Compete's automotive practice is led by automotive veterans who have unmatched automotive industry expertise at companies including, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Nissan North America, R. L. Polk & Co. and Toyota Motor Sales NA.
Practice Leadership
Dennis Bulgarelli
Director
Dennis has 25 years of experience in automotive research and strategic planning at some of the top advertising agencies in the US. He has worked extensively with Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation helping to identify positioning and customer strategies that supported the launch of some of the biggest brands in the industry, such as the Ford F-Series, Ford Taurus, Chevy Silverado and Chevy Tahoe. Prior to joining Compete, Dennis was Senior Vice President, Director of Account Planning at Campbell-Ewald where he was responsible for positioning and consumer insights for all Chevrolet Truck brands. He has also worked at J. Walter Thompson where he worked closely with future product planning teams to understand customer motivations and acceptance of new vehicle models.
Dennis holds BA and MA degrees from Michigan State University.
Chris Coad
Senior Associate
Chris brings deep marketing, business analysis, and project management experience to Compete. As a Senior Associate in Automotive, Chris develops and delivers innovative marketing solutions to automotive manufacturers, third party automotive sites and interactive agencies. He currently leads Compete’s relationships with automotive manufacturers, and is working on a joint venture product which is pioneering the connection of automotive purchases to internet behavior. Chris started his career at Ford Motor Company as a financial analyst in a manufacturing plant, and later supported Ford’s field sales and marketing teams. Prior to joining Compete, Chris worked in Accenture’s high-tech and communications practice as a system integration consultant.
Chris holds a BS degree from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management.
Jackie O'Dowd
Senior Associate
Jackie has ten years of experience in market research and consulting at top firms across the US. She has worked extensively with world class brands such as Dunkin Donuts, Masterfoods, Sesame Street, and Unilever to understand consumer attitudes and values and translate them into actionable insights. She has spent the last several years working with key players in the automotive industry including OEMs, 3rd parties, and agencies. Prior to joining Compete, Jackie worked for McKinsey & Company, a premier management consulting firm, where she was responsible for implementing a domestic and international communications audit and executing a core brand strategy across offices. She also worked for Yankelovich, a leader in generational marketing, as a manger in client services.
Jackie holds a BA in Managerial Economics from Bentley College and a Master’s from Northwestern.