Derek Russell

Manager, Global Sponsorship Activation @United Airlines

Leads strategy for 15+ brand marketing campaigns involving sponsorships with $3M in budget, tailoring each with the right mix of brand positioning, audience relevance, messaging, experiential marketing, content strategy, marketing communications, public relations support, and media production. Co-creator and manager of the award-winning United Airlines and Golden State Warriors Franchise Fund program; accomplishing United’s brand strategy of doing right by the communities we serve, building United’s book of diverse suppliers, and producing branded omni-channel content on Warriors and United channels generating over 5M+ impressions. Proactive in identifying strategic revenue-generating sponsorships for United within high-potential verticals like Esports and soccer, negotiating United sales agreements and sponsorship assets leading to an additional $1M+ in company revenue. Seeing an opportunity to drive revenue with a new capability while accomplish a departmental goal, initiated the creation of a first-for-United couponing campaign with seven United-sponsored NFL teams; led cross-functional collaboration in thoughtfully targeting high potential revenue customers in within each NFL team’s market, accomplishing goal of getting people to try United and performing significantly better than previous benchmarks. Recognizing the enormity of the Chicago Bears’ 100th season, influenced budget dollars and sold in to executive leadership the cross-functional execution of the United Airlines / Bears 100 campaign; including one-of-a-kind co-branded gate signage at O’Hare Airport, an omni-channel content marketing campaign and various special events, leading to significant earned and paid media coverage for United in Chicago and nationally along with 93%+ social media sentiment throughout the NFL season, and a runner-up finish at the NFL Club Activation of the Year Awards.