5 Questions with Aligned Speaker Leslie Hagan of GE Appliances

With Aligned just a few weeks away, we invite you to get to know another one of the conference’s featured brand speakers: Leslie Hagan, Merchandising & Trade Communications Manager at GE Appliances.

As many of us know, GE Appliances is an iconic brand with a long history of supporting their local retailers. Although a large company, GE Appliances still manages to shift longstanding processes and marketing strategies, always pushing forward and striving for innovation.

Further supporting this, General Electric recently announced its move to Boston’s own Innovation District, recognizing the fact that our city is a hub for growth, diversity, and talent. We also recognize this, which is one of the reasons why we decided to shake things up and move Aligned 2016 to District Hall, a dedicated gathering space for Boston’s innovation community.

Leslie Hagan, GE Appliances

Innovation: a subject all too familiar for Leslie Hagan. Joining GE in 1990, Leslie has worked her way up through the ranks ever since. Following a series of operational and quality roles, she transitioned to the Merchandising and Commercial Learning team. In her role, she is responsible for enabling retailers to promote the GE brand and drive sales through a variety of marketing initiatives, advertising tools and programs.

She’ll be drawing on her experience and expertise as a part of the Aligned panel, “Brand Relaunch: Weaving Local Retailers into the Next Chapter.”

Why are local retailers important to telling the GE Appliances story?

They have great influence in their communities and with their customers. They’re supporting our brand and products beyond just promoting and selling but, most importantly, by providing that crucial consumer shopping experience.

At last year’s Aligned, you spoke on a panel about the future of co-op advertising. Any updates since last year?

Co-op advertising remains an important tool for our retail partners to increase their advertising reach, test and learn new tactics, and promote our brand. Beyond the co-op funds themselves, the opportunity to work in collaboration with our retail partners and help them to embrace new, more impactful advertising trends is the additional value we bring to these relationships.

What are you most excited for at this year’s Aligned Conference?

The opportunity to interact with other brands and learn about their journey with digital marketing, such as what may be working for them and what isn’t. The opportunity to share best practices in such a collaborative environment helps to shape our strategy.

Best career advice you were given or personal motto you live by?

“It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.”

Who is your favorite local retailer?

Le Moo, a locally owned restaurant down in Louisville. Great food and ambience.