David Melançon

David Melançon

Chief Marketing Officer

Benjamin Moore

From “painting the town red” or blue or green along twenty Main Streets to finding a haunted Halloween hotel to “paint it black,” Benjamin Moore’s new CMO David Melançon made a big splash in 2013 at the 130-year old paint company.

Named the Benjamin Moore’s Chief Marketing Officer at the start of 2013 after consulting for the company, he oversees all aspects of brand-building from product management, color innovation, marketing, strategic alliances and corporate communications.  And he seems to having fun while driving results. 

The “Main Street Matters” initiative is one such example that is classic Melançon as it puts relevant storytelling at the heart of brand identity while underscoring heritage, community and giving back.  Yet, in a recent interview, he simply calls it: “connecting the dots.”  The project began last summer when Benjamin Moore announced its biggest initiative ever to revitalize communities across North America with a campaign that asked consumers to vote online for which Main Streets should be revitalized.  Among the 20 chosen in this initial year were: Flint, Michigan; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Hilo, Hawaii; Joplin, Missouri; Penticton, British Columbia; Sea Bright, New Jersey and Sheboygan, Wisconsin.   See full list at: http://paintwhatmatters.com/20_communities

According to David Melançon, "Our Main Streets are the vital hubs of our communities - and Benjamin Moore and our network of independent dealers have always been integral parts of Main Street. This investment we're making in communities around North America is core to our business and to who we are.”

The effort was undertaken with the support of many organizations, including Make It Right, a long-time partner of Benjamin Moore that was founded by actor-philanthropist Brad Pitt.  Plus, local Benjamin Moore dealers, along with local municipalities, small businesses and local Chambers of Commerce, helped in the Main Street repainting efforts. 

Benjamin Moore provided the paint and supplies for all building exteriors and trim, while its color experts consulted on the best choices to enhance the architectural style, regional influences and historic references in each community. Skilled professional painters were hired, putting another segment of local business to work alongside the local Benjamin Moore retailers. The project also demonstrated how serving community can also contribute to brand growth, preference and profitability.

Over the course of David Melançon’s career, he has been a client, a consultant and a public relations executive. His past roles included  President of IPG’s Futurebrand unit in North America, which worked with such global marketers as Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Intel and Unilever and head of communications for Visa, a global role, where he launch such products such as online payments and stored value cards.