Therese K. Wilbur
University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business
3660 Trousdale Parkway, 306P
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0443
310-600-5941
Academic Experience:
January 2006-Present
University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business
Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing
Undergraduate Course Experience includes:
New Product Development & Branding
Practicum in New Product Development & Branding
Integrated Marketing Communication: Advertising & Promotion Design
Practicum in Advertising & Promotion Design
Professional Selling
Marketing Honors, Senior Project
Curriculum Development:
Practicum in New Product Development and Branding
Publications:
American Society for Engineering Education, Contributor to 2009 Paper, A Fully
Interdisciplinary Approach to Capstone Design Courses
MBA PRIME Course, Co-Faculty for Shanghai/Taipei destination, Spring 2012
 Selected to co-direct a team of 45 USC MBA students in 6 project teams that complete
different business projects for companies in Shanghai and Taipei.
 Accompany teams to Shanghai and Taipei in May where teams make final presentations
and conduct additional corporate visits.
 Shanghai Corporate Sponsors: Green Tree Hotel, Bank of Shanghai, Kerry Properties,
Lotus Supermarkets
 Taipei Corporate Sponsors: HTC, Transcend, Giant Bicycle
Siam Cement Trading Company, Bangkok, Thailand
Marketing Consultant Internship, Summer 1991
USC IBEAR MBA Program
 Researched and analyzed impact of NAFTA on Thai exports as well as identifying
best opportunities for future export products.
 Presented research findings and strategic recommendations to senior management.
Teaching Honors & Awards

Golden Apple Teaching Award, Marketing Electives, Marshall School of Business, 2009.
Elected by senior students as their favorite Marketing Department Professor for 20082009.

Evan B. Thompson Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award, Marshall School of
Business, 2009, Awarded from the Dean’s office for the interdisciplinary curriculum
development and launch of the Practicum in New Product Development and Branding

Chevrolet Campus Promotion Program, First Place Winner Nationally for Overall
Campaign & Achievement of Client’s Objectives, Spring 2011

American Advertising Federation, National Student Advertising Competition, District 15
Winner for 2008, AOL Instant Messaging Campaign

