A rebrand is a large undertaking for any company or organization, but how can marketers accomplish a successful rollout with various stakeholders involved?

In this session, you’ll hear how Howard Bank, Baltimore’s largest headquartered bank, went through their award-winning rebrand as they underwent an inside out approach. As they take you through the ins and outs of the process, you’ll gain insights from their marketing team and creative agency, Gigawatt Group, to understand how they went back to the basics to uncover their “why” and reignite the Howard Bank brand story. Key takeaways from this discussion include:

• How to engage your entire organization, clients and community in your rebrand process
• Developing a compelling story in an industry that is made up of a sea of sameness
• Launching & selling your new brand internally
• How to leverage your community to Keep It Local – Howard Bank’s Small Business Contest

Virtual Event Details | Presentation and Q&A
Thursday, October 29, 2020 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Prior to the event, you will receive an email with the Zoom meeting link and ID needed to join.

Meet the Speakers

Erica Starr
Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing, Howard Bank
As Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing for Howard Bank, Erica Starr is responsible for leading the development and execution of strategic integrated marketing plans across all divisions of Baltimore’s largest headquartered bank.

Erica began her career at 1st Mariner Bank where she held a variety of roles within the bank’s marketing division, from marketing coordinator to director of digital marketing over a span of eight years until it was acquired by Howard Bank in 2018. She also spent several years as the Membership and Marketing Manager for the Greater Baltimore Technology Council (GBTC), where she led membership recruitment efforts, managed programs and daily digital marketing and communication initiatives. A digital marketer at heart, Erica has been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to develop a well-rounded skill set that has led her to the role she has today with Howard Bank.

Erica holds a bachelor’s degree graduating with Latin Honors from Towson University and an MBA from the University of Baltimore. Born and raised in Baltimore, Erica now lives in Pasadena with her two kids, husband and drama-dog.

Jim McNulty
Creative Director, Gigawatt Group
Jim is a multiple award-winning creative director, writer-producer, editor and storyteller. He spent more than a decade leading national creative campaigns for cable networks like TLC and HGTV, launching hit shows like Cake Boss, Breaking Amish and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, before launching his own creative boutique in 2014. Jim believes that a brand is more than just a tagline— it should encompass everything your firm stands for and what value you bring to the consumer. For Jim, any successful campaign begins with a complete understanding of your target audiences in order to craft impactful, engaging creative for each. Jim assumed the leadership role at Gigawatt in January 2020, and since he and his team have been helping companies energize their brands through hyper-targeted digital media campaigns, including paid and organic social media, podcasts, desktop publishing, custom websites and e-commerce solutions.

Owen Lang
Director/Editor, Cerebral Lounge
Owen has spent the last decade investigating the ins and outs of the visual narrative for some of the largest businesses, ad agencies and television networks in the world. From movies to television commercials to strategic campaigns, his award-winning work spans the realm of multi-platform storytelling. Whether it is a Cannes Lion finalist created with a renowned director or a slow-burning feature with an independent filmmaker, his vast catalogue of experience ranges from conception to completion. Working closely with clients to find their story and execute their vision, he collaborates in every aspect of the creative process. Understanding that each project contains some sort of improvisation, he embraces the notion of being present, using the moment, adding new information, and—most importantly—saying “yes, and…”