Like many around the country, here at KSV we are winding down the work week and looking ahead to Memorial Day Weekend, the first long weekend of the year and the unofficial start of summer. 

To pause and reflect for a moment, it is truly incredible to think about where we were about this time last year: we were all home, in lockdown and facing countless unknowns as the pandemic was hitting its first peak and a long overdue social awakening was occurring across the country as a result of several tragic catalysts.

Topics: Innovation, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, In the News, Climate and Social Justice

As the calendar flipped from December to January, all of us at KSV did a little celebratory dance. Yes, a tough and chaotic year had come to an end, but we were celebrating for slightly different reasons: for our agency, the calendar flip meant a fresh look and a doubled-down commitment to fighting for a more sustainable existence through purpose-driven work and meaningful community partnerships.

Topics: Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Inspiration, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, Climate and Social Justice

Happy New Year! 

Topics: Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Inspiration, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, Climate and Social Justice

Heading into the holiday season, KSV was tasked with developing a campaign unlike any other for its most-important client: Mother Earth. 

Topics: Innovation, B Corporation, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Sustainability Marketing, Creative

If you’ve lived and worked through 2020, then the phrase “future-proofing” may sound like the biggest oxymoron of them all. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that plans change. Pivots are necessary. And planning for the future can sometimes mean planning to keep your business’s doors open for just one more day. Who has time to future-proof their business for next year when they’re just trying to survive 2020?

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, Creative, D2C, In the News

Happy almost Thanksgiving! As we inch another day closer to a holiday season unlike any other,  the team at KSV can’t help but reflect on all that we have to be grateful for. Even in a year where so much has been turned upside down, we find ourselves finishing each day with gratitude for what has remained the same: inspiring clients, innovative colleagues and a community dedicated to creating a better future. 

As we prepare for a 2020-style Thanksgiving, we’d like to share a few stories bringing us an extra dose of inspiration this week, in the hopes that they do the same for all of you:

Brands Are Using Black Friday Boycotts to Highlight Sustainability Initiatives: Although several brands will spend Black Friday and the weeks after touting promotions and deep discounts, several others are switching things up this year, using the high-profile moment as an opportunity to highlight ongoing sustainability initiatives. For brands like Freitag, this means shining a spotlight on their newly launched bag swap platform, which allows customers to exchange backpacks and messenger bags with other customers as a way to encourage a second-life for a high quality product while also reducing waste.

This is Our Chance to Reclaim Cities From Cars: One positive thing that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic? A more bikeable, walkable and cleaner urban America. Reimagining public spaces has consistently been a part of the conversation around how urban areas rebuild in the wake of the virus. This article takes it a step further, painting a hopeful picture for the future of cities.

25 US Cities Land on CDP ‘A List:’ In spite of both the havoc wrought by the coronavirus and little-to-no support at the federal level, several cities in the US were recognized by the CDP for making progress toward their climate action goals. Progress from cities like Cleveland, OH and San Antonio, TX highlight just how, in the absence of national guidance, impactful and important state and municipal level initiatives toward carbon emissions reductions and the adoption of clean energy technologies can be in ensuring a better, brighter and cleaner future.

Oreo’s Proud Parent ad is a moving, resonant reminder that a loving world, no matter how complicated, starts with a loving home. 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, Creative, D2C, In the News

The fight for a more sustainable future in the age of the coronavirus and Black Lives Matter has uncovered an important truth: protecting vulnerable communities is critical to taking action against climate change. It's long overdue, but going forward, brands looking to fight for climate change will need to ensure social justice is a component of their climate action plan. 

Topics: B Corporation, Climate Change, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, In the News, Audience Segmentation, Climate and Social Justice

If there’s one thing we know for certain, it’s that life keeps moving forward. Amidst political barbs, a global pandemic, long overdue social upheaval and a climate crisis, the world keeps on turning. 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, In the News

As we mentioned last week, re-imagining a life and a world in the age of coronavirus presents a lot of unanswerable questions, yes, but also several opportunities. One those opportunities is the critical role clean energy and sustainability will play in reviving the economy and helping consumers adjust their behaviors and habits. 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Energy Storage, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, Creative, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice

This month we’re back with the next installment of our Industry Expert Interviews, a content series that keeps the community spirit alive and well and selfishly, gives us the opportunity to talk to some truly incredible people. These will be longer installments, so we encourage you to grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy “meeting” someone new.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Content Marketing, Inspiration, Branding and Brand Value, Company Culture, Creative, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Climate and Social Justice