This past year, I served as the co-brand manager for a new canned coffee brand being developed by the University of Richmond.
In the Fall, I was selected by faculty to lead a team of Brandcenter students to develop all positioning and branding for a new product in partnership with the University of Richmond. U of R’s annual competition invites four student teams to pitch original product concepts, with one team earning funding to move into production and launch.
From the outset, Erin Romness and I owned the relationship with the U of R client team and led the brand positioning process end-to-end. Through discovery interviews and collaborative working sessions, we helped the university team clarify their product direction, ultimately deciding on a protein-electrolyte coffee. I worked to translate that business and formulation decision into a brand opportunity, bridging the gap between the product’s functional benefits and its emotional positioning.
Nailing down the idea
Inspired by the product’s balance of performance and replenishment, we developed two distinct positioning territories: The Optimizer and The Harmonizer.
The U of R team selected The Harmonizer, which became the foundation for the brand’s visual identity and overall go-to-market narrative.
From there we developed our original name, KORRA, and built out packaging design, social content, website design, and merchandise, with Erin and me overseeing strategy, creative execution, and client approval.
We designed the final deck and narrative for the U of R team to pitch to judges at the 2025 Bench Top Innovations Competition.
We Won!
Winning the pitch marked the beginning of a much more demanding phase. During trademark clearance, we discovered a conflict with our original brand name, KORRA, which required a full naming pivot and rebrand.
Under a tight timeline, Erin and I managed the U of R team and aligned our creatives to make this change.
The result was RALI, a name and identity we developed and rolled out across all deliverables.
I established deadlines, delegated responsibilities, and tracked dependencies to keep the project moving efficiently, often stepping in for our art director and designer when needed.
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Social Posts
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Infographic Flyer
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Yard Sign
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Can Mockups
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Instagram Story Posts
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Instag
The team:
Erin Romness - Co-Brand Manager
Izzy Pinson - Art Director
Meredith Moore - Designer
Eliza Friel - Copywriter
My Role:
Brand Management
I led the brand positioning process, translating a protein-electrolyte coffee concept into a differentiated brand platform. I managed the development of brand identity, naming, design, and promotional assets for the busy college student target audience. I ensured consistency across all touchpoints, especially during rapid iteration and rebrand.
Account Management
I owned the University of Richmond client relationship end-to-end, leading discovery, facilitating working sessions, and translating feedback into clear direction for our team. I guided stakeholders through key decisions, from product definition to positioning to rebrand, while ensuring consistent alignment across the client, faculty, and creative teams.
Project Management
I managed timelines, workflows, and cross-functional coordination from concept through launch, tracking deliverables and dependencies to keep the team on schedule.
