Partners
Our People Make The Difference.
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PARTNERS
As partners of The Blake Project,
we are committed to helping you create value for those most important to your brand's future.
we are committed to helping you create value for those most important to your brand's future.
The paradox of branding is that you must change to stay consistent.
Derrick Daye
Managing Partner, Brand Strategist
Managing Partner, Brand Strategist
Derrick has spent the past 25+ years helping organizations release the full potential of their brands. His experience is as extensive as it is diverse, encompassing the disciplines of business strategy, brand strategy, advertising, sales promotion, and public relations. At The Blake Project he manages daily operations and serves as a senior consultant, helping businesses and brands define and articulate what makes them competitive and valuable.
Prior to launching The Blake Project in 2003, Derrick held rewarding leadership roles at global advertising agency leader Saatchi & Saatchi as well as at three other respected advertising agencies. He credits his focus on brand strategy with his ability to align organizations in all stages of growth with unmet customer needs. He has led and co-led the brand strategy effort for more than 200 respected B2C and B2B brands, including Abbott, Coca-Cola (Olympic Games), Deloitte AI, EA Sports, Entrepreneur Magazine, FootJoy, Heliae (Mars Family), ING, Intel, LexisNexis, Nestlé, Olive Garden/Red Lobster, OPRY Entertainment Group, Southwest Airlines, Utah Jazz, and Wyndham Hotels Worldwide.
Since 2018 he has expanded The Blake Project's operations to Australia, Ecuador, India, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates to better serve global clients in their quest for growth.
Derrick's emphasis has been to push the limits of what an independent, strategic brand consultancy can lend toward industry innovation. In 2006 he conceptualized and launched Branding Strategy Insider to help marketing oriented leaders and professionals build strong brands. Today his vision serves 60,000+ marketers daily and is recognized by Advertising Age as the leading online resource for brand strategy and management.
His quest to better equip marketers for the challenges of an over-communicated society, led to the launch of The Un-Conference: 360°of Brand Strategy for a Changing World. A unique, competitive-learning experience that features marketers competing on teams, working together to gain the techniques needed for an age of disruption.
Derrick is a widely sought-after speaker and keynotes at major conferences around the globe. He is a guest lecturer at the University Of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Northwestern University, Utah State University, Loyola Marymount University, EDC Paris Business School and is quoted regularly in the business press in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Adweek, Inc. Magazine, London Times and is a nationally featured brand management expert on ABC television news.
As an Advisor to the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, he serves in the development of the center's brand and growth strategy and as a resource for early-stage founders.
Most notably, he has worked with Dr. Bernice King, The White House Press Corps and helped the National Park Service arrive at new and optimistic decisions about the Statue of Liberty's competitive future.
Derrick earned an Executive MBA from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, and is pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education.
Since 2018 he has expanded The Blake Project's operations to Australia, Ecuador, India, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates to better serve global clients in their quest for growth.
Derrick's emphasis has been to push the limits of what an independent, strategic brand consultancy can lend toward industry innovation. In 2006 he conceptualized and launched Branding Strategy Insider to help marketing oriented leaders and professionals build strong brands. Today his vision serves 60,000+ marketers daily and is recognized by Advertising Age as the leading online resource for brand strategy and management.
His quest to better equip marketers for the challenges of an over-communicated society, led to the launch of The Un-Conference: 360°of Brand Strategy for a Changing World. A unique, competitive-learning experience that features marketers competing on teams, working together to gain the techniques needed for an age of disruption.
Derrick is a widely sought-after speaker and keynotes at major conferences around the globe. He is a guest lecturer at the University Of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Northwestern University, Utah State University, Loyola Marymount University, EDC Paris Business School and is quoted regularly in the business press in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Adweek, Inc. Magazine, London Times and is a nationally featured brand management expert on ABC television news.
As an Advisor to the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, he serves in the development of the center's brand and growth strategy and as a resource for early-stage founders.
Most notably, he has worked with Dr. Bernice King, The White House Press Corps and helped the National Park Service arrive at new and optimistic decisions about the Statue of Liberty's competitive future.
