Michelle Spelman

Marketing Consultant | Writer | Strategist

United States of America

Marketing Brain. My sweet spot is creative, deliberate marketing strategy and content creation that brings value to women and family-oriented audiences. But don't put me in a box! I've worked with a diverse range of clients - large corporate and small startups, industrial, CPG, service, B2B, Fortune 500, public and private/family owned.

I've written on a wide range of topics including toys and games, food, parenting, work from home issues, small business, startups and entrepreneurship. Formats range from deep-dive technical research to briefs to feature profiles, professional bios, industry trends, lighthearted human interest stories, how-to's, gift guides, tips and tricks and more.

I have over 25 years of marketing experience in a diverse range of industries. This allows me to provide well-rounded perspective to my clients. I am uniquely positioned to help them think all the way through challenges and develop strategies that produce measurable results.

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Portfolio

Client Portfolio

Haywire Group
Jukem Sports

Co-Founder, Patent Holder, Venture-backed game company. Facilitated licensing agreement with Haywire Group. Coordinate grassroots marketing, social media and new prod dev.

Brand Development Strategy | Pre-Launch Marketing | Social Media
Hotel Covington

Boutique hotel just minutes from Downtown Cincinnati, Hotel Covington opens Summer 2016 in Covington, KY.

Created Brand Identity | Website | Naming | Logo | Social Media
The Whitfield - Clifton Gaslight District

Modern Luxury in a Classic Neighborhood: The Whitfield gives residents all the convenience and quirky diversity of urban living in Clifton, the international crossroads of the city. Just steps away from a bakery, wine shop, grocery, gas station, ice cream parlor, a historic theater, live music venues, unique galleries, coffee shops, specialty gift shopping and an eclectic mix of ethnic restaurant cuisine.

Marketing Strategy | Social Media | PR | Events | Prod Dev
BANDI Wear LLC

Provide startup guidance and coordination of marketing activities for BANDI. Stylish pocketed belts and headbands are a sleek, modern alternative to the traditional fanny pack. Carry small essentials securely with BANDI! Made in USA. Perfect for running, walking and exercise, gym workouts, travel, shopping, moms on the go, medical devices, insulin pumps and emergency medical supplies such as epipen, inhaler, glucose tablets.

Qualitative Research Assistant / Back Room Manager / Customer Service
Blue Research Corporation

Working primarily with Fortune 500 Brands: Support the gathering of actionable insights through focus groups, interviews, consumer behavior, observation, identifying trends and patterns, eye-tracking technology in the retail aisle, collecting product feedback. These are the moments we strive for at Blue Research. Whether through research with consumers or in development sessions with clients, we are relentless in searching for those insights, that knowledge that truly affects business.

Content Creation | Trade Show Manager | Inventor Relations
CHICAGO TOY & GAME GROUP

Promoting the power of play in the public space and industry support for innovation and development of new products.

Competitive analysis and strategic planning support for: packaging, manufacturing, pricing
Toydozer

Conducted competitive research to guide deliberate, strategic decisions. Insights gathered helped direct a deliberate and directionally correct retail packaging design strategy, source domestic manufacturing resources, discern competitive pricing targets. The Toydozer is a toy clean up set that helps make the job fast, easy and fun for everyone. Modeled after parts of a bulldozer, the scoop and gatherer work together to swoop up lots of toys at once, cleaning a messy play area in seconds!

Content Creation | Event Marketing Services
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Welcome to the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, the nation' s fifth largest Chamber, representing the interests of nearly 5,000 member businesses

Writing Portfolio

THE BUSINESS OF PLAY Toy & Game Innovation
06/30/2017
Design Edge Rocks 30 Years of Toy Innovation

“On my way to the office this morning, I was stuck in a traffic jam behind truckloads of fake palm trees that were headed for a film set,” says Matt Nuccio.

THE BUSINESS OF PLAY Toy & Game Innovation
In Memoriam: Arthur Melin and Richard Knerr - Co-Founders of WHAM-O

In the toy business, we aspire to create fun for people. Art ("Spud") Melin and Richard ("Rich") Knerr had a knack for fun, and an open door for outside inventor ideas. The childhood friends formed WHAM-O in 1948, as college students, when they began making and selling slingshots in a garage.

Global Toy News
Barbie, Bratz and the Dilemma Over Bald Fashion Dolls

It’s been a bumpy path for Mattel navigating this issue in the social media space these last couple of months. They were slow to respond to the public’s appeal, and when they did, they found their answer harshly criticized in the media as being inadequate.

THE BUSINESS OF PLAY Toy & Game Innovation
Theora Design Recognized with TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Award

What do popsicles, motorized bicycles, and Anne Frank have to do with one another? They are all part of the path that led Ora and Theo Coster to the stage at the 2012 TAGIE Awards. Theirs is an inspiring story that spans continents, decades....and the terror of wars.

THE BUSINESS OF PLAY Toy & Game Innovation
Product Launch Checklist: 10 Tips for a Kickass Sales Sheet

Years after publication, this article consistently produces some of the highest search volume traffic on the publisher's site. It continues to draw new visitors from all over the world. A great example of the power of long tail SEO, it shows what can happen when you strategically leverage keywords, and create original, long form content that delivers tangible value to readers. Congratulations! You've got your product delivered safely from the factory and you've sold some to friends and...