Fractional CMO · Brand Strategist · Growth Partner

Francine
Feder

I help growth companies and iconic brands build marketing that actually sells — through brand strategy, athlete storytelling, and omni-channel execution rooted in 20+ years at the highest level of sports and retail.

Fractional CMO VP Marketing Sports & Athlete Marketing Brand Strategy Omni-Channel PE-Backed Growth
$2B→$6B
Foot Locker revenue growth during "Approved" era
18B
Campaign impressions generated for a single brand
200%+
Digital sales growth from full-funnel campaigns
$10M
Agency fees saved by scaling in-house creative
Accolades
Cannes Silver Lion
Effie Award — Campaign Effectiveness
Sports Clio Award
Multiple Ad Age Viral Video of the Week
Brand Strategy Athlete Partnerships Omni-Channel Marketing Creative Leadership Sports Marketing Go-To-Market Digital & Social P&L Management Team Building PE-Backed Growth Retail & E-Commerce Culture & Lifestyle

Twenty years of enterprise impact.
Growth company agility.

I spent two decades inside one of sport's most culturally loaded retail brands — Foot Locker — rising from Director of Advertising to VP of Consumer Connections, owning a $50M P&L and sitting at both the North American and Global Marketing leadership tables.

I didn't just manage campaigns. I repositioned a brand, rebuilt its creative infrastructure, modernized its media mix, and helped it grow from a $2B to a $6B business during the award-winning "Approved" campaign era.

Since 2023, I've taken that enterprise foundation into the growth company arena — working in fractional and advisory roles across sports youth programming, athlete partnerships, and specialty retail. The results have been immediate and measurable at every engagement.

I bring the strategic altitude of a Fortune 500 CMO with the hands-on agility of a growth operator. Sports, culture, and commerce are my native territory.

2003 – 2023
VP Consumer Connections (Marketing)
Foot Locker Inc. — New York, NY
2023 – Present
VP Athlete Storytelling & Board Member
Athlete-Driven Worldwide
2023 – Present
Fractional CMO
RCX Sports, OK4WD, Lids
2023 – Present
Executive Advisor
Diseo (Social Commerce Platform)

How I engage

Available for fractional, advisory, and project-based engagements across brand, marketing, and growth.
01

Fractional CMO

Embedded senior marketing leadership without the full-time cost. I own the marketing function — strategy, team, budget, and results — as a part of your leadership team.

  • Marketing strategy & brand positioning
  • Team structure & hiring
  • P&L ownership & budget management
  • Agency selection & oversight
  • Board-level reporting
02

Brand & Go-To-Market Strategy

From brand identity and repositioning to full omni-channel campaign execution. I build the marketing engine that connects creative storytelling to commercial performance.

  • Brand identity & visual repositioning
  • Campaign development & activation
  • Digital, social & paid media strategy
  • In-store & experiential
  • Launch & seasonal planning
03

Sports & Athlete Marketing

Deep expertise activating league partnerships, athlete endorsements, and sports sponsorships into campaigns that earn cultural relevance and drive sell-through.

  • Athlete partnership strategy & activation
  • League & sponsorship integration
  • Sports content & storytelling
  • Youth sports marketing (NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL)
  • Event & experiential production
04

Creative Leadership

I build and lead in-house creative teams, manage agencies, and set the creative vision that makes brands stand out. Cannes-winning work isn't an accident — it's a process.

  • In-house studio build-out
  • Creative agency RFP & management
  • Content strategy & production oversight
  • Brand identity & design direction
  • PR & communications strategy
05

Omni-Channel & Digital Growth

Bridges brand storytelling and commercial performance across every channel — digital, social, SEM, affiliate, in-store, and experiential — with measurable outcomes.

  • Full-funnel campaign architecture
  • E-commerce & web growth strategy
  • Loyalty & CRM program development
  • Social media & influencer strategy
  • SEO/AEO & digital optimization
06

Advisory & Consulting

Strategic advisor to PE-backed companies, startups, and boards navigating brand transformation, new market entry, or marketing team restructuring.

