Bruce Hutchison Related Seminars and Products

Manager, Enterprise Research

State Farm

Bruce Hutchison is both a market researcher and marketer who began his career at General Motors’ largest ad agency working on the Pontiac, Cadillac, Whirlpool, and GM Corporate brands.  Senior executive experience includes the VP of Advertising and Research at RCA, Chief Marketing Officer at Midas International, VP Marketing at uBid.com, and Director Marketing Planning at Sears Holdings.

• General Motors:  Bruce led the research that launched the Mr. Goodwrench automotive service brand for General Motors, plus led the strategy and search to sponsor the NASCAR Goodwrench racing team with legendary driver Dale Earnhardt and team owner Richard Childress.  
• RCA:  With RCA Consumer Electronics, Bruce led the advertising and research for the return of the RCA dogs, Nipper and new puppy Chipper, to national advertising, plus launched the first ever 18” satellite dish with partners DirecTV and USSB.  Introducing RCA to sports marketing, he negotiated the first manufacturer sponsorship of an NFL stadium, the RCA Dome / home of the Indianapolis Colts, and initiated sponsorship of the NASCAR RCA racing team with owner Cale Yarborough and drivers Jeremy Mayfield and John Andretti.  Bruce also negotiated the sponsorship of the ATP Tour men’s tennis event, The RCA Tennis Championships, in Indianapolis.
• Midas:  At Midas, Bruce directed the creation and launch of the new Midas brand and graphics identity for 2,100 stores replacing the original 1950’s logo and store design to what is seen today.  This initiative also was a catalyst for strategic change in the Midas business model from focusing on muffler replacement and expanding to brakes and general maintenance of vehicles.
• uBid.com:  A ‘re-start-up’ of an existing online barter business, Bruce led the process to re-design and energize the uBid.com auction site, created a new fixed-price website, RedTag.com, and conceived an overall new corporate identity for the company entitled Enable Holdings, Inc.
• Sears Holdings:  Bruce led a cross-functional team that launched the first loyalty and rewards program for K-Mart.  The research he initiated also led to the return of the K-Mart layaway program during the essential November/December holiday season.  He also designed and conducted ongoing research studies with senior executives, store managers, and customers.
• State Farm:  After working four years for State Farm as an external associate, Bruce joined the company as a full time ‘red badge’ in 2016.  Bruce’s skills in qualitative and ethnographic research have included several years of projects with the Innovation team primarily in the residential, automotive, energy services, and senior living areas.  Plus, he has conducted Agent, Team Member, Sales Leader, and consumer interviews for the Agent Time Allocation Study, National Agency Convention, Chairman’s Circle, Branded Solutions, Simple Conversation, and Agent / Brand projects in conjunction with Agency and Marketing.

On a personal note, Bruce has lived in eight states and three European countries thanks to his Navy and Ford career dad.  His academic training includes Psychology (BA, Franklin & Marshall College) and Marketing (MBA, Eastern Michigan University).  His wife, two daughters, two granddaughters, and sister keep him hopping between tennis, travel, and music interests.

Roben Allong Related Seminars and Products

CEO

Lightbeam Communications (M\WBE)

Roben Allong is founder and CEO of Lightbeam Communications, a market research and strategy boutique firm, based in New York City. Lightbeam is known for its unique cultural approach and perspectives. With over a decade of marketing research, and strategy development, as well as consumer culture and trend analysis expertise, she is an expert conductor of B2B and B2C in-person and online research methodologies.

She is an expert in brand positioning and communications, as well as, new product development, category mapping, and market exploration across a wide range of industries. Roben employs cultural intelligence to decipher and decode organization stakeholder and consumer attitudes and behavior. She is often described by her colleagues as the Oprah of the focus room. Her empathetic curiosity and cultural savvy always make for sensitive, yet energetic in-depth interviews and insightful analysis.

She is a past President of QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants Association), Co-Founder of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. Roben has also been recognized as a 2024 Insights Association Laureate—a lifetime designation of distinction in the fields of market research, consumer insights, and data analytics. Roben has also moderated panels and presented on various emerging trend topics at Universities and Research conferences in the U.S. and internationally, as well as published articles on culture, consumer trends, and inclusive research methodologies.

Some of her published work include:
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Post COVID Implications for Marketers and Market Research

Do You K.N.O.W Today’s BIPOC consumer?

Understanding Cultural Insights: The New Next Consumer Normal

The Rise of Cultural Empathy and its Implications for Marketing Research and Marketers