Larry Light
CEO
Larry Light is the Chief Executive Officer of Arcature®, a marketing consulting company that has advised a wide variety of marketers in packaged goods, technology, retail, hospitality, automotive, corporate and business-to-business, as well as not-for-profit organizations.
Larry Light brings dimensions of expertise that few people can deliver. He has been a senior executive at an advertising agency, an author, a consultant, an expert witness and the CMO of two major global marketers. He brings enormous experience combined with practical perspective, creating new ideas and turning these ideas into actions.
Prior to consulting, Larry worked on the advertising agency side as executive vice-president of BBDO and CEO of the International Division at Ted Bates Advertising. After advising McDonald’s on brand strategy for several years, Larry was asked to join McDonald’s as Global CMO from 2002-2005 to help lead the three-year revitalization… one of the most recognized and lauded brand-business turnarounds. Larry was responsible for creating the McDonald’s new global marketing strategy, re-organizing the global brand management function and leading the implementation of the overall brand turnaround efforts worldwide including the launch of a new global advertising campaign (“i’m lovin’ it”). In 2004, Larry was selected by BrandWeek as one the top ten marketers of the year. In 2011, Larry was asked to become the interim Chief Brands Officer to guide the restructuring of global marketing at IHG. From 2010 to 2014, Larry operated as Chief Brands Officer of the global hotels group IHG.
learn moreAlong with Joan Kiddon, Larry Light authored a book, Six Rules for Brand Revitalization, describing Arcature’s approach to rejuvenating brands while producing measurable business results.
Larry has provided expert witness testimony and counsel in legal proceedings regarding brand equity. He has also represented the marketing industry at Federal Trade Commission hearings and before both House and Senate committee hearings on legislation affecting marketing.
He has taught at New York University, Wharton, Indiana University, and Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He has designed and conducted executive education programs for consumer, industrial and service companies worldwide.
Larry has been invited to speak at a wide variety of industry and client meetings including such organizations as the American Marketing Association, the Association of National Advertisers, the Advertising Research Foundation. Larry has been quoted in articles in Fortune, Forbes, Business Week, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Advertising Age, AdWeek among others.
Larry innovated marketing concepts such as Problem Detection, Brand Journalism, PhotoSort, Six Principles for Brand Revitalization, Plan to Win, Freedom within a Framework, Trustworthy Brand Value and so on. In summarizing the top ten ideas of the decade, Ad Age selected Larry Light’s “Brand Journalism” as “arguably the most realistic description of marketing today — perhaps ever.”
Joan Kiddon
President and COO
Joan began her career in 1976 as a market researcher at BBDO Worldwide in New York. In 1978, she moved into Account Management working with clients such as RJ Reynolds Tobacco (Camel) and Food Products, (Hawaiian Punch, and frozen foods). She was the head of marketing and market research for BBDO West, Los Angeles, from 1980 until 1986. In 1990, she joined Arcature®. Joan consulted to McDonald’s during its brand turnaround from 2002 until 2005. Joan Kiddon is the co-author of Six Rules for Brand Revitalization: Learn How Companies Like McDonald’s Can Re-Energize Their Brands.