Shaina Kaye

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2020 Thanksgiving Round Up

Posted by Shaina Kaye on November 25, 2020 at 10:17 AM

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. 

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

Three Things to Keep In Mind for the 2020 Holiday Season, Part Three

Posted by Shaina Kaye on November 12, 2020 at 11:50 AM

We kicked off this three-part series a few weeks back, diving into the importance of brands approaching the 2020 holiday season with a clear focus on reality. We then turned our attention to the value of flexibility in brands’ marketing strategies as a way to better serve and support current and future customers in the months ahead.  

This week, we’re concluding the series with one final consideration for brands that are planning, fine-tuning and executing their holiday strategies: incorporating personalization into the holiday shopping experience. 

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Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, Content Marketing, Branding and Brand Value, Creative, D2C, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Three Things to Keep In Mind for the 2020 Holiday Season, Part Two

Posted by Shaina Kaye on October 30, 2020 at 10:36 AM

Recently we shared the first post in our three-part series highlighting a few considerations brands of all shapes and sizes should focus on to better serve and support current and future customers in the months ahead.  

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Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, Content Marketing, Branding and Brand Value, Creative, D2C, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Three Things to Keep In Mind for the 2020 Holiday Season, Part One.

Posted by Shaina Kaye on October 15, 2020 at 2:48 PM

No matter how blurry the concept of time feels these days, the holiday season is inevitably and speedily approaching. In years prior, the impending holiday season would have meant a ramp up in in-store product promotions, email marketing campaigns and an influx of television advertisements. 

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Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, Content Marketing, Branding and Brand Value, Creative, D2C, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Creative Showcase: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities for Creative Innovation

Posted by Shaina Kaye on October 1, 2020 at 9:45 AM

As the coronavirus made itself and its effects known to the world, brands were forced to transform marketing plans, adjust operations and pivot strategies on a dime in order to meet current and potential consumers where they were at in a way that felt authentic and timely. And where they were at was in the midst of a pandemic unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.

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Topics: Utility Communications, Innovation, Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, Content Marketing, Creative, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Industry Expert Interview: Paul Lynch, CEO & Founder, Cage Free Productions

Posted by Shaina Kaye on September 18, 2020 at 11:00 AM

For the next installment in our Industry Expert Interview Series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Paul Lynch, the CEO and Founder of Cage Free Productions, a B Corp-certified and 1% For the Planet designated storytelling agency, specializing in video production based out of Santa Barbara, California. Through the unique concept of Human-Centered Production™, the company helps mission-driven individuals and organizations hone in on the power of video and storytelling to catalyze change and solve problems.

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Topics: Industry Expert Interviews, Content Marketing, Creative, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Take it from Bill Gates: Content is (Still) King

Posted by Shaina Kaye on September 3, 2020 at 10:00 AM

24 years ago, before the evolution and mass adoption of social media, when blogs were still a novelty and websites were still in relatively primitive states, Bill Gates penned an essay titled “Content is King.” 

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Topics: Utility Communications, Social Media Strategy and Best Practices, Content Marketing, B2B marketing, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

The “It” Factor: What Successful D2C Companies Can Teach Brands

Posted by Shaina Kaye on August 20, 2020 at 11:38 AM

In the early 2010s, companies like Everlane and Warby Parker paved the way for the first generation of Direct to Consumer (D2C) brands, offering consumers a fully digital brand experience and new companies a relatively easy, innovative and scalable way to sell products and services. A storefront was not necessary, but a strong brand story was. A brick and mortar storefront was no longer an operational requirement for brands - all you needed was an online shop and a creative social media presence.

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

Industry Expert Interview: Jen Gorin, Founder of Impact Growth Partners

Posted by Shaina Kaye on August 13, 2020 at 11:30 AM

Never has the value of being a B Corp been more evident than in 2020, as a global pandemic and social change have taken center stage and communities around the world have realized the true benefits of using business as a force for good.

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Topics: Innovation, B Corporation, Industry Expert Interviews, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, In the News

Mid-Summer Round Up

Posted by Shaina Kaye on July 30, 2020 at 11:34 AM

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. 

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