. The new experience achieved 10 quarters of consecutive same-restaurant sales and guest-count growth. Longhorn grew its market share of the steak segment +1.2pts. The brand was named America’s #1 Steaks House in 2014 by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Mr. Coffee
Small Appliances
Case Study
Prior to Lumin Strategy, John led the rebirth of Mr. Coffee for Newell Brands. Seizing the opportunity presented by COVID to enjoy coffee and coffeehouse drinks at homes, he led the team to develop a $1B+ plan anchored on individual beverages. Newell’s share grew to #2 in North America.
Sleep Number 360
Luxury Goods
Case Study
Before Lumin Strategy, John partnered with the Sleep Number 360 Bed Team on the creation of the new bed line-up and product platform. He and the team developed a winning concept. Then workshopped and tested it with prime prospect consumers who were focused on better sleep for better living. He collaborated with the Sleep Number team to create a winning product line that surpassed the company’s growth expectations. Sleep Number achieved #2 share position in the premium category.
Windex
CPG
Case Study
In one of John’s earliest career experiences, he served as the North American business leader for SC Johnson’s Windex Brand. At the time, Windex was the category leader in glass and surface cleaners throughout the U.S. and Canada. John and his team set an aggressive goal to grow the business 5X by liberating the “Windex Shine” to travel all over the home. Through superior product formations and delivery formats, Windex grew from a simple “Blue Glass Cleaner” to the #1 brand in the household cleaning aisle, with products that were safe to use in the kitchen, bathroom, automobile and throughout the home––inside and out. John helped the company adapt formulas for use across Western European, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries to drive economic scale across Windex, Mr. Muscle and other country specific equities, making SC Johnson one of the largest “whole home” cleaning suppliers globally with over $1B in sales.