Brenda Natoli

Brand Voice, CX, UX, Design Strategy @Former IDEO, NYT, Prophet

United StatesPartnerEmail Marketing Manager💸 MarketingCopywriter🧨 ConsultingBrand Marketing ManagerCommunications ManagerCustomer ResearcherContent Manager

Brenda Natoli has an extensive background in brand voice, customer experience (CX), user experience (UX), and design strategy. She has worked with renowned organizations such as IDEO, The New York Times, and Prophet. Her experience spans across various industries, providing strategic and creative solutions to enhance customer engagement and brand perception. Her expertise in integrating brand voice into user experience and customer experience design is instrumental in creating cohesive and compelling brand narratives. Brenda's strategic approach to design not only improves functionality but also ensures that the brand's values and personality are clearly communicated to the audience.

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Work Background

Radical PerspectiveSenior Design Director

Jun. 2023United States

Runyon DesignSenior Director, Design Strategy & Product Marketing

Mar. 2020New York City Metropolitan AreaProduct design strategy and product marketing lead for client engagements across industries including Financial Services, eCommerce, Media, and Insurance. Our work spans the product lifecycle, from Phase 0, to evolving existing UX, to expanding product portfolios, and incubating new solutions-centric ventures.

ProphetPartner, Verbal Branding

Mar. 2019 - Mar. 2020Greater New York City AreaLed NY-based team of verbal strategists supporting client digital transformation. Our work bridged strategy and execution to power industry-leading products, platforms, and organizational cultures.

The New York TimesHead of Voice

Jan. 2017 - Oct. 2018Greater New York City AreaFirst head of brand voice in company history, responsible for marketing and newsroom tone of voice and creative brand concept. Established and implemented the brand’s inaugural voice, messaging, and naming strategies; wrote and published the brand’s first New York Times brand book; co-created and marketed three Truth campaigns; helped grow subscriber base by 1M digital and print subscribers; managed team of 10 writers

Self-employedIndependent Contractor, Verbal Identity

Mar. 2016 - Jan. 2017Greater New York City AreaStrategist and innovation consultant working across industries and organizational models to build brand and product strategies; verbal identity programs; content and editorial strategies, and cultural tools.

openboxDirector of Innovation & Strategy

May. 2014 - Dec. 2016Greater New York City AreaLed the strategic development of Openbox brand, culture, capabilities, and portfolio. » Created a revenue pipeline and increased profitability by 3X in two years » Defined Company value proposition, growth strategy, capabilities, and offerings » Developed and implemented brand strategy and culture code » Defined Company content strategy; executed multi-channel communications » Established and grew relationships with cultural institutions, non-profits, start-ups, collective impact models, and media companies » Grew and managed highly talented team of best-in-class practitioners » Served as interim creative director for consulting teams

Raison Pure InternationalDirector of Creative Strategy

Jan. 2013 - Apr. 2014Greater New York City AreaContributed to brand-led innovation strategy and storytelling in industries of Food & Beverage, Beauty and Spirits. » Built Company's design thinking and verbal identity capabilities » Translated cultural semiotics and consumer insights into key concepts for brand platforms, product packaging, and customer experience models » Responsible for corporate communications for Company portfolio and credentials » Strategic lead for global expansion projects in Europe and Latin America » Co-led brand platform and design strategy for Diageo CSR initiative

InterbrandAssociate Director, Verbal Identity

Mar. 2011 - Jan. 2013Greater New York City AreaLed verbal identity and employee engagement programs for Fortune 500s and NGOs. » Audience-specific brand messaging strategies, platforms, and guides for KPMG, Microsoft, ScotiaBank, et al. for entry into new categories and markets » Brand strategy for Sage, a leading SaaS provider » Led brand stewardship, thought leadership, and CSR platform for SolidWorks » Naming programs for Johnson Controls, United Airlines, Covidien, and Sabra » Augmented Company capabilities with implementation of new ideation methods » Developed employee engagement framework for emerging offering

IDEOInnovation Consultant

Sep. 2008 - Mar. 2011Greater New York City AreaServed as project lead and core contributor for human-centered design teams » Defined and championed “narrative prototyping” capability at IDEO NY » Led program for in-store customer experience model and curriculum for EILEEN FISHER » Led brand architecture, strategy, and naming for new GLG membership network » Led research and development for Citibank strategic vision for global urban services » Educational programming for American Museum of Natural History » Strategy and content for Environmental Defense Fund's Green Returns Toolkit » Led content and creative direction for multichannel direct seller retention program for Avon

IDEOBrand Editor

Jul. 2005 - Sep. 2008Palo Alto, CAExecuted strategic communications for the firm's multichannel global marketing initiatives » Defined and articulated early instances of the “design thinking” methodology » Co-curated guest exhibition "IDEO Selects" at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum (2007) » Managed and implemented content generation and curation aspects of IDEO.com redesign (2008) » Developed strategy and content for IDEO/TED Big Questions web app » Provided oversight of design, writing, and production of business development tools » Served as editorial oversight for three years of award-winning design competition entries

Design Within ReachBrand Voice

Apr. 2001 - Jun. 2005San Francisco Bay AreaExecuted brand voice and messaging for multichannel sales and marketing communications » Partnered with Founder to develop brand voice and messaging to promote national adoption of the midcentury modernist ideology and aesthetic » Co-generated theme and layout of monthly catalog editorials » Wrote biblical amounts of product and editorial copy for 50+ print catalogs » Researched and wrote product copy for 1,500 distinct SKUs » Wrote weekly headlines and body copy for Web, Studio, and direct mail » Interviewed design impresarios » Created press releases for media communications and investor relations