Member

Julie Mantis

Brand Strategist: Foundation & Positioning

20+ Yearsin Brand Strategy

10+ Yearsat Chameleon Collective

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About

Julie is a veteran brand strategist, with a deep passion for providing clarity and focus for travel and tourism brands at any stage. Julie makes connections between brand and consumer that serve as inspiration to teams who bring the brand articulation to life. With nearly two decades of experience, Julie's portfolio spans a dozen industries and is a multifaceted brand solution provider. Julie leads and collaborates, providing solutions to all areas within the brand strategy territory - from brand definition to brand articulation, from campaign inspiration and oversight to global brand positioning and brand experience design. Julie has worked with many travel brands, but one of her favorites was for Florida's official tourism marketing corporation. The Must Be the Sunshine campaign for VISIT FLORIDA was born out of the insight that sunshine makes the most extraordinary things possible. Stories lived under that campaign umbrella for two years, resulting in a powerful, memorable, global media campaign.

Works acrossNL

Selected clients

Case studies

Retail & eCommerce

Vera Bradley 3-year strategic plan

Vera Bradley, a renowned women's accessories brand, faced multiple challenges during a multi-year engagement. With a new CMO at the helm, the brand needed to develop a visionary strategy for financial success, customer acquisition, retention, and brand revitalization. Complicating matters was the abrupt departure of their digital marketing leader, and the brand's reliance on face mask sales in 2020-2021, which posed a challenge as mask demand waned in 2022.Chameleon Collective approached the situation by deeply understanding Vera Bradley's culture and needs. Working closely with the CMO, they led a large marketing team in crafting a 3-year strategic plan. This involved setting specific KPIs, aligning cross-functional teams, and creating an integrated marketing calendar. The focus extended to coaching the emerging digital leader, introducing best practices, and ensuring a consumer-centric marketing model.Chameleon Collective's Brand Director played a crucial role in clarifying roles and responsibilities, fostering inter-departmental communication, and guiding every team member through a transition. The strategy went beyond consultancy, providing insights for critical evaluation and introducing avant-garde vendors. The result was a robust process document, empowering the organization to operate independently.The recruitment team assisted Vera Bradley in transitioning to an internal agency model by identifying culturally attuned talent. The impact was significant, as Chameleon Collective's approach culminated in a comprehensive 3-year strategic plan, reversing online revenue decline, and empowering Vera Bradley to offer a richer, consumer-centric experience. The internally-promoted digital leader quickly advanced to a directorial position, leading to an extension of Chameleon Collective's engagement.The success was not only measured in financial terms but also in the brand's ability to provide a more consumer-centric experience. Chameleon Collective's work fortified Vera Bradley's growth trajectory, ensuring sustained customer engagement, brand resurgence, and overall success.

Writing

Experience

Partner | Digital Marketing | Brand Strategist | Marketing Operations at Chameleon Collective
Interim VP, Brand at Polaroid
Interim VP of Brand & Marketing Operations at Vera Bradley at Chameleon Collective
Interim Director of Digital Marketing at Bugaboo at Chameleon Collective
Interim Director of Marketing at Backyard Discovery at Chameleon Collective
Manager Marketing Strategy & Analysis at

Expertise

Agency ManagementOperational AnalysisBrand StrategyCampaign Performance AnalysisCustomer Experience ManagementLeadership DevelopmentOperational ExcellenceCustomer Journey MappingPositioning StrategyBrand Style GuidesTutorialsProcess Design+70 more

What people say

“Julie is a truly exceptional marketing and brand strategist, and one of the sharpest people I've ever worked with. If you can hire, partner with, or work for Julie, do it.”

Andrew Solmssen, Head of Digital Platforms & Innovation, AT&T

“Julie is a mastermind when it comes to understanding process workflows and paths to efficiencies. She dissects large obstacles and distills them into bite-size, digestible solutions, and she leads teams with grace and intention.”

Dana B., Vera Bradley

“She has the ability to push herself, and those around her, to look for real insights that help you understand how your customer ticks. I admire her willingness to keep pushing until she gets to those core emotions, feelings, and drivers that make clients engage with brands and, in many cases, open their wallets.”

Freddie Laker, Founder & CEO, Chameleon Collective