About
“It’s all about creating remarkable, meaningful, and human experiences!”
Francesca Krane has been at the forefront of developing consumer experiences for retail, experiential marketing, exhibits, and brand environments. She has been instrumental in shaping the industry and continues to help global brands build relationships with their consumers through story-driven immersive brand experiences.
It all started when
Francesca Krane is a graduate of Cal Arts. Initially, her work focused on creating immersive and interactive experiences rooted in the idea that storytelling creates meaningful relationships with the audience. After graduation, she launched her career as a set designer for film and television. She quickly became known for her original conceptual sketches and technical background. She has since worked with some of the best-known brands in the world to design award-winning consumer experiences - from retail stores and brand experiences to exhibits and hospitality interiors.
She seamlessly bridges the divide between creative and business to lead projects from concept to creation confidently. Her unique skills combine brand strategy, design leadership, and creativity to create engaging consumer experiences. Francesca has an amazing career of successful projects - a testimony to her expertise. She is passionate and dedicated to every project to become its best creative potential; she values being a positive and present leader for her team and helping to build their individual growth and potential.
Francesca pioneered experiential marketing as she was at the forefront of designing projects such as MTV Campus Invasion tours, VH1 Rock Across America Tours, and CBS sports Marketing tours, to name a few, where she merged live entertainment, event activations, and interactive experiences. She further integrated her entertainment design skills to bring "Corporate Theater" into exhibit trade shows for brands such as Apple and Sun Microsystems.
Soon after, she found a niche designing "themed environments" for casinos, restaurants, and retail stores. As brands progressed from "themed environments" into "brand expressions," she helped many brands design and develop environments that engage the consumer at every touchpoint throughout their journey.
In the past decade, she has been instrumental in helping two of the top brands in the sports product industry, Adidas and Nike. Here she has helped develop the company's DTC and Wholesale concepts globally.
Today with her wide range of overall experience, she helps businesses with brand strategy, creative direction, and design thru execution.
FRANCESCA KRANE
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Passionate multi-faceted design executive with vast experience managing the creative process from conception to completion. Adept in leading and directing creative teams to achieve standards and goals. Expertise in Creative strategy, consumer experience, brand marketing, store design, hospitality design, fixture design, experiential marketing, visual merchandising, storytelling, in-store communications, and digital integration.
EXPERIENCE
OWNER, CREATIVE CONSULTANT, FRANCESCA KRANE DESIGN — 2021-PRESENT
Creative consultant for a variety of brands. Recent projects include Athleta /Athletawell Soho store concept, Nashville Social Club, restaurant-music venue-and retail design.
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ASTOUND GROUP — 2020-2021
Led ideation and creative direction and developed a multidisciplinary design team. Partner as a Strategic partner with clients to create innovative consumer experiences.
GLOBAL SENIOR DIRECTOR RETAIL BRAND DESIGN, ADIDAS — 2018-2020
Led strategic creative direction for new retail concepts globally. Developed retail narratives to guide a holistic consumer experience, integrating consumer insights, retail design, marketing, visual merchandising, activations, and digital integration.
GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF IN-STORE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE, ADIDAS - 2016-2018
Managed and led the global in-store consumer experience team to create compelling retail concepts. Developed the Global retail storytelling strategy and framework to align a straightforward, holistic journey across categories, marketing, and retail departments.
NA RETAIL BRAND DESIGN, STORE CONCEPT DESIGNER, NIKE - 2011-2016
Led design development for new retail concepts and fixture designs across North America. Developed roll-out concepts with key wholesale partners. Worked closely with VM, Marketing, and Account teams to integrate best practices for business success.
SENIOR INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER / NIKE RETAIL ACCOUNT LEAD, RTC - 2008-2011
Partnered with Nike brand and category leads to develop the new store and fixture concepts for Flagship, Direct to Consumer, and Wholesale retail programs.
SENIOR RETAIL DESIGNER KING RETAIL SOLUTIONS - 2005-2008
Led retail design for the company’s most significant national and international grocery, pharmacy, restaurant, and sporting goods accounts.
EDUCATION
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS — BFA DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY - 1990 HOCHSCHULE DER KUNST BERLIN - THEATER DESIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM -1988
Career Highlights / Awards
ADIDAS LHIPO: adidas Harvard Local High Potential Program
NIKE REFIE AWARD: Victory Space, University of Texas
NIKE RETAIL BRAND PRESENTATION AWARD: Lady Footlocker, Marketplace Transform Team
CHAIN STORE AGE, BEST INTERNATIONAL STORE DESIGN AWARD: S-MART Supermarket, Monterrey Mexico
LDI TRADE SHOW, BEST EXHIBIT DESIGN AWARD: High End Systems, Exhibit Booth
Community Achievements
HONORARY RECOGNITION FROM THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF TN: Contribution to service to community park development. Chairman and Founder of Friends of Pegram Park and Grant Writer awarded with $250,000 match grant from the State of TN.
COMPLETION OF COUNTY LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM: Cheatham County Leadership Program. Project Lead for 3 Start County 20/20 Vision program.
Clients / Project Collaborations
Gap, Inc, Adidas, Nike, Hurley, Footlocker, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Macy’s, Mercedes Benz Stadium, Sports Authority, JD Sports, Modell’s, NFL, Duke University, University of Oregon, MTV, VH1, CBS, ABC, Disney, Safeway, Smart, Albertsons, Whole Foods, CVS, Del Monte, Anheuser Busch, Harrah’s Casinos, Apple, Sun Microsystems, AT&T, Airtouch Cellular, Bohbot Entertainment, Active Entertainment, Sealed Media, ADC Broadband, CodeMasters, High End Systems, BRC Imagination