PJ Sinopoli has enjoyed a broad-based client-side, agency-side and independent consulting career in public relations and marketing communications. She led teams and implemented programs in corporate communications and consumer brand public relations that have involved a broad spectrum of communications disciplines including: media relations, crisis and issues management, internal/employee communications, corporate reputation, opinion-leader communications, customer communications, financial and investor relations, corporate philanthropy, speech writing and spokesperson training.
PJ has served many major consumer and corporate brands including PepsiCo, Gatorade, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, Wendy’s and Jockey. Recognized as a strategic thinker with strong communications instincts and leadership skills, PJ has built and expanded communications functions and related competencies. Some career highlights include:
- Developed position of VP of Strategic Communications for PepsiCo to launch its first-ever corporate reputation initiative (2007-2011). Reporting into PepsiCo’s chief communications officer and accountable to the CEO and other C-suite executives, PJ led internal and agency teams in launching PepsiCo’s global efforts to:
- Increase awareness of the full scope of the PepsiCo portfolio (including 20+ billion-dollar food and beverage brands) among investors, employees and key stakeholders;
- Brand the company’s “Performance with Purpose” vision of human, environmental and talent sustainability. This included education of the company’s move to transform its portfolio to a healthier balance of foods and beverages;
- Create and implement a corporate branding program to unite PepsiCo’s 60,000 employees under a unified corporate identity platform.
- Developed VP of Public Affairs post for the newly-created PepsiCo division QTG (Quaker Tropicana Gatorade) in which she led all of the Chicago division’s internal, external and crisis communications, executive communications, corporate philanthropy and public affairs activities.
- Created in-house PR function and a professional marketing competency for the Gatorade Thirst Quencher brand (1987-2001), including the creation and launch of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in 1988 to educate media, coaches, athletic trainers, endurance athletes and other influencers on sports nutrition and efficacy benefits of a sports drink. She also played a leading role in the creation and launch of the state and national Gatorade Circle of Champions High School Player of the Year award (now known as the Gatorade Player of the Year).
Following graduation with a journalism degree from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), PJ worked in investor relations for IC Industries (now Whitman Corporation) then joined her first agency post with Carl Byior & Associates (merged with Golin-Harris Communications). Her agency clients included consumer brands and investor relations clients including Ameritech, John Deere, Kraft and Gatorade. She also operated as a free-lance consultant from 2002-2005 for several clients including McDonald’s and Household Finance.
PJ joined Brand Team Partners in 2012 where she contributes brand marketing, public relations and strategic communications and agency search expertise to BTP clients.
