About Me

I’m Swathi Korada — a visual merchandiser turned marketing professional with over 7 years of experience bringing brands to life. My roots are in retail, where I worked with powerhouse brands like Nike, Marks & Spencer & Tommy Hilfiger, leading campaign execution, planning store layouts, and styling customer journeys through visual storytelling. Over the years, I’ve learned how people move through spaces, what catches their eye, and what truly influences buying behavior and now I bring that same mindset into the world of content, strategy, and digital marketing.

What sets me apart? I’m not just creative, I’m hands-on, detail-obsessed, and strategy-driven. I understand marketing from the ground up, because I’ve lived it on the frontlines. Today, I’m channeling that experience into campaign planning, content creation, and digital merchandising, with the added bonus of video editing, social media know-how, and a passion for telling brand stories that actually connect. Whether it’s writing, styling, designing, or editing, I build marketing that feels good and performs even better.

Education

Business Marketing

Northern College, Toronto, ON. (2022 - 2024)

Graduated with a focus on digital marketing, branding, and consumer behavior, with hands-on training in tools like HubSpot and Canva. Awarded a scholarship for student leadership and academic excellence, recognizing both performance and initiative in team-based projects and class engagement.

Fashion designing & Merchandising

JNAFA University, India. (2016 - 2018)

Completed fashion studies with a strong focus on styling, brand presentation, and trend forecasting. Blending creative direction with technical expertise and a commercial understanding of consumer preferences, which continues to inform my work in merchandising and marketing.

Experience

Visual Merchandising Manager

NIKE, TORONTO.

JUNE 2024 - JANUARY 2025

Collaborated with store and regional managers to analyze customer behavior and adjust visual strategies to support new product launches and seasonal campaigns.
Independently created and implemented localized in-store layouts beyond corporate planograms, leading to a 10% increase in foot traffic conversion.
Utilized sales reports and customer flow data to optimize fixture placement and display hierarchy, contributing to a measurable increase in product visibility and sell-through.
Spearheaded weekly visual audits and implemented layout adjustments based on real-time customer behavior insights.
Assisted in the onboarding and visual training of new leads and managers

Lead Visual Merchandiser

NIKE, TORONTO.

MARCH 2023 - MAY 2024

Led a team of 4–5 in executing customized visual merchandising layouts, resulting in a 15% increase in Units per transaction (UPT) and a 12% boost in average dollar transaction (ADT).
Trained 20+ staff on retail KPIs and brand-aligned merchandising techniques, reducing visual errors by 30%.
Handpicked to support the Ottawa flagship store launch, recognized for consistently delivering high-impact visual merchandising and brand excellence.
Created digital visual plans and floor set maps to streamline team communication and reduce reset time by 20%.

Visual Merchandiser

MARKS & SPENCER, INDIA.

DECEMBER 2018 - JUNE 2022

Designed and executed visual merchandising plans that contributed to a 29% year-over-year increase in department-level sales.
Managed marketing print budgets of up to ₹2.5 lakh (CAD 4,000) for seasonal campaigns, ensuring on-time delivery and vendor compliance across 5+ store locations.
Coordinated with external vendors for print procurement, display materials, and installation, achieving a 100% on-time execution rate during promotional rollouts.
Led visual merchandising strategy and full execution for 6 new store openings, maintaining strict alignment with brand guidelines and regional customer preferences.
Produced detailed PowerPoint visual guides and used Excel to track audit scores and correlate merchandising impact on category sales.
Exceeded goals expectation for year 2021 and got nominated for Visual merchandiser of the year.
Supported multiple store visual transitions during promotional periods, ensuring rapid, on-brand execution under tight timelines.

Customer Relations Officer

TOMMY HILFIGER, INDIA.

OCTOBER 2017 - NOVEMBER 2018

Delivered personalized shopping experiences to over 100+ customers weekly, gathering informal feedback and insights that informed visual display and promotion alignment.
Maintained detailed records of customer preferences and purchase behavior, supporting targeted outreach efforts and loyalty program enrollment.
Collaborated with the visual merchandising team to ensure in-store displays aligned with customer feedback and enhanced overall brand perception.