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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: you can have a wonderful, purpose-driven mission and a marketing campaign that is creative and perfectly targeted, but if your customer’s experience is lacking everything else is diminished. 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Content Marketing, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

We talk often about brand awareness. No matter the industry, the product or solution being offered, it’s a simple, omnipresent idea: people cannot buy your products, support your brand or change their behaviors if they are unaware. 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Innovation, Clean Energy, Branding and Brand Value, Sustainability Marketing, B2B marketing, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

The weather has warmed, the sun is shining and we’re coming up on Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start to a summer that, although welcomed, presents uncertainty for many. 

Topics: B Corporation, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Sustainability Marketing, Company Culture, In the News, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices