Growing up in Wisconsin in the 1980s and 90s, Aaron Rocklewitz was inspired by the creative advertisements seen on television and innovative products purchased at the supermarket. He has since channeled that inspiration into a 20+ year marketing and brand management career in the consumer-packaged goods industry.
Currently based in Chicago, Rocklewitz is a consultant for a haircare company and has worked for industry leaders such as Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, Sara Lee, Kimberly-Clark, a division of McKee Foods/Little Debbie Snacks (Prairie City Bakery), and other household name brands, leading the marketing of their products to consumers.
Rocklewitz attended the University of South Carolina Aiken on a tennis scholarship, earning his Bachelor of Science in marketing in 1999. Marketing was a growing field, and he wanted to engage with the brands he already knew and loved.
“My whole career has been in marketing,” he says. “When I got to college, brand marketing was trending. During my teenage years, I saw TV ads for big brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, and Air Jordans. I liked those products and engaged with them, and that’s what inspired me.”
Early in his career, Rocklewitz worked in market research before transitioning into brand management and consumer marketing. He was hired by Kimberly-Clark and helped the company grow its Kleenex brand and launch U by Kotex, a new brand of feminine care products targeted to millennials. He grew the company’s market share and helped the brand win industry awards.
However, in order to progress, many of the large companies he dreamed of working for required a master’s degree. In 2011, he earned his MBA from Emory University, acquiring the advanced skills he needed to help employers solve complex business problems.
He says, “I learned a lot from my marketing professors at USC Aiken, especially Bill Shelburn. Those were critical courses needed to launch a marketing career. That was a great starting point to get my foot in the door in the industry, then once I got my MBA, I was fortunate to work at Coke, where I led national marketing campaigns for Fanta Orange Soda and Coke Zero.”
Since then, Rocklewitz has built an impressive resume with positions at companies in the food, beverage, and beauty products space. More recently, he has consulted for various domestic and international companies, leading strategic projects. His work entails analyzing a company’s competitive landscape and developing marketing plans for new and existing brands, including creative advertising and social media campaigns, digital presence, shopper marketing, product development, testing, and packaging design.
“I help bring these brands to life each year and drive sales and profits with consumers,” Rocklewitz says.
For students interested in pursuing a marketing degree, Rocklewitz advises they consider whether their interest lies in marketing communications, digital media, or brand management. In brand management, he explains, employers are looking for a variety of business management skills.
“It’s a bit of science, communications, general business and financial acumen, and creativity,” Rocklewitz says. “You need to be well-rounded from a business standpoint and knowledgeable about supply chain and manufacturing. Employers want you to help them grow the business, and you have to be able to make the right decisions.”
Conversely, marketing communications roles lend themselves to a more creative side in public relations, copywriting, graphic design, or advertising fields, and digital is more analytical with search engine optimization, media strategy, and e-commerce. With any of these paths, Rocklewitz says USCA is a great choice for a bachelor’s degree in business.
“Figure out which route is for you,” he says. “USCA is a great college experience where you’ll have excellent professors and all the right classes. Take that, make it work for you, and build upon it.”
For more information, contact Leigh Thomas - thomas29229@yahoo.com