Derrick earned an Executive MBA from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, and is pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education.
Extending the meaning of your brand requires knowing the meaning of your brand.
Robert Strand
Chief Brand Extension &
Licensing Strategist
Chief Brand Extension &
Licensing Strategist
Robert is a renowned expert in helping brands strategically accelerate growth. A creative brand strategist and concept activator, he brings 25+ years of brand extension, strategic partnership development, intellectual property rights management, licensing, marketing, product & content development, and buying experience to client engagements. He has achieved success in both entrepreneurial and established corporate environments. At The Blake Project, he serves as Chief Brand Extension & Licensing Strategist and assists clients with strategic brand partnership strategy.
Prior to joining The Blake Project, Robert served Vice President, Licensing & Sponsorship at CONSOR Intellectual Asset Management where he assisted clients with brand monetization strategy, valuation and licensing services. Key initiatives included valuing the licensing programs of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, patent monetization, and co-presenting educational seminars at prestigious New York City law firms as part of the Licensing Executives Society Continuing Licensing Education program.
Before CONSOR, Robert served as Vice President, Licensing & WPP Liaison at WME/IMG where he managed the strategic partnership with WPP helping clients with brand extension, strategic partnership development and brand licensing.
At Jarden Outdoor Solutions Robert served as Vice President, Licensing and worked on brands such as Rawlings, Coleman, K2 and Shakespeare Fishing; with the NBA he served on the League's business review committee approving all partner marketing and creative, and managed 108 fan products licensees as well as the league's marketing partners promotional products - for which he was the subject of a feature article in the Sports Business Journal and USA Today.
Robert is recognized as one of the world's leading celebrity licensing experts and has served as an expert witness in a wide range of high profile IP cases. He has spoken on numerous industry panels, made appearances on Good Morning America, NBA TV, and ESPN 2ʼs Cold Pizza. He's published articles in The Licensing Journal and served on the Board of Directors for the Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA).
Robert earned a BA in Liberal Arts & Modern Languages from Purdue University, having studied French, German, Arabic and business culture, and a certificate of fluency in French from the Université de Strasbourg, France.
Before CONSOR, Robert served as Vice President, Licensing & WPP Liaison at WME/IMG where he managed the strategic partnership with WPP helping clients with brand extension, strategic partnership development and brand licensing.
At Jarden Outdoor Solutions Robert served as Vice President, Licensing and worked on brands such as Rawlings, Coleman, K2 and Shakespeare Fishing; with the NBA he served on the League's business review committee approving all partner marketing and creative, and managed 108 fan products licensees as well as the league's marketing partners promotional products - for which he was the subject of a feature article in the Sports Business Journal and USA Today.
Robert is recognized as one of the world's leading celebrity licensing experts and has served as an expert witness in a wide range of high profile IP cases. He has spoken on numerous industry panels, made appearances on Good Morning America, NBA TV, and ESPN 2ʼs Cold Pizza. He's published articles in The Licensing Journal and served on the Board of Directors for the Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA).
Robert earned a BA in Liberal Arts & Modern Languages from Purdue University, having studied French, German, Arabic and business culture, and a certificate of fluency in French from the Université de Strasbourg, France.
There's a hidden energy inside every brand, the right questions will lead you to it.
Jerome Conlon
Chief Brand Innovator
Chief Brand Innovator
Jerome is The Blake Project's Chief Brand Innovator. A world-renowned brand architect and executive, he has unleashed triple-digit growth and development of a number of major brands. He is former Director of Brand Planning and Marketing Insights for Nike, VP of Brand Planning, Consumer Insights and New Products for Starbucks Coffee Company, Senior VP of Marketing and Program Development for NBC Entertainment, and has been a professor of economics.
Jerome has directed over $60 million dollars in strategic research for three prominent global brands. As an architect and strategist he has harnessed the power of invisible energy to expand the meaning, relevance and resonance of global businesses across multiple industries.
Jerome gained world-wide marketing acclaim for the underpinning research that led to Nike's 'Just Do it' campaign.
Jerome understands that the language of engagement covers a wide spectrum of intangible factors from the company founder's passion and how that is articulated, to deep consumer drives, ideal brand experiences, nuanced relationship qualities, and social perceptions has proven transformational for the many brands he has touched. By analyzing the unspoken needs & emotions of people inside & outside of a company/brand it is possible to map the gap between the current state of a business and it's potential. When brand strategy is aligned with deep hidden consumer drives Jerome has learned from experience that it can trigger enormous growth.
He is the author of Soulful Branding and The Brand Bridge, books that present a deep paradigm shift in what the art of marketing & branding can become at the highest level.
At The Blake Project, Jerome helps brands discover unseen brand truths that create new value. He also coauthors BrandingStrategyInsider.com, one of the top 50 marketing resources on the Internet according to Advertising Age with 60,000+ marketers visiting daily.
Jerome earned an MBA and BA in Economics and Accounting from Gonzaga University.
Jerome gained world-wide marketing acclaim for the underpinning research that led to Nike's 'Just Do it' campaign.
Jerome understands that the language of engagement covers a wide spectrum of intangible factors from the company founder's passion and how that is articulated, to deep consumer drives, ideal brand experiences, nuanced relationship qualities, and social perceptions has proven transformational for the many brands he has touched. By analyzing the unspoken needs & emotions of people inside & outside of a company/brand it is possible to map the gap between the current state of a business and it's potential. When brand strategy is aligned with deep hidden consumer drives Jerome has learned from experience that it can trigger enormous growth.
He is the author of Soulful Branding and The Brand Bridge, books that present a deep paradigm shift in what the art of marketing & branding can become at the highest level.
At The Blake Project, Jerome helps brands discover unseen brand truths that create new value. He also coauthors BrandingStrategyInsider.com, one of the top 50 marketing resources on the Internet according to Advertising Age with 60,000+ marketers visiting daily.
Jerome earned an MBA and BA in Economics and Accounting from Gonzaga University.
Brands are owned in the mind.
Eric Schulz
Brand Strategist
Brand Strategist
Eric is regarded as one of the world's leading experts in brand strategy and marketing. He gained his expertise through a decades work in brand management at three of the world's top consumer products companies – Procter & Gamble, The Walt Disney Studios, and The Coca-Cola Company. A sampling of products on which he has worked include household staples such as Folgers, Minute Maid, Duncan Hines, Hawaiian Punch, Disney Home Video, Coca-Cola classic and others.
Part of Eric's success stems from his varied professional background. In addition to his work in packaged goods, he possesses extensive experience in professional sports and live entertainment marketing. He served as Vice-President of Marketing for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association, and in 2001 launched the XFL Football League.
Eric was the lead strategist behind the largest marketing initiative in world history while at Coca-Cola, their global sponsorship of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games which was executed in over 150 countries at a cost exceeding $250 million.
He also has worked in professional baseball; auto racing; and with Special Olympics, International. In live entertainment, he has developed marketing programs for Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey, Disney On Ice, and Las Vegas productions. Eric has consulted for Ford Motor Company, Purina, eBay, Viacom Media and other leading companies.
He is the author of The Marketing Game, How The World's Best Companies Play To Win, which is used as a teaching tool at many of the top business schools in the world.
In addition to working with The Blake Project, Eric teaches an Executive MBA course in Product and Brand Management at the University of Utah.
Eric earned an MBA with an emphasis on Marketing and Finance and a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University.
Eric was the lead strategist behind the largest marketing initiative in world history while at Coca-Cola, their global sponsorship of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games which was executed in over 150 countries at a cost exceeding $250 million.
He also has worked in professional baseball; auto racing; and with Special Olympics, International. In live entertainment, he has developed marketing programs for Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey, Disney On Ice, and Las Vegas productions. Eric has consulted for Ford Motor Company, Purina, eBay, Viacom Media and other leading companies.
He is the author of The Marketing Game, How The World's Best Companies Play To Win, which is used as a teaching tool at many of the top business schools in the world.
In addition to working with The Blake Project, Eric teaches an Executive MBA course in Product and Brand Management at the University of Utah.
Eric earned an MBA with an emphasis on Marketing and Finance and a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University.