Most Creative People in Business 2011

Carol Kruse *

During a dynamic 20-year career that spans secret formulas for soft drinks and cleaning products, a technology explosion in Silicon Valley, and the social media revolution, Carol Kruse has created industry-leading marketing campaigns for some of the world’s most iconic brands.

As senior vice president, consumer marketing at ESPN, Kruse spearheads all aspects of development, management and expansion of the ESPN brand. This includes the marketing of ESPN’s extensive array of television, broadband, digital, mobile, radio and print assets, including studio and live sports programming. She also drives ESPN’s social networking strategies.

In addition, Kruse oversees ESPN’s internal creative services team, events team, customer care, and fan relationship marketing, while also driving the brand development and marketing of ESPN consumer products, the Winter and Summer X Games, ESPN Films, Grantland.com, and many others.

Kruse previously spent nine years at The Coca-Cola Company, leading its global interactive marketing team as vice president. She joined Coca-Cola North America in 2001, when the company acquired RocketCash LLC, an online payments and consumer promotions start-up she co-founded. While at Coke, Kruse led her team in the development of the “My Coke Rewards” loyalty and relationship marketing program, which debuted in 2006 and currently has more than 16 million members.

Prior to co-founding RocketCash, Kruse worked in brand management at The Clorox Company in Oakland, Calif., and was vice president at Storm Technologies, a maker of consumer digital imaging products in Mountain View, Calif.

An avid athlete and sports fan, Kruse has received the AdTech Lifetime Achievement Award, MediaPost’s Online All Star Award and many other industry recognitions. She holds a B.S. from Pomona College and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California.

Recent Coverage: The 100 Most Creative People in Business 2011
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Confirmed Speakers *

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  Colin Archipley Co-owner Veterans Sustainability Agriculture Training (VSAT) Read Bio
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  Sam Calagione Founder and President Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Read Bio
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  Leila Chirayath Janah Founder Samasource Read Bio
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  Eric Dishman Intel Fellow and Director of Health Innovation Intel Architecture Group Read Bio
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  Sam Kass Assistant Chef and Senior Policy Advisory, Healthy Food Initiatives The White House Read Bio
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  Carol Kruse Senior Vice President, Marketing ESPN Read Bio
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  Sebastian Thrun Fellow Google Read Bio
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  Baratunde Thurston Director of Digital The Onion Read Bio
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  Reshma Shetty Cofounder Ginkgo BioWorks Read Bio

* Speakers subject to change.