Meet Dave

Marketing Strategist.
Creative Director.
Copywriter
Art Director.
Designer.
Photographer.
Illustrator.

Response-Generator

dkroha@krohadirect.com

860-306-2630

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A Bit About Me

a few bits more...

Strategic. Innovative. Adaptive. Effective. “Type Triple A…”

Some try to suppress it. I embrace it. Since launching my first marketing agency in 1884, I have proven time and again the value of infusing team-inspiring enthusiasm into every stage of the creative process. Positive high energy really can be contagious.

I’ve learned to think focused — and fast. And I translate that thinking into innovative, clearly presented creative solutions that crush writers block, inspire great design, and are in lockstep precision with defined communication objectives. Goals I often help define.

My career start as a successful direct marketing designer has given me a unique ability to integrate the “power of direct response” in any and all media. The creative solutions that I develop and oversee achieve top-level performance not by accident, but rather by design through  strategic message structure.

Experience

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1984 – Present

Principal /
Creative Director

Kroha Direct, Inc.
13 Priorwood Gardens, Cromwell, CT

DBAs:
iiCREATiVE, Rocky Hill, CT
Arrowhead Direct, Rocky Hill, CT
Kroha Associates, Middletown, CT

Direct all business and creative services associated with running a boutique marketing and branding
agency. Responsible for prospecting, strategy research and planning, creative content development, and integrated message deployment in all media. Originally founded as a “brick and mortar” direct marketing firm, Kroha Direct has continually evolved, positioned today as a virtual marketing consultancy that delivers targeted solutions along with cost-saving advantages.

Key Accounts Served

Walt Disney Company – Helped create and launch Disney Books by Mail publishing division

  • Branding: developed product identities/positioning, content directives, and offer strategies
  • Packaging: developed continuity programs/products using licensed Disney characters
  • Marketing: developed and managed national campaigns – direct marketing, print

Cox Communications – Marketed cable and broadband services throughout New England

  • Direct Marketing: created/deployed service subscription campaigns – print, mail, broadcast
  • Fulfillment: developed/distributed welcome and service upgrade kits to subscribers

Cigna – Multi-year retainer for marketing Cigna Healthcare for Seniors Medicare-Risk product

  • Marketing: created print, mail, and fulfillment campaigns that beat incumbent marketing
    efforts to become benchmark-setting package “controls”

Bobbex Inc – Brand and product redesign, resulting in 30% sales increase first year

  • Branding: redesigned logo, tagline, and packaging across 6 product lines in U.S. and Canada
  • Marketing: developed e-commerce website, promotional video content, sales collateral

Catalyst Health & Fitness – Branding and marketing to support franchise expansion

  • Marketing: Created website, social content, print, promoting growth to 2nd location

1994-1995

Marketing Lead/
Managing Partner

Caring Grandparents of America
Washington, DC

Co-launched, developed, and marketed Caring Grandparents of America — an affinity marketing program targeting new parents and grandparents.

Sold one year after launch to Dial America Inc. for 20-times initial investment.

1984 – 1987

Managing Partner /
Art Director

Katz & Kroha, Inc.
College Street, Middletown CT

Developed B2B and B2C direct marketing solutions for distribution through a wide range of print, broadcast, and mail channels. Served as a “Book Packager,” developing continuity program prototypes used in focus-group research and dry-test marketing campaigns.

Key Accounts Served

IDG Communications; Personal Computing; The American Red Cross – Middletown Chapter; Prentice Hall; Business & Legal Reports; GMH Marketing; United Cable Television; Xerox Educational Publications; The Garlinghouse Company.

1980 – 1984

Art Director /
Designer

Xerox Education Publications
Middletown CT

Designed direct marketing materials promoting published products, book clubs, subscriptions, and continuity programs targeted to consumer, educational, and preschool markets.

