SOG Knives & Tools was more than just a workplace, it was a long-term proving ground where I evolved from a solo marketing coordinator to a senior leader responsible for both brand and product strategy. During my time there, I had the privilege of guiding the brand through dramatic transformation, revitalizing its market position, and laying down scalable processes that continue to deliver.
Marketing: Building Momentum and Demand
At SOG, I led the charge in marketing strategy across multiple roles, ultimately serving as Senior Director of Marketing and sitting on the executive leadership team. My mission was simple but challenging: reconnect a legacy brand with modern consumers while expanding our reach and performance.
I developed and implemented global marketing campaigns that delivered tangible results, including a 350% multi-year revenue growth tied to digital strategy, campaign execution, and enhanced brand positioning. One of the most impactful efforts was pivoting the company toward direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels. I led a full e-commerce site overhaul focused on user experience, which led to a 60% increase in direct revenue and a 25% conversion rate boost.
We pushed media coverage to new levels, including a record-breaking launch campaign that earned over 175 million impressions across 180+ placements. I managed an internal team and multiple external vendors, coordinated a $2.5M annual budget, and optimized our ROI by aligning creative execution with evolving consumer behaviors and market conditions.
This work underscored my belief in an integrated strategy that brand, performance, and storytelling all working together to drive visibility and sales.
Brand Refresh: Reclaiming Market Position
By the mid-2010s, SOG’s brand had stagnated. Though known for quality and durability, it was losing relevance with modern consumers. I led the brand repositioning effort to bring SOG back to its premium roots while updating its voice, aesthetic, and story.
This wasn’t just a new logo or packaging, it was a full identity overhaul rooted in user research, market trends, and deep consumer insight. We integrated new technologies and materials into our product line, emphasizing quality and innovation. We also redefined our brand pillars, reframing the product as tools for confident action in high-stakes outdoor and tactical scenarios.
I also led packaging redesigns that enhanced shelf appeal and increased stock turns, contributing directly to a 30% revenue increase over three years. These efforts built the foundation for SOG’s return to premium positioning and sparked renewed interest from key retail partners and new consumer segments.
We didn’t just rebuild the brand, we re-earned trust.
Product Management: Accelerating Innovation
Transitioning into product strategy leadership, I became the driving force behind a disciplined and data-informed approach to product development. I created a five-year product roadmap framework that aligned executive vision with user needs and market opportunity. The result was a reduction in average time to market from over three years to just 18 months.
I led cradle-to-grave development for 5–10 new products annually, managing everything from consumer research and business case development to go-to-market execution. Each initiative was guided by voice-of-customer insights, competitive analysis, and retail partner input, ensuring alignment across channels and teams.
By refining our stage-gate process and implementing collaboration checkpoints, I was able to streamline development while increasing launch success rates to historic highs. We expanded into new product categories and refreshed legacy lines, initiatives that drove double-digit sales growth and repositioned SOG as an innovator, not just a manufacturer.
Through this role, I demonstrated how product strategy is both a creative and analytical pursuit. It’s not about launching more, it’s about launching smarter, with purpose and precision.
Key Takeaways
SOG was a transformation story. One where I took ownership of both vision and execution across marketing, brand, and product, and helped turn a struggling legacy brand into a high-growth, future-ready business. It’s proof of what happens when research, creative thinking, and cross-functional leadership come together in pursuit of meaningful impact.
More of my previous work iKamper USA | Wind Knots Consulting