“There was a continent, a huge ocean and another massive continent between us when Maria and I worked virtually together on a big 3D-visualization project. Still, it seems like we were sitting next to each other. Her smile and positive approach, burned through even the most sterile of conference call systems.
When she offered unmatched insight into the cruise industry, an ability to get things moving despite obstacles, willingness to listen to advice and always offer a helping hand, stunning results were created.
Maria knows marketing, she is robust in stressful moments and she offers smiles and laughter to ease tensions. It was a truly stunning partnership, and I am deeply impressed by her abilities; personal as well as professional. I offer my most sincere recommendations to other professionals who consider doing business with Maria Ellen Grimardi.”
~ Pål Rikter, Management & Communication Consultant
Maria Grimardi
megrimardi@gmail.com • (925) 786-0025
Global Brand Strategist, Marketing Director, Content Creator & Copywriter
A versatile marketer with a successful track record combining creative vision, strategic thinking, and customer data to produce high-impact marketing initiatives focused on ROI, acquisition, and loyalty. Highly accomplished owning beginning-to-end content creation from idea to production, utilizing captivating storytelling and rich media to emotionally differentiate brands.
Capabilities
Content Strategy & Copywriting
Brand Strategy & Differentiation
Brand & Product Storytelling
Creative Strategy & Direction
B2B, B2C & DTC Marketing
Copywriting & Editing
Full Funnel Copywriting
SEO Copywriting
Social Media Content
Digital & Website Content
Photoshoots & Video Productions
Engagement & Loyalty
Lead Generation & Conversion
Sponsorship & Partnership Marketing
Public Relations
Career Experience
August 2022 — March 2023
Amazon Studios, Culver City, CA
Contractor, Project Management, Risk Department
Collaborated with Risk Management across all Amazon Studios’ divisions, including third-party production companies and legal, placing coverage for each program, reviewing contracts, scripts, and overall risk management support for global projects.
Built and managed a customized database, gathering and analyzing data from multiple sources for Risk to track all domestic and international film and television programs, ensuring all risk-related deliverables were achieved.
Managed a system for tracking contracts from Production, reviewing budgets, and scripts for risk-related issues.
September 2016 – September 2020
AmaWaterways, Calabasas, CA
Director of Brand Marketing & Content Strategy
Propelled brand awareness and market share, building revenue and engagement through pioneering marketing initiatives, which captured valuable market and audience segments for both B2B and B2C channels. Developed and innovated visionary brand strategy, collaborating with leadership to define brand architecture and develop a cohesive, impactful market presence. Helmed a team of writers and graphic designers, leading the production and management of captivating creative content across all brand touchpoints.
• Owned beginning-to-end content creation from idea to execution, including content development, copywriting, and sourcing visual assets for both short- and long-form copy, including: video and TV commercial scripts,, 200-page brochures, past guest magazine, sales collateral, presentations, press releases, advertorials, editorials, speeches, direct mail, advertising and email campaigns, blogs, social media posts, infographics, and more.
• Pioneered company’s first 3D animation video, writing script and art directing creative content to capture $3.7M in profit within first two months, strategically enhancing Sales’ efforts to grow customer engagement with revolutionary new product.
• Partnered with AAA, a top-level, highly strategic national business partner, to conceive and launch a dynamic new Youth Travel initiative offering the opportunity for 8th grade students to win a European river cruise.
• Spearheaded the first ever CruiseCritic Sweepstakes, growing qualified leads by 6.5K in 2018 and an additional 1.3K in 2019 (a 20% year-on-year growth), significantly outperforming all competitors in a challenging market.
April 2005 – February 2016
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Encino, CA
Vice President, Marketing (2007 – 2016)
Director, Marketing (2005 – 2007)
Governed a 15-person team, multimillion-dollar marketing budget, and array of third-party resources to drive global brand awareness and market-leading corporate marketing and communication initiatives. Defined company vision and objectives, pioneering initiatives across all touchpoints, including branding, PR and media relations, website and digital, product and brochure launches, advertising, sponsorships, and all Sales’ support to achieve objectives of revenue growth, profits, customer acquisition, retention, and brand visibility.
Innovated targeted branding, media communications, digital, product, marketing, and sales strategies, propelling the generation of $225 MM in annual revenue while in an extremely competitive, challenged global market.
Defined global brand vision to launch the successful “Boutique River Cruise Collection” rebranding initiative worldwide, structuring the company’s first brand guidelines to ensure consistent application of new brand strategy
Comprehensively redeveloped and revitalized brand imagery and video assets in support of rebranding, governing all annual video and photoshoots, including sourcing photographers and talent, handling logistics and production, and writing storyboards and scripts.
Pioneered B2C brand innovations, including the first LGBT travel video, the first brand Virtual Reality App, and a Cooking Channel culinary show “Dining with Darling” to maintain competitiveness in a shifting environment.
Forged and nurtured a robust B2B channel, leading the development of dynamic initiatives including a quarterly travel agent interactive webinar series for new launches (RiverTalk), a bi-annual travel agent promotional incentive, and a customizable online travel agent toolkit (SmartSuite), empowering agents to create unique on-demand collateral.
Piloted global marketing operations, overseeing execution across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, South Africa, UK, and Ireland to ensure cohesiveness of sales collateral and PR messaging.
Spearheaded digital, website, and social media marketing, steering new website development as well as multiple company firsts; first social media presence, first user-generated content program, first lead generation and conversion community center, first agent-facing portal, first media center, and first NPS, among others.
Developed and implemented professional passenger pre-cruise documentation to transform client journey.
Modernized the end-to-end fulfillment center to deliver reduced costs and streamline distribution process.
February 2004 – March 2005
Princess Cruises, Santa Clarita, CA
Marketing Consultant, Project Manager & Copywriter
Managed multiple projects from concept through execution for a wide range of marketing deliverables for high-value consumer channel, including developing content, crafting messaging, and writing short- and long-form copy.
Launched two targeted, high-return direct mail programs within one month, delivering multiple customer interface points including four-color brochures, posters, floor displays, and videos/DVDs.
Collaborated with database marketing experts, building a 500K-customer direct mail campaign, from targeting strategy to design agency management to ensure the delivery of exceptional content.
Wrote travel books, brochures, and direct mail content, aligning collateral with brand voice, messaging, and target audience trends, promoting responsiveness and engagement.
April 2001 – November 2003
Visa USA, Foster City, CA
Senior Marketing Manager
Supported Account Executives through the development of corporate-aligned marketing content and strategy, promoting the communication of proprietary risk/operations products and services.
Drove training and development operations, building all collateral and material for a two-week, semi-annual “Products and Service Sales Training” for VISA Account Executives to deliver a 360-degree view of VISA.
Fused a two-day "Consultative Selling" class and a two-day "Customer Focused Selling" class with E-learning modules, delivering a cohesive, multidimensional experience with a 25% reduction in travel expenses.
Wrote dynamic, tailored content and materials for risk products utilized by VISA members, FBI, congressional representatives, congress, Homeland Security, Secret Service, and other financial regulatory agencies.
Education
Master of Arts in English
California State University, Sacramento
Bachelor of Arts in History
University of California, Los Angeles