Christian Budtz CPR: 020975-1267, J.A. Schwartz Gade 13, 2100 Kbh. Ø. Mobile: +45 41 93 98 80 christianbudtz@hotmail.com
I have nearly 10 years of experience within strategic communication, branding and marketing - working with brands such as the LEGO Company, Danske Bank and Kraft Foods. I have done brand strategy, creative concept development and campaign execution on both the agency side and the corporate side - discovering many of the “do’s and don’ts” looking from both perspectives. I’m a team player with a passion for thinking strategic directions for creative solutions - always looking for the good story as a key to ignite emotion between brands and customers.
Blog An everyday journey exploring how great stories have the power to connect brands with people www.storybrands.blogspot.com
Book Co-author of the book “Storytelling - Branding in Practice”. Published globally in 2004 and endorsed by Tom Peters, Philip Kotler and Seth Godin. www.amazon.com
Job Experience
The Danske Bank Group The 2nd largest retail bank in Scandinavia. Market leader in Denmark with a 30% market share + among the top 3 media spenders in the nation.
Chief Consultant & Strategic Planner (2007-present) Responsibilities: Developing brand positions for the Danske Bank Group’s retail brands. Customer insights and strategic planning on integrated campaigns. My primary focus is Denmark, Norway the Baltics and Northern Ireland. Senior Consultant & Brand Manager (2006-2007) Responsibilities: Account responsible for Danica Pension: Yearly marketing planning and budgeting, agency briefings. Campaign responsible on national ATL activities. Some key projects: Pan-Nordic strategy and communication concept for launching Private Banking across the entire Danske Bank Group. Strategic planning on the “Danske 24/7” campaign – the largest product launch in the history of Danske Bank.
Creative responsible for launch of new brand platform for Fokus Bank in Norway. Defining brand position for Northern Bank in Northern Ireland. Strategic planning on Danske Bank’s pension campaigns. Responsible for comm. strategy and national integrated campaigns for Danica Pension.
SIGMA communication agency A Copenhagen-based agency specializing in developing brands through media-neutral solutions.
Senior Communication Advisor & Concept Developer (2000 - 2005) Responsibilities: Creative concept development, comm. strategy and copy writing. Account and project management and campaign execution. Defining business focus for SIGMA with CEO, Klaus Fog.
Concept story for LEGOFactory.com Crisis management for global product recall of LEGO Team Alpha. Development of global brand magazine. PR launch proposal for Bionicle
Miracle Whip: Developing “The Sandwich Movement” - a campaign activating trade, consumers and media. Gevalia: National PR for the launch of its Rainforest Alliance coffee.
Developing core brand story for STARK the leading Nordic retail chain for construction materials. Marketing strategy with Top Management, and execution of integrated campaign for both internal and external launch.
Some key projects:
Concept for brand toolbox for international sales force to tell one clear ECCO story to retail partners.
Global storytelling concept for LEGO’s Top Management, communicating corporate values to 8,000 employees.
Winning pitch for an internal brand revitalisation initiative lead by the Danish Top Management.
Education and Activities
Education 2000: MA in Communication and Corporate Studies, University of Roskilde. 1996: London Guildhall University, UK. Communication and Journalism. 1995: Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon. Freshman year. 1994: Graduate from Øregaard Gymnasium.
Other Live on National Radio (2005) Special guest appearance on a P3 evening program to talk about branding through storytelling. Lectures (2003-05) Branding lectures in London, Amsterdam, Munich and Budapest for managers from Oracle EMEA.
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Two storytelling conferences at the Institute of Technology. My performance was rated 4.5 on a scale from 1-5. Chairman, Danish Marketing Forum, Student Board (1998-99) Managing board meetings and presenting the yearly program to the CEO of DMF. I created 5 seminars and a manual for the future board work. Freelance journalist (1997-99) Feature articles for Chili and music reviews for Frikvarter - the two most read youth magazines in DK. PR for GetFast (1999) GetFast was a conference on the New Economy held by Monday Morning, in partnership with FastCompany.
Published Articles International business articles: “Storytelling: Escaping the price spiral” (2006) was published in Advertising Age, Today’s Manager (Singapore) and BrandRepublic (UK)
Danish articles: Børsen: ”Mystery Marketing – reklame til Sherlock Holmes” (2001), “Gode historier giver økonomisk power” (1999). Markedsføring: ”Krisekommunikation når krisen kradser” (1998). Ledelse i Dag: ”Farvel til Corporate Religion” (2002). Berlingske Tidende, Rejseliv: “På cykeltur ad dødsruten” (2004)
About Me I used to be the best in my class at drawing, but failed to stick with it . Today, I enjoy the works of those who did: Architects, street artists and graphic designers. I did stick with my Gibson, although the Jimi-riffs are getting embarrassingly rusty. I buy lots of mags, thinking I will get a chance to read them later. My favourites: Monocle , WIRED and KBH. I’m grateful to Tintin for taking me around the world as a kid. As an adult I explored South America for 4 months. I love Copenhagen, but dream about California . I’m a fan of Magic Johnson. Football with my friends makes me loose my temper. Powder-skiing gives me the chills. Being with my wife Julie and our kids, Luna and Storm, reminds me what it’s all about.