Tracy-Locke Names Curt Munk Chief Strategy Officer 

Munk joins Tracy-Locke from VMLY&R COMMERCE to lead agency’s strategic vision and further strengthen compelling commerce offerings.

CHICAGO Sept. 14, 2022 – Curt Munk is joining Tracy-Locke, a leading commerce and communications agency, as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). This is the latest move in a set of strategic business decisions for the agency that started with the naming of Tina Manikas as President last June, followed by its expanded executive leadership board last September, and most recently, the agency’s ‘Compelling Commerce’ repositioning in August.

As CSO, Munk will lead strategy and CX planning teams across all global offices, focusing on creating Compelling Commerce strategies that inspire innovation and shape the future for Tracy-Locke’s clients.

“We’re at an exciting crossroad for Tracy-Locke as we start to culminate the strategic business decisions we’ve made this past year,” Manikas said. “As we continue to drive Tracy-Locke into its next era, I’m thrilled to welcome Curt Munk to our executive leadership board. After working together previously, I know his tireless push for innovation at every level and deep strategic commerce marketing knowledge will continue to shape our capabilities and focus on creative excellence and forward thinking – all with Compelling Commerce at the center.”

Munk’s creative approach to commerce is driven by his background in behavioral economics and strategic planning that applies human insights across cultural, social, technological, and economic arenas to guide consumers to buy. At Tracy-Locke, he will use his expertise connecting consumer behavior to Compelling Commerce solutions via sound strategy, new tools and capabilities that accelerate brand growth. His short-term priorities include developing deeper full-funnel commerce solutions for consumers and brands, helping the agency re-center on the principles of Compelling Commerce, and building a strategic culture of innovation.

“Our industry is at a turning point where the skills and knowledge that got us to commerce success in 2022 serve as an exciting foundation for the skills and capabilities that are now required for commerce success moving forward,” Munk said. “This is why the idea of Compelling Commerce drew me to Tracy-Locke as a refreshing vision with potential to make a real impact on the industry. I consider myself a passionate student of shopper behavior and appreciate Tracy-Locke’s roots in creativity that drives innovation.”

Before joining Tracy-Locke, Munk led the innovation and thought leadership practice at WPP’s VMLY&R COMMERCE with additional experience leading the strategic planning groups at several global agencies, including FCB Global, Epsilon (Ryan Partnership) and Saatchi & Saatchi X. His global commerce expertise includes shopper marketing, retail shop design, DTC and e-commerce, packaging, promotion, influencer marketing and merchandising solutions for many major brands, including Coca-Cola, Nestlé Purina, ABInbev, P&G, Walmart and SAMSUNG, among others.