Calman Consulting, LLC was founded by Michael Calman. He has been disrupting before it was fashionable, and reimagining luxury retail to transform customer engagement. An accomplished designer of exclusive B2B strategic alliances and innovative B2C customer experiences, Michael is a seasoned C-Level team builder, brand developer and marketer, turnaround specialist, entrepreneur, author, educator and industry speaker. He has extensive experience in omni-channel marketing, merchandising and revenue integration across specialty stores, e-commerce, wholesale and catalogs. He has a comprehensive background in marketing to the luxury spectrum, spanning aspirational through Ultra High Net Worth customers—from accessible luxury-priced handbags to private jets.
Michael is a co-author of Secrets of Selling to the Super Rich: Sales Superstars of Luxury. He has MBA and BA degrees from New York University. Michael conducts speaking engagements to corporations, magazine publishers, trade groups and academic institutions. He is also an avid racing sailor, including competing as a finalist in the United States Olympic Sailing Trials.
“Advertising made Calvin Klein the best known name in U.S. fashion”People
CRK Advertising — Founder & Managing Director Michael managed the full service in-house marketing and creative services agency for Calvin Klein collections (reporting to designer, Calvin Klein). Michael steered the development of ground breaking marketing programs that contributed to building the brand into a global juggernaut. He was executive producer of the highly acclaimed and disruptive Calvin Klein Jeans and Obsession fragrance television, print and outdoor advertising campaigns.
“Despite a downpour outside, the [Bergdorf] cosmetics floor is wall-to-wall with shoppers”Allure
Senior Vice President of Marketing At the world’s leading luxury goods department store, Michael was the founding publisher of Bergdorf Goodman Magazine, nationally distributed to expand the brand’s presence, and edited with a modern voice to position the store as contemporary. He architected a strategic alliance based customer loyalty program, Bergdorf Goodman Rewards, and rolled-out an extensive program of ‘retail-as-theater’ special events. He pioneered tiered spend, gift card incentive based promotions—now standard retail industry practice. Michael authored the ‘Very Bergdorf’ advertising campaign, and steered the development of BergdorfGoodman.com.
“Coach … is largely credited with creating the ‘accessible luxury’ category of retail”Upstart Business Journal
Vice President of Marketing Orchestrating the brand’s transformation, from its focus as a leather handbag manufacturer to a premier accessible luxury accessories brand marketer, Michael managed product development, creating collections of business accessories and luggage. He re-imaged and merchandised the Coach catalogs, and introduced a global advertising campaign that positioned Coach as a lifestyle brand with personality and cache.
Chief Marketing Officer Michael directed the CitationAir Vector JetCard launch, establishing the jet card as the industry’s most accessible entry to private jet travel.
Adjunct Professor At Manhattanville College, Michael served as an adjunct professor, marketing, in the Department of Economics, Finance & Management.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Money, Cosmopolitan Conferences; NYU Stern School of Business, Luxury Marketing Council, National Retail Federation, American Express Luxury Summit, Argyle Executive Forum, American Management Association, Institutional Investor’s Retailing Executive Conference, New Mexico MVD, Couture Jewelry, JA New York, National Corporate Theatre Fund, Advertising Research Foundation.
PROFILE April 2nd, 2018CalmanAdmin