Launching a New Business Unit for a Marketing Agency in Partnership with Nickelodeon

In late 2021, I helped a marketing agency launch a new business unit in just three months. Here's what we faced, what I did and what I learned along the way.

In October 2021, I joined City Conventions in the Yard, a prominent marketing agency known for its flagship event, Comic Con Portugal. 

As the company faced financial challenges and had to downsize its team, I saw an opportunity to capitalize on their strong connections in the entertainment industry. Staying on board, I embarked on the mission of formulating a strategy to increase their revenue. Drawing upon my expertise in brand activation for shopping malls, I identified the potential for a new business unit centred around interactive exhibitions tailored for the retail market.

As the lone employee to remain with a background in design, among a relatively inexperienced team, I encountered several obstacles on the path to success. 

My primary objective was to shift the team's focus from general design tasks to the creation of immersive interactive exhibitions specifically designed for shopping malls.

Fostering collaboration among team members, who were accustomed to working independently, was paramount. 

Additionally, crafting a meticulous project plan that addressed potential risks, limited budgets, and high-quality standards for that kind of business proved vital.

1. Liberating Departments from Design Dependence: To optimize efficiency and resources, I devised a plan to alleviate departments from design tasks. By identifying team members with specialized skills, I delegated design responsibilities, enabling us to dedicate our efforts to developing interactive concepts.
2. Forging a Cohesive Team: To foster collaboration and streamline our workflow, I implemented a comprehensive communication plan and adopted Asana as our project management platform. Regular team meetings and brainstorming sessions nurtured a culture of cooperation, allowing us to leverage the collective talent and creativity of our team members.
3. Crafting an Exemplary Project Plan: Through thorough market analysis, I identified potential risks and gained a competitive edge. By meticulously planning and adhering to fixed budgets and stringent quality standards, we ensured the successful execution of our projects.

By embracing Asana as our primary communication and workflow management platform, we experienced clear improvements in our productivity and collaboration. 

Real-time updates, streamlined progress tracking, and transparent communication channels allowed us to stay aligned, address challenges swiftly, and deliver results.

In just 3 months, our efforts yielded real results. Our first small brand activation, "Empower Woman," opened doors to client conversations and generated market interest. Building on this success, we implemented the SpongeBob SquarePants exhibition. After this, we brought the SpongeBob exhibition to a new venue and created a PAW Patrol summer experience. These achievements showcase the impact of our business unit.

Additionally, our focus on generating brand awareness extended to integrating Epopculture, the company's brand, into our exhibitions. Collaborating with Nickelodeon further bolstered our success as we adapted their beloved characters to our exhibition model, resulting in substantial brand awareness for all parties involved.

Launching a business unit in three months taught me that strategy only works when the team is aligned behind it. Clear planning, the right tools and real collaboration made the difference, and those lessons still shape how I work today.