Greg
McLain

BRAND SUPERVISOR

STRATEGIST

Hello!

As a professional, I'm a seasoned brand and strategy expert, driving impactful results for clients across diverse industries. My expertise lies in crafting winning strategies, managing complex accounts, fostering strong client relationships, and executing campaigns, both domestically and internationally.

As a person, I'm a runner (marathon), photographer, automotive enthusiast, dog lover, techie, and culture exploring world traveler.

Resume

Experience

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Dec 2021 - Feb 2023

BRAND SUPERVISOR / STRATEGIST

McCann Worldgroup

San Francisco, CA - Remote

Successfully managed a new client through their inaugural brand campaign, including captivating TV spots and campaign extensions, gaining full support and excitement from their C-Suite and internal teams across the company and leading to a successful launch and engagement.
Orchestrated seamless launches of a multi-faceted marketing campaign encompassing TV, digital, out-of-home, social, website, email, and influencer partnerships, juggling numerous work streams with internal and external stakeholders.
Championed the development of standardized project systems, streamlining campaign processes and demonstrably enhancing agency efficiency both internally and during client interactions.
Contributed to domestic and international projects, conducting in-depth competitive analyses and crafting brand strategies for the U.S. and global markets.
Utilized my cross-cultural fluency, combined with extensive automotive experience, added unique perspectives, enriching insights, and strengthening strategic plans for various models and business goals.

Sep 2017 - Dec 2021

SR. BRAND MANAGER

Projekt202

San Francisco, CA - Hybrid

Navigated fierce competition to establish Subaru in nine Southeast Asian markets and China, managing multi-channel ad content creation.
Managed all ad content (TV, print, digital, social, dealerships, shows, website, out-of-home) for Subaru Asia, the agency's largest client, acting as both brand and technology expert.
Researched and analyzed market landscapes to formulate winning brand and model campaign strategies, informing the client with fact-based recommendations.
Managed the development and launch of the client's new website across all markets, implementing and teaching SEO/SEM practices for improved data tracking and brand visibility.
Managed international pre- and post-production for TV commercials, collaborating with clients across countries and time zones to ensure accuracy and brand alignment.
Served as a critical liaison between Subaru Asia and production teams, ensuring seamless communication and accurate portrayal of the brand & technology throughout TV commercials and ad materials.
Juggled diverse responsibilities as product specialist, production manager, strategist, and creative briefer.
Maintained daily client interaction and handled agency & production finances, demonstrating adaptability and resourcefulness, especially with a challenging time difference.

Jan 2017 - Sep 2017

ASST. BRAND MANAGER

Swirl

San Francisco, CA - On-site

Navigated diverse work streams, ensuring on-time, on-budget project completion aligned with strategic goals.
Crafted compelling project briefs and inspired teams to kick off projects with clarity and purpose.
Conducted in-depth market research, providing weekly competitive analysis reports that illuminated client landscapes and informed pre-campaign strategies.
Bridged the gap between clients and creative/production teams, translating feedback and concerns into actionable insights, ensuring exceptional outcomes.
Assisted account teams in maintaining accurate and timely billing, including invoicing, budget tracking, and completion percentages.
Built trust and strong relationships with both internal teams and clients, fostering open communication and collaboration.
Seamlessly managed internal and client meetings, coordinating schedules, securing rooms, and crafting comprehensive notes, ensuring key stakeholders were engaged and informed.
Maintained up-to-date, insightful weekly status reports, keeping all project components transparent and on track.

Education

Apr 2014 - Mar 2016

RITSUMEIKAN ASIA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY

M.B.A. in Marketing & Management

Beppu, Japan

With the very international nature of the university, there was a large focus on international business and marketing, where I used my background as a Cultural Anthropologist to work on bringing in structures and frameworks from my field into marketing. My master's thesis was on the cultural comparison (Japan and U.S.) of the interaction effect between eco-friendliness, performance, and connectedness in the automotive industry using a theoretical framework of egoism and altruism.

Apr 2011 - Mar 2013

WASEDA UNIVERSITY

M.A. in International Relations

Tokyo, Japan

My specific area of study was cultural anthropology, studying Japanese society while also cross-culturally analyzing the development of culture in Japan with its many influences from other countries. My master's thesis was on the future of green automotive technology in Japan, which at the time was the home to companies like Toyota that had invested heavily in green hybrid technology, thought of as the future of green automotive technology.

Sep 2006 - Dec 2010

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA - TWIN CITIES

B.A. in Cultural Anthropology

Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.

Used my time building a wide base of experience relating to culture, society, and my love for cars by focusing on my major in Cultural Anthropology, while also minoring in East Asian Studies, Mechanical Engineering, and Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature.