Hi, I’m Paula Beale, a skilled brand strategist and an experienced marketer.

After 20 years of leading marketing, advertising and creative initiatives and teams, here’s what I know:

• I am passionate about building brands, bonds and business.

• I use a mix of imagination, craft and technology to build all three.

• I’m equal parts leader, collaborator and practitioner.

• I enjoy merging strategy, technology and design.

• I’m comfortable working across disciplines, teams and ranks.

Driving brand principles:

• I find more success by listening for the need rather than the ask.

• If I don’t have an opinion about what I’m creating, the user won’t either.

• My job is to remove the unnecessary to let the important speak.

• If it can’t say it simply, I’m not done.

Driving Leadership Principles:

• Culture matters.

• Environments need to be comfortable enough to be creative yet challenging to take good to great.

• Leaders need to leave room for a better idea.

• It doesn’t matter how good the work is if the process is terrible.

CV available upon request.

Highlights and such:

AWARD-WINNING BRAND CAMPAIGN:
In April 2021, launched a new brand awareness advertising campaign, Let’s Find a Way, to grow awareness and build consideration across a diverse footprint of legacy, emerging and newly acquired markets. The campaign drove a 10bps jump in consumer awareness in less than six months and received a 2022 MarCom Gold award in Video/Audio category.

NEW BRAND POSITION: 
In 2021, successfully launched a new brand platform (purpose) to unify recently merged organizations.

LED PPP COMMUNICATIONS: 
In 2020-2022, led client communications for historic PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), resulting in over 32,000 approved PPP loans for $4.2 billion to support over 541,000 jobs across our communities.

GROWING BRAND AWARENESS:
In 2020, improved core brand metrics with re-ignited marketing plan post-COVID and Unstoppable ‘always-on’ brand campaign.

PIVOT TO VIRTUAL:
In 2020, quickly pivoted to virtual events to support clients through unprecedented times of the pandemic. Two highlights include:

1. PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) webinar featuring SMEs from the bank, law and accounting firms. The event provided clear guidance on how to apply for and, importantly, receive forgiveness for the loan.

2. Cybersecurity and Fraud Protection webinar featuring Theresa Payton, former White House CIO, and bank SMEs. The event helped clients be more confident in their ability to protect their business against fraud while showcasing First Horizon expertise and Treasury Management services.

WEBSITE LAUNCH:  
In 2017, launched a new website for First Tennessee and FTB Advisors. The launch included a new CMS platform, design and UX. The site was built to achieve three key KPIs: earn money, save money and elevate the brand.

SOCIAL MEDIA AMBASSADOR PILOT: 
In 2017, launched a Social Media Ambassador Pilot to engage employees to help tell our company’s story in social media.

NAMING RIGHTS SPONSORSHIP DEAL: 
In 2014, launched a naming rights sponsorship with the Nashville Sounds Minor League Baseball team to help meet brand awareness goals for Middle Tennessee. Inaugural year showed an increase of 4 basis points from the prior year.

150TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN: 
In 2014, launched ad campaign to celebrate First Tennessee’s 150th anniversary. Positioning highlighted the company promise of measuring 150 years “one opportunity at a time.” Initial brand research indicated that the new brand position and 150th anniversary messaging had strong unaided recall.

IN-HOUSE CREATIVE AGENCY:

• In 1997, successfully created the first in-house creative agency for First Tennessee Bank – delivering a model that lowered operating costs by 67% compared to traditional creative vendors..

• In 2002, drove workflow innovation with the launch of an online portal to support regional ad requests. The platform was a first-of-its-kind marketing-on-demand tool and offered an efficient and controlled resource for repetitive requests. The launch allowed creative personnel to be redeployed to more meaningful activity.

• In 2007, expanded responsibilities to lead digital website (.com) and event marketing.

• In 2008, launched social media presence for the bank and assumed social media program management.

• From 2009 to 2013, In-house Creative team drove 10%+ YOY workload growth each year while maintaining full-time employees (FTEs).

• In 2012, expanded role to lead strategic partnership responsibilities.

• In 2019, developed business case and launched dedicated Content Marketing discipline.

• In 2020, successfully pivoted to remote work with higher productivity and employee satisfaction scores.

Capabilities:

Mar Tech experience: 

• Lead CMS (content management systems) teams including Sitecore

• Lead social media listening platforms including Social Studio

• Lead Adobe Creative Suite teams

• Lead Aventri platform (Event Marketing platform)

• Lead workflow platforms including Robohead and Workamajig

• Content Marketing platforms including Contently

• Salesforce Sale Cloud and Marketing Cloud (email platform) stakeholder

• Lattice CDP (now D&B product) stakeholder

Marketing channels experience:

• Paid channels experience include paid media (broadcast, programmatic, CTV/OTT, paid social), direct mail and strategic partnerships

• Owned channels experience include social, web, email, events and content marketing

• Earned channels experience includes partnership with internal and external PR resources

Marketing research experience:

• Brand benchmarking and awareness research

• Marketing message testing

• Product development

Vendor oversight:

• Lead agency relationships including Digital, Advertising, Direct Marketing firms

• Lead strategic partnerships including vetting, negotiations and activation

• Lead contract staff for flex needs and unique skill sets