CHARLOTTE, N.C. – April 11, 2023 – Luquire has appointed award-winning advertising leader Laura Forester as director of strategy, taking the helm on the heels of several large-scale new business wins for the agency, including Harris Teeter, Nucor and Elon University.
Forester, whose strategic roots incorporate human-centered design (HCD), joins Luquire from Chemistry Agency, which has been recognized three times as AdAge’s “Small Agency of the Year.” At Chemistry, Forester served as SVP and Director of Strategy, harnessing the power of human insight and translating that into highly successful advertising and marketing campaigns, concepts, products and processes for both regional and Fortune 500 clients across four offices. Her eclectic portfolio of work ranged from health care and financial services to hospitality and entertainment, with high-profile clients including Apple, Siemens Energy, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, The Coca-Cola Company, Netflix, Five Guys, Heineken and the National Football League.
In her first years as a principal with Chemistry, Forester helped the agency outperform the previous year’s growth goals by +30% YOY, supported the cementing of a new business pitch-to-win rate of 72% and contributed to such celebrated work as the cheeky livestream campaign to promote Netflix’s “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” catapulting the movie to over 25 million viewers in the first week.
“While Laura’s background is impressive, and her work speaks for itself, it is her empathetic, people-first mindset that we believe will make her an invaluable asset to Luquire and our clients,” said Luquire CEO Brooks Luquire. “Laura’s work as a human-centered design advocate seamlessly aligns with our agency’s strategic approach to helping clients win by using data and insights to unlock opportunities, drive innovation and achieve their most ambitious goals.”
Prior to her role at Chemistry, Forester served as a senior social and public relations strategist at food-and-beverage-focused Smiths Agency (now part of Barkley, a standout on Ad Age’s 2023 Agency A-List), where she developed brand, social media and PR plans for clients like Nestlé, Pinnacle Foods and Smucker’s Natural Foods. Her work on a Sahale Snacks campaign titled, “Changing Snacking For Good” resulted in a 245% lift in social referrals and a 20% lift in sales YOY.
“I believe innovation is a creative, business and human imperative, and I take seriously opportunities to steward meaningful change with passionate people, which is why joining the talented team at Luquire – an organization with a genuine, people-first ethos – feels like such a natural fit,” said Forester. “I have always advocated to clients and leaders the importance of putting real people at the heart of everything we do, and Luquire walks the walk, helping clients win and creating a workplace culture that encourages empathetic thinking and action.”
Forester has also held various strategic marketing roles at MARC USA and Edelman, working on clients like Purina, Rite Aid, and PepsiCo. In addition to building strategic processes and developing award-winning campaigns, Forester is a prominent speaker at global conferences like Social Media Week and Digital Marketing World Forum, serving as a keynote speaker or panelist at more than 16 conferences over the past two years alone.
“As Luquire’s former director of strategy, I could not be more thrilled to welcome Laura into the fold,” said Luquire President Stephanie Spicer, who served as the agency’s strategy chief prior to assuming her role as president in 2021. “When you find a person who is passionate about understanding people’s ‘whys,’ that passion is palpable, and Laura exudes incredible zeal for her craft and her clients. We are fortunate to have her on Team Luquire and look forward to using her expertise to continue to uncover our clients’ ‘whys’ and ultimately crafting winning campaigns.”
About Luquire
Luquire is the agency for the uncomfortably ambitious — clients who are not afraid to think and act bigger, and professionals who want to do work that is inspiring and impactful. With world-class talent located across the U.S., we compete on a national stage providing clients with a robust combination of breakthrough creativity, advanced analytical and strategic skills, flawless execution and KindorÒ — our proprietary mix of kindness and candor that provides constructive insights while enhancing relationships. Founded in 1984 and based on Charlotte, North Carolina, Luquire has been recognized for award-winning work on behalf of dozens of top brands including Harris Teeter, Nucor, Bojangles, Colonial Life, First Citizens Bank, National Gypsum Co., OrthCarolina, RSM, Simon Property Group, Unum and Visit North Carolina.