Discover how to hire a CMO using eight critical steps, and get strategies to empower your CMO for success. Uncover the easiest way to hire the ideal CMO through Go Fractional.
Ben Harborne
VP and Head of Marketing at Hourly.io | Growth Hacking and User Acquisition for SaaS Platforms
Hello! I’m Ben. For the past 16 years, I’ve helped SaaS companies big and small to grow and connect with more users. What excites me the most is finding ways for businesses like yours to stand out in today’s fast-paced world. I specialize in creating growth strategies that attract users and keep them coming back. Through understanding customer needs and the power of storytelling, I’ve helped brands build meaningful relationships with their audiences. My journey includes crafting campaigns for re…
Experience
Hourly
Vice President, Head of Marketing | Growth and Lead Generation for B2B SaaS
May 2022 - Present
Everything you need to pay your people, your payroll taxes and your workers' comp insurance made easy as pie.
- At Hourly we’re laser-focused on making insuring and paying hourly workers as easy as can be.
Hourly
Head of Marketing
Jan 2021 - May 2022
Everything you need to pay your people, your payroll taxes and your workers' comp insurance made easy as pie.
Hourly
Sr. Manager Demand Generation and Marketing
Oct 2019 - Jan 2021
Everything you need to pay your people, your payroll taxes and your workers' comp insurance made easy as pie.
Western Digital
Brand Manager, SanDisk | Product and Brand Marketing for Hardware
Nov 2016 - Oct 2019
At Western Digital we create data storage solutions that power the technology of today and inspire the innovations of tomorrow.
- In 2016 I joined Western Digital as the SanDisk brand manager to launch new products, generate demand through performance marketing campaigns, and help the team drive sales and connect with their consumers.
- SanDisk is a well established brand but the marketing was primarily focused on tech specs and needed to create more of an emotional connection with the target audience. When brands create an emotional connection they move from a transactional experience into something more as they start to build brand love and loyalty. The journey for more emotional connection lead to the Share Your World campaign which was deployed in Paris, Berlin and Munich over the 2018 holiday season and resulted in increased brand awareness and brand favorability, and drove short-term sales and foot traffic to key retailers.
- Western Digital was also looking for ways to improve performance for its go to market campaigns. I led the brand’s first direct response campaign using multiple ad platforms from online media to search to social to spot TV to drive demand across all aspects of the funnel and the results spoke for themselves. The campaign drove high double digit growth year on year and lifted sales across multiple retailer channels both online and offline. As a result we established best practices for driving demand and measuring campaign results.
SunEdison
Sr. Marketing Manager, Brand and Corporate Communications
Oct 2014 - Jul 2016
Fenice Energy provides high-quality end-to-end clean energy solutions for homes including solar, backup, and eV charging. Fenice has a rich legacy of 20+ years in clean energy. To learn more visit https://feniceenergy.com/
- I joined SunEdison in 2014 to lead the company’s branded communications strategy.
- SunEdison transformed itself into the largest global renewable energy company and needed strong, well-crafted communications to build the brand and make solar, wind, and battery storage more accessible for the general public.
- To tackle the issue, we successfully developed communication plans in partnership with customers including HP, Bloomberg, AT&T, and government entities like cities and schools to push awareness of renewables. Customers like City of Georgetown, TX were extremely happy with the results.
- This strategy earned triple the media coverage and boosted sales leads for the company’s business units.
Unilever
Associate Brand Manager, AXE Deodorant and Masterbrand | CPG and Gaming Partnerships
Jun 2012 - Aug 2014
Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Our portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. We produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club and Dermalogica. Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you.
- In 2012 I made my way to New York City where I had been recruited to work on the world’s number one men’s fragrance brand, AXE.
- The competition between AXE and rival brand Old Spice is fierce. As part of the strategy to appeal to our target market we developed strategic co-marketing partnerships in the film, TV, and video game spaces.
- I led a partnership with FOX for X-Men Days of Future Past to sell incremental gift sets at Wal-Mart resulting in the first ever co-merchandizing at Wal-Mart of a film and personal care product.
- We partnered with Syfy channel’s television show Defiance to create a funny co-branded commercial for AXE’s new Apollo product line that was a hit with the show’s fans.
- I led partnerships with Microsoft and EA on video games Halo 4 and Battlefield 4 to co-market AXE’s seasonal gift sets in 2012 and 2013. AXE’s sales increased compared to the prior year, and brand equity significantly improved among consumers who saw the ad.
- In addition to marketing partnerships, AXE launched several campaigns throughout the year to generate massive awareness for its new product lines.
- I led the launch of AXE Peace with the brand’s second ever Superbowl commercial and most successful social media activation which invited couples to snap a selfie and #KissForPeace. Couples who shared a pic of themselves kissing got broadcast in Times Square. Engagement went through the roof, and as a result Unilever awarded my team the "Social Media Co-creation Award" which you can read about more in the Awards section below.
- As a result of the AXE Peace campaign, sales of the product were up double digits in the first quarter, media outlets like Mashable exclaimed Axe is 'winning the Superbowl' and millions of people paid attention to, and showed their love for, the brand.
Sega of America, Inc.
Associate Digital Brand Manager | Mobile and Console Gaming
Oct 2007 - Jun 2012
SEGA of America, Inc. a rapidly expanding video games publisher and developer within the western market, and is the US arm of SEGA Sammy, a world leader in the provision of interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. SEGA develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms such as Xbox, PlayStation platforms, Nintendo platforms, PC and wireless devices.
- I began my marketing career in San Francisco at SEGA, one of the most beloved videogame brands in history.
- One of my favorite projects at SEGA was re-launching the digitally remastered Jet Set Radio. To make sure the game was true to the original, I led the re-licensing negotiations for the original soundtrack with artists Rob Zombie, Mixmaster Mike, and Jurassic 5 among others. Fans loved that the original music was back in the game and the resulting buzz became #1 trending topic globally on twitter.
- I also launched SEGA's hit Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing on iOS, which became one of SEGA's most successful games on the platform.
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