Subaru of North American Collegiate Achievement Award, 2nd place Winner Nationally
for 2007 Integrated Marketing Campaign
University Service
Global Branding Center, Assistant Director
Committee for Interdisciplinary Curriculum, Faculty Member
Committee for Clinical Faculty, Faculty Member
American Advertising Federation, Faculty Advisor
National Society for Collegiate Scholars, Faculty Advisor
Global Branding Center Presentation for Procter & Gamble, Clay Street Project Team,
Spring 2011
Initiated and co-developed a confidential, strategic presentation for Procter & Gamble’s
Innovation Lab: Clay Street Project Team. Presentation outlined proprietary research and
possible marketing strategies related to a directive coming from the CEO.
Forever Barbie Symposium, Global Branding Center, November 2009
Initiated, developed, funded and executed a 2 day symposium to celebrate the 50th Anniversary
of the brand. Attended by over 100 undergraduate and graduate Marshall students in addition to
Marshall faculty, the Dean, and Mattel executives. I also proposed and established the
Excellence in Global Branding award. The first ever award was presented to the Barbie brand
from the Center as part of the Symposium events.
Corporate Experience:
Summary
Global Brand Management Experience on a category leader—largest, most
successful Girls’ Brand in the World, Barbie, with $2 billion in retail sales.
Mattel, Inc.
1992 – 2005
Senior Director, International Marketing, Girls/Barbie
May 1999 to October 2005
May 1999—Int’l Marketing Director of Girls for Asia/Australia/Japan
May 2000---Int’l Marketing Director of Barbie Dolls/Customized/Collector, total international
July 2002—Int’l Marketing Director, Barbie (added Barbie Accessory, Fashions, Plush and
Activity categories, total international)
June 2004—Int’l Director Barbie/Girls (added responsibility for 12 more brands across Small,
Large and Fashion Doll categories, along with Electronics)
Responsibilities:
Global Marketing and Brand Management
Meet international needs across all Girls toy brands, valued at $2 billion for 2005 retail sales.
 Requires understanding the consumer, customer, and competitive environment in 9
major developed markets as well as 5 key emerging markets to create strategies and
actions across a brand and product portfolio. Hands-on experience with an average
travel of 33 days/year to Europe, Latin America, Asia.
 Create and direct key input for new toy line every Spring and Fall by gathering and
communicating international consumer needs across products, pricing, age
segmentation, competition, and market development.
 Deliver marketing tools and programs to drive worldwide consumer growth.
 Collaborate and approve international marketing plans across markets.
 Identify and escalate any legal infringements of Barbie trademark and intellectual
property among int’l competitors to Mattel Legal.
 Lead and develop an international marketing team of 8 persons, including 2 Brand
Champions (one in Europe and one in Latin America).
Marketing Analysis and Strategy
 Consulted and communicated strategic feedback to all Fashion Doll Leadership Plans.
Insured implementation of all support needed.
 Supported Worlds of Barbie implementation internationally across 3 key age
segments from 2003 to present.
 Analyze and share on-going POS trends, market share status, and competitive
developments.
 Co-authored an initiative to compete with strongest European competitor developing
princess fashion dolls and accessories.
Senior Director, International Marketing, Girls/Barbie continued
New Product Development and Branding
 Introduced a new toy line of 1000+ toys per year across Girls/Barbie during 2 internal
previews and 5 Toys Fairs throughout the year (Headquarters Pre-Toy Fair and Toy
Fair, Hong Kong Toy Fair, Nuremberg Toy Fair, and New York Toy Fair).
 Extended the Barbie Brand by creating and executing the international
marketing/entertainment releases for 5 Barbie Princes Titles and 1 Fairytopia title
with our Entertainment Partners, Universal and Entertainment Rights
 Directed the creation of international only toys, when needed, as well as
communicating input and approvals with the Design teams.
 Responded to international requests for customer or market specific products.
 Developed and launched the My Scene sub-brand as “voice of international” for
pricing, number of segments, price/value, advertising strategy, in-market research in
Europe and Barbie brand umbrella.
 Communicating with subsidiaries, brand champions, and brand groups on an ongoing basis to support business planning cycle of: Line Reviews, Toy Fairs, Business
Reviews, Financial Forecasts, Key International Initiatives, US POS trends, and all
product and/or marketing changes.
Advertising and Promotion
 Identifying and meeting all international specific advertising needs across 50 centrally
produced commercials/year.
 Managing a non-media budget of $3-4MM for Barbie and $1-2MM for Girls, Inc.
 Sharing creative briefs with international markets to insure they meet local brand,
legal and cultural guidelines.
 Highlighting storyboards issues for agency and brand teams to resolve prior to
commercial shoots.
Marketing Research
 Prioritizing, directing, and supporting execution of all International Consumer
Research Studies.
 Understanding and reacting to various types of research reports, such as: product
viabilities, brand tracking, consumer studies, advertising effectiveness, media tests,
hot button tests, commercial diagnostics, competitive studies, youth trends, and
consumer trends.
Internet Marketing
 Directing Barbie international website plans for 9 sites:
 Reinforced need for subsidiaries to integrate marketing plans with websites
 Shared best practices for driving traffic
 Initially added all international website url’s to all international packaging and
advertising materials.
Senior Director, International Marketing, Girls/Barbie continued
Accomplishments:
Global Marketing Management
 First Mattel brand to achieve over 50% of sales volume from International!
 Lead International sales mix from 38% to 57%.
 Developed category leadership in 11 of 14 key markets.
 Created and implemented international packaging guidelines for Barbie, which has
become the template for all Girls brands.
 Provided key testimony in Simba-Germany intellectual property case, Feb. 2005. The
court awarded settlement to Mattel. In addition, provided key testimony for a new,
pending intellectual property case in Mexico, June 2005.
Marketing Analysis and Strategy
 Supported total Barbie TOY revenue growth of $137MM, a CAGR of 5.2%, from
1999 to present.
 Competitive category share for princess fashions dolls declined in 3 out of 5 Euro