  • PE-backed portfolio company support
  • Marketing due diligence & audits
  • C-suite & board advisory
  • Team reorganization & talent strategy
  • Short-term project engagements

Selected case studies

Detailed case studies coming soon. Results below represent verified outcomes from recent engagements.
OK4WD · Fractional CMO

Full Brand Repositioning for a Premier Off-Road Retailer

Led complete brand repositioning for this specialty automotive retailer — restructured the marketing team, rebuilt B2C and B2B digital presence, relaunched social and influencer strategy, and introduced a new loyalty program. Results were immediate and measurable.

200%+
Loyalty membership growth · +25% web sales in 6 months · $400K incremental social revenue
Hisense · Athlete-Driven Worldwide

"Upgrade Season" — Athlete-Led TV Campaign

Built and executed athlete-integrated media and communications strategy for Hisense TVs, leveraging sports talent to drive purchase intent and sell-through across retail partners during key selling season.

87%
TV sales outperformance vs prior year
Zenni Eyewear · Athlete-Driven Worldwide

Athlete Product Collections: Kittle & Jrue Holiday

Developed product collection strategy and athlete-integrated content for George Kittle and Jrue Holiday signature eyewear lines. Drove full sellout through storytelling-first creative and targeted retail activation.

Sold Out
Both athlete collections — Kittle & Jrue Holiday
RCX Sports · Consultant

Repositioning the Premier Youth Sports Operator

Spearheaded company reorganization spanning strategy development, team structure, go-to-market planning, paid media, and agency selection for the operator behind NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, and NHL junior programs.

210%
League participation increase post-campaign revamp
Case Study Coming
Foot Locker Inc. · VP Consumer Connections

The "Approved" Campaign: $2B to $6B

Full case study on the Cannes Silver Lion–winning campaign that helped Foot Locker triple its revenue — covering brand strategy, athlete partnerships, agency selection, and omni-channel execution.

18B
Impressions · Cannes Silver Lion · Effie Award
Case Study Coming
Nike KD17 · Hibbett Sports

KD17 Launch: Doubling the Sell-Through Plan

Athlete-integrated launch strategy for the Nike KD17 at Hibbett Sports retail — leveraging Kevin Durant's story and creative content to dramatically outperform sales expectations at retail.

Sell-through vs plan at Hibbett Sports

Leadership pillars

Education
BA in English & American Studies
Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
Accolades
Cannes Silver Lion
Effie Award (Effectiveness)
Sports Clio
Ad Age Viral Video of Week/Month
Memberships
  • Association of National Advertisers
  • Advertising Women of New York
  • Women in Sports and Events
  • Women in the Footwear Industry
Available For
Fractional CMO (part-time or project)
VP Marketing (advisory or embedded)
Board Advisory
Strategic Consulting
Brand at Scale

Global Brand Architect

Defined brand identity for one of the world's most iconic sports retailers across 7 North American banners and multiple global markets. Led full brand repositioning — from creative platform to visual identity to agency-of-record selection.

Athlete Storytelling

Athlete-Led Commerce Driver

Athlete-integrated campaigns that sell out product collections, double sell-through plans, and outperform prior-year sales. VP Athlete Storytelling at Athlete-Driven Worldwide, serving Nike, Zenni, Hisense, and more.

Omni-Channel Growth

Full-Funnel Revenue Leader

Led omni-channel campaigns spanning digital, social, SEM, affiliate, in-store, and experiential. 200%+ digital sales growth at Foot Locker. 25% web sales growth and 200%+ loyalty membership growth at OK4WD within 6 months.

Org Building

High-Performance Team Builder

Scaled Foot Locker's in-house creative studio from 20 to 42 people, saving $10M in agency fees. Managed $50M P&L and led 58 people across creative, digital, PR, social, events, and media.

Ready to build something remarkable?

Whether you need a fractional CMO, strategic marketing advisor, or project-based expertise in sports and brand, I'd love to hear about your challenge.

Phone
646.246.6771
Location
New York, NY
Engagement Models

Fractional CMO

Part-time embedded CMO — typically 2–3 days per week. Owns marketing function, team, and results. Ideal for growth-stage and PE-backed companies.

Project-Based

Defined scope, timeline, and deliverables — brand repositioning, campaign launch, go-to-market strategy, or team restructuring.

Advisory / Board

Strategic advisor or board member providing marketing expertise, leadership guidance, and industry relationships on a retainer basis.

Consulting Sprint

Intensive short-term engagements — marketing audits, agency reviews, digital strategy, or campaign planning for a specific moment or launch.