Robin Hafitz is the president of Open Mind, a KB+P division, and as one reader pointed out, a bit of a bad ass. She is one of the first Americans to be lauded for her work in strategic planning. Robin is a veteran of Madison Avenue having begun her career at DeJoseph Advertising, before moving on to Lord Geller Federico Einstein, Lord Einstein O’Neill and Chiat/Day/Mojo. Later, she formed Mad Dogs & Englishmen with Nick Cohen, which closed in early 2005. Somewhere in here, she also ran a shop called Big Picture Strategy that we can’t seem to find much data on. Finally, Robin started up Open Mind Strategy.
After two years, Open Mind was brought into KB+P, though it continues to hold its own identity. Hafitz, 45, leads a team of twenty brand strategists, researchers, and managers, who provide insight services ranging from research to consulting, for existing kbp clients as well as Open Mind-specific accounts.
“I have done things that use planning elements but are not advertising related,” said Hafitz. “I’ve got really good research chops. Whether you’re looking at advertising, direct mail or strategic elements, clients are looking for you to back it up” with quantifiable results.
MDC Partners’ Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners recently hired Neilan Tyree as director of new business including that of Open Mind. Tyree, replaced Steve McCall, who is now partner, director of client business development.
Anywho, Hafitz holds a degree from Yale and a resume that reads like an undergraduates wet dream: mentor for AWNY, co-chair of the 4A’s Account Planning Committee, Executive in Residence at the Advertising and Journalism School of the University of Oregon, and was named America’s “Iron Planner” at the 2003 U.S. Account Planning Conference. She has taught creative briefing at the Miami Ad School and Quantitative Literacy for Planners for the 4A’s. She serves on the National Advertising Review Board and is a member of NY’s EO Network (Entrepreneurs Organization). Whew.
We’re still looking for examples and case studies of Open Mind’s work. If you’ve got something, let us know. We’re even more curious now.