In her three years at ConAgra Foods -- maker of Hunt's, Healthy Choice and Orville Redenbacher -- Joan Chow, exec VP-chief marketing officer, has reenergized several of the company's once-tired product lines, opened lines of communication with senior management, championed strong increases to the marketing budget and developed a dedicated team to partner retailers known internally as the "centers of excellence." Today the company can boast one of its best success stories, the restaging of Healthy Choice, which following quality improvements, the addition of new meals, a repackaging and a quirky marketing campaign starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, has posted solid sales and market-share gains. In this interview, Chow discusses her rebranding strategy.
