Experience

Over 25 years. Seven industries. One consistent thread: finding what's missing and building the marketing foundation to match.

These stories span entertainment, higher education, CPG, hospitality, and tourism. Some involve massive campaigns and billion-dollar results. Others involve a surprise Prince concert and a table with my name on it. All of them reflect the same approach: listen first, find the opportunity, and execute with everything you have.

Rita Chen 7/30/19 Rita Chen 7/30/19

Six Years. $2 Billion. And a Jump in Times Square.

Chicago was fighting a perception problem. My job was to change the narrative — and make it stick.

Rita Chen 7/18/19 Rita Chen 7/18/19

They Named a Table After Me.

When the City called about a new Riverwalk location, I already knew what it could mean for City Winery. I just needed to convince the CEO it was worth it.

Rita Chen 7/15/19 Rita Chen 7/15/19

Ultimate Movie Night

Shrek 2 was about to become the fastest-selling DVD in history. My job was to make sure it happened at retail — one exclusive deal at a time.

Rita Chen 7/10/19 Rita Chen 7/10/19

Choose Chicago — Building a Website Worth the City

A six-year-old website might as well be twenty. It wasn't mobile-first, and Chicago deserved better. Nine million visits later, it was.

Rita Chen 6/11/19 Rita Chen 6/11/19

400 Tickets. 33 Minutes. Prince.

Prince chose City Winery for his aftershow. The call came while I was driving on the Eisenhower. Two hours later, 400 tickets sold out in 33 minutes.

Rita Chen 5/28/19 Rita Chen 5/28/19

Chicago Booth — When a Viewbook Becomes a Movement

Chicago Booth had a viewbook. It was print-heavy, expensive, and not how prospective students were consuming information. So we flipped the model — digital-first, with print as the supporting piece.

Rita Chen 5/15/19 Rita Chen 5/15/19

Candy, Margin, and the Art of Counting Pennies

Candy, margin, and what it actually takes to run a business at scale.

Testimonials

"Rita is a trusted marketing partner to Chicago's First Lady Cruises. She has expertly identified and secured key partnerships that connect us to the vibrant happenings in Chicago. Beyond supporting our leisure tour product, Rita has also secured valuable advertising opportunities with leading meeting and event planner organizations to promote our private events and charter business. This year, her efforts have been crucial as we focus on IPW, which will be held in Chicago in 2025. We appreciate Rita's resourcefulness, transparency, and deep knowledge of the tourism and hospitality industry. "

Brie Agra
President, Chicago’s First Lady Cruises
Client of Rita Chen Consulting
“Rita was instrumental in Chicago's remarkable achievement of being named the Best Big City in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler readers for seven consecutive years (2017–2023). She revitalized a previously narrow and limited brand into an award-winning image-rich brand with sophistication and variety but more importantly, strategically targeted. This resulted in record occupancy and average daily rate performance. Rita's leadership and mentorship cultivated a talented team, and she managed complex city and state politics with grace. These experiences have enriched her wisdom and paved the way for her entrepreneurial journey, where she now helps transform organizations with her passion for marketing grounded in research and engagement.”

David Whitaker
President & CEO, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Managed Rita at Choose Chicago 2016 - 2021
“Rita Chen is a consummate marketer. Strategy and planning are particular strengths. Rita is an agile marketer as well. She has been able to transfer her skills into a variety of arenas with great success. Rita is equally adept at getting things done and with great attention to detail. She embraces technology and leverages it to provide greater impact which is so critical to being a modern marketer. Rita is creative, resourceful and not afraid of the un-navigated.”

Adrienne Nazon
Vice President External Relations and Communications, University of Illinois System
Managed Rita at University of Chicago Booth School of Business 2010 - 2012
"Rita was a valuable addition to our team at BarkleyOKRP. She integrated seamlessly into the agency during a time of need and supported us on two key projects for a tourism client: audience segmentation and international marketing. She was able to work in the strategy and account sides within the agency. Her calm and measured presence on the team was appreciated. It was a joy partnering with her and we highly recommend her for your marketing needs."

Nick Paul
President, BarkleyOKRP
Former Client of Rita Chen Consulting