markets while minimizing category share growth in other markets to less than 5%.
New Product Development and Branding
 Created the most successful international entertainment franchise for girls, Barbie,
next to Disney Princess, worth $500MM year-to-date in retail revenue, sold in over
70 int’l markets in 30 languages. Directed TV placement strategy and approved TV
deals in 60+ markets/year.
 Achieved mega-brand status with My Scene, growing to annual retail sales of $180
million.
Advertising and Promotion
 Roughly 95% of airdates are met globally and within annual budget.
Marketing Research
 Summarized and recommend marketing strategies/implications based upon on-going
research studies and communicate globally to all regions/markets.
Internet Marketing
 Total 2004 YE traffic of 427MM visits, with 2.2MM unique visits across Barbie and
My Scene sites.
Marketing Director, Barbie Collector
1994-1999
1994-1995
1995-1996
1996-1998
1998-1999
Associate Product Manager
Product Manager
Senior Product Manager
Marketing Director
Responsibilities:
New Product Development and Branding
 Direct responsibility for managing the P&L: setting and meeting all financial goals.
 Lead the Design and Development teams to create collector dolls that appeal to all
types of collectors: new, casual and avid adult collectors, in addition to crossgenerational girls/moms. Distinguish dolls by channel, price point and type of
collector edition.
 Gained experience in variety of distribution channels: mass market, toy specialists,
department stores and direct (print ads, database direct mail, catalogs—
ours/syndicated, infomercials), and home shopping networks.
 Presented and persuaded potential licensors to co-brand with Barbie by developing
comprehensive plans including positioning, consumer target, pricing, packaging,
channel of distribution, volume potential and integrated marketing plans. As part of
licensor relationship, define approval process and meet team’s deadlines for
approvals. Actual Licensors included: Movie Characters (Gone With The Wind,
Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music), Celebrity family members and their
management (Priscilla Presley, Tina Sinatra, Sean Ferrer (Audrey Hepburn’s son),
Luci Arnaz (Lucille Ball’s daughter) and Fashion Designers/Houses (Burberry, Vera
Wang, Bob Mackie, Byron Lars, Swarovski Crystals, Faberge, Wedgwood) and Pop
Culture tie-ins (Coca-Cola, Star Trek, Grand Ole Opry).
Advertising and Promotions
 Developed print advertising and campaigns targeting moms of girls or adult collectors
along with media plans and all approvals.
 Directed creative execution for direct mail pieces, catalogs, and magazine ads.
 Developed 2-30 minute infomercials: Barbie in My Fair Lady, Bob Mackie Jewel
Essence Collection.
 Created innovative PR programs to attract new Barbie collectors.
Marketing Research
 Attending focus groups on product concepts and the collecting hobby.
 Participated in an annual Barbie doll collector convention in 1995.
 Conducted in-market, split cell tests for Direct ads and interpreted results.
 Leveraged consumer insights from Direct Marketing database to developing product
and marketing programs that would attract new collectors and grow overall business.
Marketing Director, Barbie Collector continued
Accomplishments:
New Product Development and Branding
 Acquired the business acumen and management skills to advance from Associate
Product Manager level to Marketing Director level. Managed and promoted 2 direct
reports.
 Launched the Celebrity Collector doll business in 1996 with the first I Love Lucy
doll. The series is in its tenth year.
Advertising and Promotion
 Partnered with PR agencies to create innovative, break-through programs, such as:
 Breakfast at Tiffany’s Event at Tiffany’s, Beverly Hills to launch Audrey Hepburn
doll collection
 Launched 30th Anniversary Barbie and Ken Star Trek gift set at the Star Trek
convention, Huntsville, Alabama with Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura)
 Singing debut of Country Rose Barbie at the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville,
Tennessee
Associate Product Manager, Barbie Dolls and Fashions
1993-1994
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Developed strong creative judgment and aesthetic sense in evaluating product,
packaging, advertising and communicating point of view.
Lead product development teams for 12 segments per year.
Lead client on 6 commercial shoots.
Assistant Product Manager, Barbie Dolls and Fashions
1992-1993
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Developed a basic understanding of Barbie consumers and customers.
Learned how to work with internal design, development and packaging to lead
product from concept to production.
Observed and supported the advertising process.
Presented product to sales and customers
Professional Service:
Member of Mattel’s International Leadership Team, July 2004 to October 2005
Completed Mattel’s Global Leadership Program at Thunderbird University, November 2002
Honors and Awards:
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Honored with 2004 International Passport Award for Newest, Most Impactful Girls’
International Marketing Initiative, April 2005
Special Achievement Award, March 2003
Received Girls’ President’s Award for Globalizing the Barbie Brand, September 2001
Best Infomercial, 1997, Direct TV Magazine, Bob Mackie Jewel Essence Barbie Doll
Collection
Best Infomercial, 1996, Direct TV Magazine, My Fair Lady, Barbie Doll Collection
PRUCO Securities, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Subsidiary of Prudential Life Insurance Company of America
Senior Sales and Service Analyst, Mutual Funds Division
1987-1990
 Responded to product and service questions from sales agents selling mutual funds.
 Developed and managed quality review programs to maintain service excellence.
 Supervised and trained staff of ten analysts.
 Awarded Quality Service Leader recognition and Creativity bonuses.
 Registered with NASD, Series 6.
Andersen, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Human Resources Assistant
1986-1987
 Assisted with the orientation, transfer, and termination process for an office of 500+
employees.
 Co-administered annual promotion and salary reviews.
 Managed office wide employee database, including all reports and inquiries.
Education:
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
Master of Business Administration, Marketing Concentration, May 1992
Dean’s Fellowship recipient 1990-1991, Dean’s list
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota
Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, December 1985
Honors: Delta Epsilon Sigma National Honor Society, Dean’s List
Dual Citizenship:
United States of America, Panama