Pete
Scanlon
Helping brands break from business as usual
Pete's Path
Hi I'm Pete, an independent strategy director based in Oakland, CA. Below is my professional story in ~150 words.
I started my career in creative agencies. After years on the outside looking in, I moved in-house to Google to work on their brand experience team. Most recently I was a Strategy Director at 21CB, a boutique consultancy founded by Jonathan Mildenhall and Neil Barrie, where I helped founders, CEOs and marketing leaders define their foundational brand strategy.
Over my 13 years in the industry, I’ve had the pleasure of working with household names like YouTube, Starbucks and Amazon, as well as bold and burgeoning ones like SOURCE, Spindrift, and Creative Ladder, each challenging their respective industry for the better.
These experiences have allowed me to make work that hits that rare sweet spot: commercially impactful and personally fulfilling. With my one-man studio, Instead, I get to do even more of that by working alongside companies that I love.
If any of this sounds like your cup of tea, let’s grab coffee.
The Goods
Coming soon!
Spindrift Case Study coming soon!
Spindrift Case Study coming soon!
Spindrift Case Study coming soon!
Spindrift Case Study coming soon!
Cross-Category Experience
B2B TECH
CONSUMER TECH
CPG
ENTERTAINMENT
FASHION
HARDWARE
NON-PROFIT
RETAIL
TELECOM
TRAVEL
VENTURE CAPITAL
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Ways to Work with Pete
WHO
Agencies, Brands, Consultancies, Publishers
HOW
Tailored Projects, Retainer, Day Rate
WHAT
Brand & Creative Strategy
Brand Strategy - N. - the process of defining what a brand stands for, its core values, and its place in the market.
I build these foundational elements alongside cross-functional leaders of an organization through a series of collaborative workshops.
Example Deliverables
Creative Strategy - N. - the process of defining how a brand should show up in the world via campaigns, actions and initiatives.
I create a focused space for creatives to ignite their imaginations through an audience-first approach and a clear definition of the challenge.
Example Deliverables
Research & Insights Capabilities
Three Lenses. One Perspective.
Regardless of lifecycle stage, brands often face a certain inertia when striving for change. But overcoming this cycle of predictability requires a fresh vantage point. My work across varied environments has equipped me with a few:
- An enterprise’s understanding of scale and complexity
- A scale-up’s appetite for using the entire company as a creative canvas
- An agency’s energy for smashing the corporate filter
Three lenses. One perspective.
All in service of helping brands break from business as usual.
*Neil Barrie’s poetic brilliance. Not mine
Kind Words
“Pete has an uncanny ability to translate complex business challenges into big, innovative solutions that deliver true brand value.”
Natasha Aarons
VP of Marketing, Paramount
“Pete has a uniquely creative approach to strategy, both in terms of where he finds inspiration and how he develops and visualizes strategy to reveal surprising insights.”
Colin Chow
Global Managing Partner, 21CB
"What strikes me most about Pete is his ability to synthesize vast amounts of information into a focused point of view. He’s also a great collaborator with creatives, helping shape ideas that are both intelligent and impactful."
Tom Manion
Group Creative Director, Google
“Pete’s blend of inspiration, rigor, and empathy not only helped us overcome challenges but also positioned us for success in our next chapter of growth. We’re deeply grateful for Pete's invaluable contributions to our organization's transformation.”
Dionna Dorsey
CEO, The Creative Ladder
On the internet
Over email
pete@instead.studioOver coffee
Virtual
*I'm committed to seeing more marketers from marginalized communities succeed. If that's you and you’re seeking advice, mentoring, or just want to brainstorm, don’t hesitate to reach out.*