Former CMO at Sears, Combs will oversee Guitar Center’s new retail marketing initiatives with an emphasis on innovation and an omni-channel approach.
ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:
Combs will draw on his expertise in eCommerce, digital marketing, mobile experiences, customer loyalty and demographic targeting
Combs will work closely with GC’s communications, corporate affairs and brand management personnel
Los Angeles, CA (September 4, 2014): Guitar Center CEO Mike Pratt has announced the appointment of Eddie Combs to the position of Guitar Center Senior Vice President, Marketing. Combs’ appointment is the result of an extensive, nationwide search by Guitar Center management that led to an elite pool of candidates, with Combs’ skill set and personal history as a musician resonating with the selection team. Combs’ extensive expertise in eCommerce, digital marketing, mobile experiences, customer loyalty and demographic targeting will allow him to drive Guitar Center’s innovative branding efforts and marketing initiatives. In his role, Combs will work closely with Christopher Ian Bennett, VP, Communications and Corporate Affairs; Dustin Hinz, VP, Brand Experience and Entertainment Marketing; and Jeff Hiller, VP, Brand Manager, to strengthen GC’s retail marketing strategy to help elevate sales and store traffic.
Eddie earned his BA at Judson University in 1999 and his MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 2003. After an extensive career at Motorola in various marketing roles, Eddie joined Sears in 2007, where he held several marketing leadership roles in the Home Improvement, Fitness, and Consumer Electronics Divisions. Most recently, Eddie was the Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Sears Holding Corporations’ Home Appliance Business. During his time at Sears, he received several honors and accolades, including a 2013 Addy Award for “Best Creative Use of Multimedia Content” for the “Just Anywhere” campaign.
“I’m really excited about coming to Guitar Center. I previously worked at Sears, as the Chief Marketing Officer for their Home Appliance Business Unit, and I can tell you, my favorite appliance in the house wasn’t my refrigerator; it was my six-string. So being part of a retailer [Guitar Center] that can deliver some of the best products and ‘the greatest feeling on earth’ is something I’m really looking forward to. For me, my whole marketing career started because of music. I was out and I was playing for ten years, and I started to learn all the aspects of marketing as a musicians. Out of there sprung my corporate career in marketing. I get to come back full circle and bring it all back to Guitar Center.”
– Eddie Combs – Senior Vice President, Marketing
You can follow Eddie on Twitter @TheEddieCombs and on Facebook at The Eddie Combs for the latest Guitar Center marketing news and insight.
ABOUT GUITAR CENTER
Guitar Center is the world’s largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, recording, live sound, DJ, and lighting equipment, with more than 260 stores across the U.S. 2014 marks the milestone 50th anniversary of the Guitar Center Brand as we continue to help people make music from coast to coast. In addition, the Music & Arts division operates more than 120 stores specializing in band & orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors, and students since 1952. With an unrivaled in-store experience and passionate commitment to making gear easy-to-buy, Guitar Center is all about enabling musicians and non-musicians alike to experience the almost indescribable joy that comes from playing an instrument. All we sell is the greatest feeling on earth.
For more information about Guitar Center, please visit www.guitarcenter.com, contact [email protected], or visit our Press Room at http://gc.guitarcenter.com/pressroom/.
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