About

BRUCE C ARNOLD
Branding • Marketing • Design • Imaging • Social

503.856.4251
brucearnold@comcast.net
9356 SW Maplewood Dr, Suite J105
Tigard, OR 97223

Introduction
I am a branding, marketing and communications professional (Bruce Arnold Communications dba True North Marketing) with extensive experience in high-value, high-return business development, project management, media writing and strategic planning. I have engaged and secured major projects with Fortune 1000 companies, market-leading regional companies, innovative start-ups and non-profit organizations like your own.

Selected Clients
As a consultant, and as a brand manager, marketing director, account executive and writer/producer for other firms, I’ve worked with companies like Tektronix, GE Financial, Owens Corning, Calpine Corp, Rodgers Instrument Corp, Energy Trust of Oregon, Teledyne Technologies, Bonaventure Senior Living, Rogue Wave Software, Greenbrier/Gunderson, Creative Media Development, Paz Design Group and others.

Brands and Market Performance
A brand is your promise. It’s expressed through cohesive application of visual identity and message in all mediums. A strong brand inspires confidence and minimizes the need for reactive sales tactics, which obviate your company from “the race to the bottom.”

While a brand reflects a company’s substance, there are times when it must reflect the evolution of a company’s culture and capabilities. I understand the subtleties of branding, great design, the crafting of message, the application of media strategies and how the proper mix drives market performance.

Capabilities
The scope of my projects has allowed me to develop a strong network of vendors who greatly increase my capacity to provide creative and technical resources tailored to the needs of my clients. These vendors have become an extended part of my team.

My creative and production capabilities include (but are not limited to):
• Business Development • Project Management • Identity Creation + Branding
• Strategic Planning • Website Design + SEO + SEM • Content Marketing
• Graphic Design • Market Research • Copy Writing • Technical Writing
• Video Production • Photography • eMail Campaigns • Exhibit Design
• Collateral Production • Sales Support

Approach
As a consultant, I can function as a marketing department for hire, as an adjunct to your in-house marketing team or as a project-specific, swift-response creative force to leverage opportunity or manage reputation.

I’m sensitive to each client’s unique culture, organizational structure and protocols. I also appreciate that your team represents a brain trust — from the boardroom to the lunchroom. Working with your management team, we’ll identify goals, key collaborative contacts, your “alpha” customer, scope of work, schedules and budgets.

Market Research
I will conduct market research to gain perspective on market dynamics and buyer tendencies. We dig deep into our client’s company, culture and processes to understand their products, services and capabilities. We then perform in-depth industry, prospect and customer research to lay the foundation for winning strategies. We analyze the competition, industry trends and market conditions to determine barriers, opportunities

and competitive advantages. We may use focus groups, web-based surveys or direct customer/prospect interviews to fact find and test our ideas. In every case, we’ll employ the most appropriate tools and resources available to discover key truths about your company, your products and your customers. Using proven marketing principles, I apply this knowledge in innovative ways to create point-perfect creative that hits the demographic mark.

I partner with my clients: I take an active interest in your company, your people, your customers and your markets. I’m proactive in communication, ideation and opportunity assessment. I welcome the opportunity to learn more about you, your company and your goals.

Moving Forward
If you’re a creative agency looking for a high-value business development professional, a writer or a project manager, I welcome that conversation. If you’re a leading regional company with operations in the greater Portland, Oregon area, I’m confident that, given the opportunity, I can add value to your marketing, communications and sales efforts. I hope you’ll contact me if I don’t reach out to you first.

Case Study #1:
Energy Trust of Oregon
Brand Creation & Marketing for a Visionary Public-Purpose

I created the brand identity for the Energy Trust of Oregon at their inception (with my partner at the time), and produced all of their marketing materials for the first three years of their operation. We won a 12-agency competition to get the contract based on our capabilities, my background in the energy and sustainability industries (EPA/Energy Star, Calpine Corp’s Geothermal Visitors Center, Earth Advantage, S. Cal Edison, Oregon Department of Energy, etc.) and on our ability to engage and satisfy the demands of a diverse board and stakeholder group (including the Public Utility Commission, Sustainable Oregon, PGE, NW Natural, etc.). Work products included focus group research and analysis, logo creation, graphics standards manual, website framework and content, program brochures, state-wide display advertising, case studies, tradeshow exhibits, environmental graphics and other communication content as needed. As the lead agency writer and content manager, I worked closely with Communications Director, Janet Schaeffer, program managers, and trade allies to aggregate data, draft and craft content, manage media buys, generate editorial content and more.

