We are a team of seasoned marketers whose experience combines the best practices of branding for consumer packaged goods companies, integrated marketing and corporate communications.
Yadim Medore (Dan Mishkind), Principal + Creative Director
Yadim Medore oversees Pure Branding creative with an inspirational passion for cut-through communications tempered with a calm, thoughtful style. Bennington-educated, Yadim taught at Harvard and brings an erudite yet pragmatic approach to brand communications informed by years repositioning and launching magazines, and as a Design Director at Disney Publishing. Yadim founded Pure Branding in 1999 and brings extensive experience in the branding of natural products. Yadim helped to drive diverse natural brands into the mainstream, from Dr. Hauschka Skin Care to Boiron and Vitasoy. Recognized for his deep insights in natural, Yadim is often invited to speak at industry conferences, including Natural Products Expo East and West and All Things Organic.
Kevin Williams, Principal Brand Strategist
Kevin Williams brings a strategic approach to Pure Branding clients: he can show how Maslow’s need states are relevant to connecting with your target consumer, draws from a rich, diverse range of theory and makes it come to life for our clients’ business with zeal and foresight. As a director of brand identity at Pepperidge Farm, Colgate and Dixie Tableware, Kevin learned how to drive brands to the top of their category and recognize the subtleties of organizational and market mechanics, with the ability to reveal where the hidden opportunities lie. A core organic consumer and thought leader for the natural channel, Kevin has been published in the Natural Products Field Manual, Brand Packaging and Organic Processing magazines. Kevin has been invited to speak at the BioFach World Organic Trade Fair, IRI’s Brand Identity and Package Design Conferences, the In-Store Marketing Institute's POP Shows and Natural Products Expo East and West.
Joshua Lynn, Brand Activist
Josh Lynn breathes life into Pure Branding's strategic activation, pairing analytical acumen with his passion for promoting companies that create change. As the Principal of Strategic Identities, an award-winning consultancy, Josh spent 10 years delivering robust identity systems to non-profit financial cooperatives, progressive living communities and other virtuous ventures including Intel's green SmartHome initiative. Josh draws from his activist attitude and agency experience (TBWA/Chiat/Day) to activate emotive brands through targeted communications — creating not just consumers, but active participants, believers and street advocates.
David Poole, Director of Research
David Poole helps differentiate brands by pulling back the many layers of consumer behavior to reveal the key insights of motivation, beliefs and affiliation that a business can build upon. Prior to joining Pure Branding, David’s experience at the top digital agencies in New York and London focused on establishing digital brand strategies for Fortune 500 companies, anchored in consumer insights. At Europe’s largest digital agency, LBi, David was program leader on the Canon account where his research revealed Canon’s consumers' behavior and he established a five year road-map with a comprehensive digital strategy for the Canon brand that shifted the focus from a commodity to the experience ‘beyond the button’. David was also program leader on the Nokia account, the world’s largest cell phone manufacturer, leading consumer research to inform their touch phone in response to the iPhone. At America’s largest digital agency, Digitas, David was program leader for the launch of American Express’ enterprise e-procurement software, and was responsible for IBM Corporate’s digital presence, where he led consumer research that revealed that the target consumer was not the C-level decision maker, but instead the senior executive change agent.
Charlene Currie, Project Manager
Charlene comes to Pure Branding with extensive natural products industry experience, having been part of the marketing team at Lightlife Foods/ConAgra where she facilitated national expansion initiatives for the maker of vegetarian meat substitutes. Charlene guided product development, package design and brand messaging, planned media buys and promotional events, directed sales and marketing support specialists, external graphic designers, printers and public relations firms. As marketing manager for Australus Aquaculture, the producer of sustainable fish products for the natural foods, grocery and restaurant sectors, she formulated and drove trade and consumer strategies, programs and campaigns.
Mary Kate Marchand, Senior Designer
A veteran of consumer packaged goods design, Mary Kate Marchand provides the piercing communications that help Pure Branding's work pop, on shelf or in marketing. Mary Kate came from Gillette, where she helped launched the Oral-B Pulsar toothbrush, winner of the 2005 In-Store Marketing Institute's Design of the Times Award. As Art Director for Gillette’s Oral-B/Braun division, she helped redesign the Oral-B club channel, and her product illustrations can be seen internationally on Gillette products.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Kent Pilakowski, Principal, Ignite Sales and Management Consulting
Kent provides Pure Branding’s clients with advice on sales strategy. As Sales and Marketing Director for General Mills' organic venture, Small Planet Foods, Kent gained valuable experience in helping natural brands Muir Glen and Cascadian Farms cross over to mainstream channels, including direct experience with wholesalers, distributors and corporate chains, at both the regional and national levels. Kent brings his thirteen years of award-winning sales management experience for General Mills to his own consultancy, Ignite (www.ignitesalesmanagement.com).
Rakesh M. Amin, Partner, Amin Talati LLC
Rakesh Amin helps Pure Branding’s clients with legal counsel on how to gain product approval, establish pre-/postmarketing requirements, good manufacturing practices, advertising, labeling, health claims, regulatory enforcement and IP (patents & trademarks) protection. As managing attorney at Amin Talati (www.amintalati.com), he practices law related to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pharmacy and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rakesh taught food and drug law at the DePaul University College of Law and is a member of the Food, Drug and Consumer Product Committee, the Consultants Association for the Natural Products Industry, the National Products Association and Citizens for Health.