Bardolf is a brand, marketing and business development consultancy founded by Marian Melcher Hanson. A global marketing veteran, she has built brands as diverse as Subaru and US Ski and Snowboard, The Travelers, the ESPY Awards, the X Games, CareerFuel TV/digital network, and NLand Surf. Bardolf’s practice centers on the intersections of technology, sport, medicine, outdoors, philanthropy, and the environment.
NLand, Austin (pictured above) is the first and largest inland surfing destination in North America with a 14-acre, rainwater lagoon sporting six- foot waves with a 35 second ride; a farm-to-table restaurant, Blue Prairie; NLand Brewing Company, a craft brewery; The NLand Training Center, a world-class surf school; and a fully stocked pro shop with NLand branded and popular soft and hard brands. Hanson shepherded branding, marketing, sponsorships, media, and sales from the dirt to the opening. Response to NLand, a favorite of WSL Pros, was overwhelming and global. NLand was acquired by the World Surf League.
She brings a unique voice and compelling storytelling to each endeavor. Growth stage entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives enjoy the benefits of a collaborative, senior adviser to launch a new product, pilot a start-up, or re-imagine a dormant brand. She skillfully connects brands and sponsors with enviable campaigns that advance mutual interests. Hanson distills her work to 7 words, “we create vibrant businesses, not catchy slogans.”
Her network of world-class resources: web designers, graphic designers, pr pros, video producers, media trainers, writers, photographers, and digital wizards work well in the sandbox with existing resources.
Hanson’s strategic vision and orchestrated approach is fundamentally grounded in commerce, data and measurement. According to Hanson, “understanding underlying market forces is critical to successfully engaging a brand’s zeitgeist.”
An active outdoors athlete, she lives in Burlington, CT with her husband, John. Her daughter Eliza lives in New York City.
