Speaker
Often dubbed the "idea hit man" by his peers, David Brody's the guy people call when they need a challenger marketer to parachute in, kick down the doors, and inspire consumers to take immediate action
He is currently Managing Partner at North Venture Partners, a business incubator and early-stage venture capital investment group comprised of progressive-minded accredited investors, business service providers, marketing gurus, and seasoned business executives. North works with start ups and corporate spin outs kick-starting ideas, putting together innovative business strategies, securing investment capital, and launching new entertainment, lifestyle, and socially-constructive ventures. Brody and Alex Bernstein, also a Managing Partner at North, recently co-wrote the whitepaper: Mainstreaming Green: 9 Rules For Popularizing Purpose With Today's Consumer.
Brody arms North with over 15 years experience in brand strategy, product launches, retail promotions, consumer anthropology, and developing disruptive concepts in traditional and emerging mediums. Prior to putting together the ingredients for North, he was VP of Marketing for Virgin Digital, a subsidiary of UK parent company Virgin Ltd., created and owned by maverick entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. He was brought in to humanize the technology, create the strategic mojo, develop all brand communications, and orchestrate the consumer-facing launch for the digital music venture.
Before drinking the Virgin Kool-Aid, Brody wore just about every strategic leadership hat within the advertising industry; from Copywriter to Account Planner to Creative Director. He created and spearheaded the Concept Team for the Integer Group, America's 4th largest retail promotion agency with over 800 employees nationwide. The sole mission of this intrepreneurial project was to breed a higher degree of innovation and trigger breakthrough impact for new business and high-priority client initiatives; it resulted in putting more beers in hands, more butts in seats and game-changing thinking into motion for brands like Coors and Coors Light, the NFL, EarthLink, and United Airlines.
He first sharpened his experiential marketing chops as Director of Game Operations for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the Continental Basketball Association, where he was recognized league-wide as a promotional innovator. Each home game he entertained the fans with a mix of stunts that included dropping pizzas from the arena rafters and showcasing on-court diaper derbies. He even taught the team's mascot how to dunk (yes, "with authority") off the mini-tramp. Brody spends his free time pedaling bikes, tracking down the ultimate carne asada taco, and boasting about his prowess in Ping Pong.
