Adjunct Faculty Directory
Jana O'Brien
Title/s: Principal, The Right Brain Consumer Consulting, LLC
Adjunct Instructor, Loyola
University of Chicago
Specialty Area: Marketing/ Advertising/Media Insights and Strategy
Office #: 900B Lewis Towers
Phone: 708.846.9415
Email: jobrien14@luc.edu
CV Link: Jana O'Brien CV
About
Independent consultant, strategic research advisor, and teacher/trainer Jana O'Brien has an extensive track record of delivering actionable consumer insight and successful strategies across the brand, creative, and media disciplines of marketing. She specializes in innovative qualitative and quantitative consumer research and brand/media strategic planning, applying business sector and client experience that spans broad industries and five continents. She is also an experienced trainer as a corporate employee and consultant, a university guest lecturer, and as an adjunct advertising instructor at Loyola University of Chicago.
Jana is founder and principal of The Right Brain Consumer Consulting, LLC, an independent marketing consultancy that was formed after Jana retired in 2008 from her 27-year career at advertising and media agency siblings Leo Burnett and Starcom MediaVest Group. At SMG, she served as Chief Consumer Officer and served on the company's Board of Directors arid Global Product Committee. Prior to joining SMG in 2000, she worked for 19 years at sister creative agency Leo Burnett, where she was an EVP/Managing Account Planning Director and Executive Director of the agency's quantitative Research Services Group. She has worked across a spectrum of global clients and brands including Coca-Coca, GM, McDonald's, P&G, Netflix, Nintendo, Samsung, and Sony Music.
Jana's accomplishments include being named an Ad Age Media Maven in 2002, one of the "Media 100" by Media Magazine in 2005, and an Outstanding Alumnus by her alma mater, Michigan State University, in 2006.
Degrees
BA - Advertising, Michigan State University
MA - Advertising, Michigan State University
Research Interests
Consumer Media Behavior/Preferences and Emerging Digital Media
Consumer Brand Choice and Decision-making
Professional & Community Affiliations
City of Chicago Municipal Marketing Advisory Council
Pro bono consultant, Oak Park, Illinois School Districts 97 and 200 and Community Foundation
Board member, various academic and community organizations
Courses Taught
Comm 211 (Principles of Advertising)
Awards
2002 Ad Age "Media Maven"
2005 Media Magazine "Media 100"
2006 Outstanding Alumnus, Michigan State University
