Profile: Stacey Rubin, Senior Vice President, Account/Strategy, Catapult Marketing

Just like the path to purchase today, Stacey Rubin’s career path has been anything but linear. She began in media before moving into agency account management, working on a variety of blue-chip CPG brands. Moving to the client side to manage a loyalty program for a major restaurant group, she eventually was lured back into the advertising world. But when the digital revolution took hold, she transitioned from CPG to the world of e-commerce, which led to many stints in integrated marketing. After catching the “new business bug” for several years and one more stint on the client side, she found her way to shopper marketing at Catapult, where she’s been since 2011. Rubin is one of three Women of Excellence honorees in the “Leadership” category.You’re not just a shopper marketing expert, but a “through-the-line” integrated marketer. How so?Rubin: I like to think of myself as someone who can solve a marketing challenge, no matter what it may be, with a through-the-line solution. As the role of the store continues to evolve, we must be branding experts as well as experts at driving action, engagement and conversion. I’ve learned how to move fluidly across disciplines, above and below the line to help shoppers move along the ever-evolving path to purchase.What are your current responsibilities?Rubin: I’ve worn multiple hats at Catapult Chicago, from serving as a senior account lead and strategy lead to a new business lead. My primary responsibility now is to lead the shopper marketing business and strategy for the Whirlpool/KitchenAid account. What kind of leader are you?Rubin: I have an innate desire and natural tendency to lead, but I also believe one can lead from all positions in the field. I don’t always have to be the conductor to bring value to a team or organization and make an impact as a leader. Leadership is a journey and all my experiences, from my successes to my setbacks, have helped shape me. One of my defining characteristics as a leader is having the courage of my convictions – standing up for what I believe in, even if it’s not the popular point of view in the room – while also having the openness to see another way in.How important is it for you to be a strong mentor to others in their development of shopper marketing skills?Rubin: Being a strong mentor is mission critical. A great team is only as strong as its weakest link. While I very much enjoy mentoring the people on my team, I also enjoy mentoring our clients in the area of shopper marketing and finding the time to get to campuses to help educate marketing students and provide a peek into the real world of shopper marketing.What excites you most about where shopper marketing is heading?Rubin: We’re truly in the midst of a retail reinvention. The store is no longer just a place to buy, but a place where shoppers go to experience the brand in ways they can’t elsewhere. If we don’t give traditional retailers a reason to remain relevant for digitally savvy shoppers, they’ll no longer need to visit physical stores. The IoT is causing significant disruption in the marketplace, redefining what a product is, redefining century-old business models, breathing new life into many brick-and-mortar retailers and continuing the dramatic evolution of the path to purchase.

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