Author

Hi.     I’m Craig Merrigan.

I am a career marketer with a broad background, including consumer packaged goods and technology, B2B and consumer.  The marketing consultancy I co-founded, Inventive Branding, is dedicated to building clients’ brand value in original ways, and delivering associated business results.  I’ve also co-founded a solar energy company (2009), applying design and marketing to this exciting new industry; but we’re not quite ready to unveil.

I have a penchant for original ideas, others’ (see Space Elevator) or my own.  In the new day of marketing and branding, when funds are down and required ROI is up, originality is lifeblood.

Before Inventive Branding, I contributed four years to Lenovo,* as VP of Global Consumer Marketing, and VP of Branding, Marketing Strategy and Design.   I had the privilege of leading Lenovo’s entry into consumer markets around the world and guiding Lenovo successfully through a unique brand transition as it combined with the IBM Personal Computer Division, beginning in 2005.  This was accomplished in part through great design.  Examples:  the ThinkPad X300 which beat the Apple Macbook Air and was on the cover of BusinessWeek, and IdeaPad U110, winner of three Best of CES awards.

Before joining Lenovo in 2005, I was a marketing executive at IBM, serving in a variety of positions over eight years, including the Personal Computing business, a new venture called Home Director, and On Demand Business.

Prior to joining IBM, I was in Brand Management (product marketing) with the Quaker Oats Company, and worked on several food brands, from Cap’n Crunch to Continental Coffee. I studied Finance and Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, and received an MBA from the U. of Rochester.  I try to help DurhamCares serve the people of Durham, and advise two companies in the renewable energy space.

My wife and I, and our four daughters, live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.   I try to keep these priorities in order:  God, family, creative work.

*Lenovo is the #4 PC maker, a $17B combination of China’s #1 brand, and the IBM PC division, acquired in 2005.

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