Education

1980

Boston University

Boston, MA

BFA: Concentration: Graphics, Marketing, and Advertising Design

  • Awarded full athletic /academic scholarship
  • Included 2 years active in Boston University Ad Lab – a student/faculty-run advertising agency serving the Greater Boston non-profit sector

Clients

Clients I have had the good fortune to service include

“ ! ”

“The campaigns designed for me reflected fresh new ideas. Always produced on time and accurately, Kroha campaigns delivered outstanding response — and new customers!”

Mike Breen, Product Manager, Video Services
Cox Communicatons, New England

“Dave provided turnkey services, from marketing strategy through creative and lettershop, all on schedule and within budget. A true pleasure to work with… efforts generated great results!”

Mary Setney, Marketing Administrator
Cablevision of Cleveland, Cleveland Ohio

Dave’s keen take on branding—and his abilities in website development and SEO — helped us launch and grow our practice in a very competitive business arena.

Dr. Andrew Reidy
Coastal Hair Transplant

“An over-crowded marketplace required direct marketing that was different, dynamic, and most importantly, that worked. Kroha came through with creative that was refreshingly engaging and effective.”

Laurie Hilliard, Promotional Director
Readers Digest Young Families, Pleasnantville, NY

As Mayor, I worked with Dave on the Town of Stratford’s re-branding campaign...Dave is high energy and fun to work with. The creative output from him was fantastic.

Atty Jim Miron
Stratford, CT

“Dave combined out-of-the-box thinking with sound direct marketing strategies that surpassed our control package— and our expectations. The results completely changed or marketing approach for membership solicitation and donations, helping us to achieve double digit annual growth.”

Kenny Mendez, Chief Operating and Financial Officer
Trout Unlimited, Arlington VA

“We used Dave for innovative new ideas. Every job was delivered with enthusiasm, professional service, dynamic creative thinking, and a true understanding of direct marketing fundamentals.”

Glenn Peters, Senior Vice President, Creative
Grolier Books, Danbury

“I highly recommend Kroha …the campaigns Dave created for us were done in less time, at less cost, and produced excellent results.”

Marketing Director
Cigna Healthcare, Hartford, CT

Dave is one of the most driven, creative people I have ever met. His energy continues to astound me...would recommend to anyone looking to bolster sales, bring a product to market or just better communicate with customers.

Eric Lane
Sales Manager, Sysco

STRENGTHS

Agency Services Management

Identify, contact, and convert prospects into clients through clear, goal-focused presentations—developed through hands-on management of strategy, creative and technology teams.

Marketing / Branding Strategist

Formulate guiding strategies based on market analysis, data science, sales goals, and budget. Translate strategies into SEO targets, offer tactics, clearly written creative briefs that steer creative direction, prioritize response objectives, and coordinate media tactics.

Creative Director

Guide creation of content in all media to ensure proper and consistent integration of message strategy and style, while also ensuring all elements conform to branding requirements.

Copywriter / Editor

Write and edit media-appropriate content for digital and print that attracts, engages, and motivates value-delivering response.

Art Director / Designer

Direct (and develop) digital, print, video, photography, and illustration to ensure visual elements reinforce message goals and are consistently on brand.

Website / Digital Content Developer

Plan and develop solutions based on UX goals and SEO strategies for websites and digital/social channels.

Product / Prototype Developer

Create and/or identify products and opportunities to expand market share within established and vertical business sectors.

Photographer / Digital Retoucher

Photograph and digitally retouch images for reproduction in digital and print.

Skills

Adobe Creative Suite: Id | Ps | Ai | Ru | Xd

WordPress | DIVI Builder

Joomla! CMS

Advanced SEO

Video Scripting, Storyboarding, Directing

Digital Photography | Retouching

Printing | Lettershop Management

Learning

HTML/CSS

Advanced WordPress

Adobe Premier

Ukulele

Case Studies

.01 | Bobbex Animal Repellents

.02 | Disney Books By Mail

.03 | Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry

.04 | Catalyst Training Gyms

.05 | CED Machining

Portfolios

Branding

Web/Digital

Print

Direct Mail

Photo/Art