Building and evolving brands

Hi, I'm John, Chief Creative Officer at Herman-Scheer, a strategic and creative brand consultancy. We believe the businesses that prioritize connection over transaction are the ones that succeed. 

Since 2010, Herman-Scheer has helped change the way businesses make people feel. We have big heart and daring instincts. A sunny disposition and assertive gait. 

I consider myself a people-people kind of person, enamored by how brands connect to people and how people connect to brands. I love working with businesses that—put simply—keep people healthy and happy.

My career journey has been about embracing the idea that friction makes fire. 

I believe in mixing the intuitive and familiar with the audacious and novel, creating a healthy tension to captivate and engage. This friction, this interplay of ideas, is where I believe brands find their true voice and distinctive edge.

Alongside Chapin, (The Herman to my Scheer), we’ve built an agency with a strong POV: great health and self-care brands create narratives and identities aimed at changing behaviors—experiences so compelling that customers stick with a product or service even before they see the tangible benefits.

If you're in the wellness industry looking to evolve your brand toward lasting impact, let’s talk shop.

Feel free to reach out here or email me at john@herman-scheer.com.

John Scheer

Contract Brand Strategy, Creative Strategy, New Biz Strategy, Research, Workshops and Training at...
- Gut (Miami, New York, Los Angeles)
- Red Antler (New York)
- Crosby (New York)
- DDB (Chicago)
- VaynerMedia (New York, Los Angeles)
- Baubo Studio (Brooklyn)
- FCB (Mexico)
- Across The Pond (San Francisco)
- Dear Future (Brooklyn)
- Pact Studio (San Francisco)
- Saatchi & Saatchi (New York)

- Uncover new insights from competition, culture and consumers for strategies that help win consumers, pitches and awards
- Quickly immerse myself in existing projects to pick up immediately where others left off
- Design and execute custom qualitative and quantitative research to uncover deep and provocative human insights
- Train agency employee teams on brand-related topics

Freelance Strategy Lead/Director

Not Robots Research + Strategy

Brands: HP, Coca-Cola, Pika (AI), ABL Space Systems (rockets), Oddity (beauty tech), HomeExchange (home swapping), Nutrisense (health tech), Bonafide (OTC/supplements), Better Not Younger (haircare), Semester at Sea (education), Rent The Runway, Hydrosat (space tech), Good.Store (influencer-driven retail),ZBiotics (probiotic supplements), Stanley Brothers (cannabis), Happy Mushroom (entertainment, virtual production), Ka! Empathogenics, Tune vibrational therapy, Sam's Club, Made For Living, Cocoon Biotech, Sun Outdoors,  American Student Assistance, Orkin, Jiffy Lube, Hefty, Thinkful (tech bootcamp), Wavelength (behavioral therapy app), TechStyle Fashion Group, St. Moriz (beauty), Basbas (liqueur), Kids N Culture (nonprofit)

- Formulate brand and creative strategy with a strong point-of-view to move brands forward
- Design and execute (plan, recruit, moderate, analyze, etc.) custom qualitative and quantitative research to uncover human insights

Founder

Red Antler

Brands: NBA, Casper, Caviar, Burrow, ThredUP, Amazon's The Drop, Grove Collaborative, Alto (pharmacy), Mirror, Varo Money (fintech), ShopStyle, Good Inside (Dr. Becky), Grubbly, Drizly, Thimble (insurance), Rodo (car leasing app) and lots more!

Head of Research

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: Procter & Gamble
Brands: Tide, Olay, Safeguard, Dreft
- Led strategy for Tide “Bradshaw Stain” and “It’s A Tide Ad" Super Bowl campaigns, netting 15 Cannes Lions (including Film Grand Prix and Titanium), a Black Pencil and a Grand Effie
- Led strategy to achieve the first year of sales growth for Olay following years of decline
- Delivered thought leadership and creative insight to power global brands and businesses
- Challenged accepted beliefs that help teams think differently to solve problems
- Conceived, sold and executed global consumer and trend research to drive insights
- Partnered with digital analysts to use data to pinpoint problems or inspire solutions
- Oversaw direct reports across regions to build global brands with local market relevance
- Designed and delivered training for the New York strategic planning department

EVP, Global Strategy Director

BBDO

Clients: PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble
Brands: Mountain Dew, Gillette Venus
- Drove new creative strategies for Mountain Dew Kickstart and Diet Mountain Dew
- Retained Venus brand after agency lost Gillette, by reworking equity and campaign
- Developed agency-wide point-of-view on quantitative advertising qualification

SVP, Global Behavioral Planning Director

McCann New York

Client/Brand: MasterCard
- Led global strategy for MasterCard's Priceless campaign
- Helped position and launch MasterPass - the brand's digital wallet offering
- Wrote creative strategy for MasterCard's Stand Up 2 Cancer cause marketing program

SVP, Executive Planning Director

Clients: General Mills, MillerCoors, JCPenney, Chase, Procter & Gamble, Kraft
Brands: Miller High Life, Keystone Light JCPenney, Chase Sapphire, Pampers, Luvs, Eukanuba, CapriSun, Pillsbury
- Led strategic development of multi-region and global ideas, and research to qualify them
- Compiled and analyzed data to build strategic promotional retail calendars for JCPenney 
- Developed (and copyrighted) new idea research methodology for global Publicis network
- Led strategy that helped win pitches for Chase and Kraft
- Developed (and copyrighted) new idea research methodology for global Publicis network
- Partnered with regional agency teams to create global work with local relevance
- Planned and moderated focus groups for existing products and upstream concepts
- Wrote creative strategy for the Pampers/UNICEF cause marketing program, which has eliminated maternal neo-natal tetanus in 16 nations
- One of eight agency employees chosen to be personally mentored by global CEO

SVP, Group Strategic Planning Director

Client: General Mills
Brand: Yoplait 
- Led brand-agency workshops to help build a franchise strategy and brand equity pyramid
- Helped develop new products, writing product concepts and attending research
- Managed Save Lids to Save Lives cause marketing program within the agency

VP, Account Supervisor

Client/Brand: Kodak
- Managed development of the Kodak Picture Center Online – the first photo-sharing website with printing and delivery capabilities
- Helped clients experiment with digital “Easter eggs” in Kodak’s television advertising 
- One of two (out of 80) employees transitioned to Saatchi proper when digital division dissolved

Account Manager

MullenLowe U.S. (Lowe Interactive)

Client/Brand: Mercedes-Benz
- Helped digital account leads build brand websites, manage CRM and online direct sales
- Assisted the team that sold the first Mercedes-Benz online

Account Coordinator

People usually hire me to...
- Establish foundational strategies for emerging brands that build brand value and emotional resonance
- Find new strategic and creative paths for legacy brands that lead to revenue-, pitch- and award-winning ideas
- Uncover a deeper understanding of audiences and/or ideas  - with qualitative and/or quantitative research
- Comprehend complex categories and propositions (tech, AI) deeply enough to message the offerings simply

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John Scheer

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