Case Study #2:
Calpine Corporation
$1,000,000 interpretive Exhibit Project: Design, Writing, Project Management

Upon learning that the US Department of Energy (DOE) had allocated $50 million to educate consumers and energy sector influencers on the potential of geothermal power generation, I contacted the DOE and learned a portion of the monies had gone to the Geothermal Education Office in Tiburon, CA. I engaged the leadership at the GEO, and ultimately created a travelling exhibit in alignment with their educational goals. This work led to a referral to Calpine Corporation who had just purchased 17 geothermal power generation facilities at the Geysers in Northern CA. After numerous site visits, ideation and concept development, we were chosen to create the exhibits for the then planned Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center. This was a unique situation in that we worked with the client, the architect and the developer on site selection, facility and exhibit hall design concurrent with exhibit design (we designed and built the exhibits as the building was under construction). The exhibits were produced to exacting dimensional tolerances using 3D architectural modeling software so they could “plug and play” within days of completion of the exhibit hall. In addition to selling the project, I worked closely with the client team to create exhibit content framework, research and writing of exhibit text, audio and video content, promotional materials (website, rack brochures, display advertising) and other content as directed by the client team. 3D design documents available on request.

Case Study #3:
Bonaventure Senior Living
Renaming, Branding, Website, Print, Display Advertising & New Facilities Campaigns

After a redesign of the Mountain West Investment Corporation (MWIC) logo and the production of an ambitious capabilities brochure, I was asked by MWIC founder Larry Tokarski to rebrand another of his investments, Mountain West Retirement Corporation. After months of research, competitive analysis and concept development, I led the company through a name change and rebranding program. The company now does business as Bonaventure Senior Living. I managed (and was the principal writer and creative director) for the new website, collateral, direct mail, display advertising, and new facility opening campaigns. I also implemented new media buying protocols, managed online directory listings and content, developed editorial networks, authored and implemented email campaigns and oversaw print management for all facilities. Audiences included residents in 37 Bonaventure communities in six western states; adult children of residents throughout our operational “sphere of influence”; 1,100

employees; investors; local and regional media contacts, senior publications; regulators and influencers; prospective employees and others During my tenure, new facilities campaigns (3) increased pre-opening occupancy by 13% (from 24% to 37%).

Case Study #4
Advanced Telcom (GE Capital)
Rebranding, Marketing, Advertising, Content Marketing, Project Management

When Advanced Telcom Group (ATG) of Santa Rosa, CA purchased Oregon Telecom of Salem, OR. I researched ATG and discovered that they had developed a high-speed fiber optic network optimized by scalable, digital switching technology. Oregon Telecom was just one of several regional business telecom companies ATG had purchased in Oregon, Nevada, California and Washington states. It was also clear that ATG had no apparent, unifying brand strategy as these companies were acquired. I contacted the founder and President, Dan Swanson, shared my observations and suggestions and he asked me to visit him in Santa Rosa. Mr. Swanson explained to me that he was negotiating the sale of ATG to GE Vendor Financial Services (GE) and that GE had the same concerns regarding a unifying brand. I suggested to Mr. Swanson that he might package my branding and marketing services as part of the sale, thus offering GE (with whom I also met on several occasions prior to closing) a “turn-key” branding, marketing and advertising solution. Using a brand development process refined over many years, I re-branded ATG as Advanced TelCom. We developed a new website, display ad campaign, brochure, sales and technical support scripts, content marketing strategies, graphic standards manual and other elements in a very tight time frame. The new brand was campaigned aggressively for 10 months at which time GE sold to Eschelon. GE purchased ATG for $13 million and sold to Eschelon for $45 million. Eschelon subsequently sold to Integra for $710 million.

Case Study #5
Salem Conference Center & Convention Center Hotel
Brand Creation, Website, Display Advertising, Collateral, Content Marketing

My work in rebranding Travel Salem (EarthWISE Certified) and the Oregon Lottery’s, “It Does Good Things” campaign (supporting Oregon state parks, education, job creation and watershed enhancement projects) positioned me well to compete for and land the Salem Convention Center branding, marketing and advertising contract. The contract was awarded to me 14 months prior to the opening of the center, a critical timeframe as

extensive research, messaging, content and creative development, media production/media buying, campaigning, etc. was necessary to generate awareness, a perception of value and resultant bookings prior to opening. I performed extensive research on the purchasing requirements for corporate investor relations managers, non-profits, industry associations and other potential market segments to understand their needs, scheduling requirements and budgets. Several key components that came out of my research included interest in technology (high speed internet/data, WiFi, large scale monitors, etc.) and in energy efficiency/sustainability. As a result, our messaging for the Convention Center prominently included mention of both LEED and EarthWISE Certifications. Work products included identity creation, meeting planner kit, collateral, display advertising, invitations, email campaigns, and website (including remarketing and retargeting). Ongoing activities included blog posts, press releases and editorial campaigns. The City of Salem anticipated a yearly shortfall of $100,000 per year (cost of doing business), however, the center was in the black from the first year of operation and continues to be profitable. Collateral available upon request. View the website at: salemconventioncenter.org

For a free needs analysis and opportunity assessment, please contact me today:

Bruce Arnold
c: 503.856.4251
e: brucearnold@comcast.net