Influencers at the Forefront: Shaping Our Homepage Narrative
Working with top-tier influencers offers access to exceptional content and authentic storytelling. For the upcoming UGG Holiday campaign, I took a strategic approach by investing in a select group of trusted influencers.
These influencers not only starred in the campaign but also took the lead in creative direction, styling, and content creation. By combining their unique aesthetic with their established online influence, we produced a campaign that felt fresh, relatable, and engaging — ultimately driving stronger connections with our audience.
Marianna Hewitt for UGG BOOTS
Fashion & Lifestyle Influencer
Our collaboration with Marianna marked a significant first for SHOES.com, SHOEme, and OnlineShoes — introducing a lifestyle influencer to represent one of our top-selling brands, UGG, during the busy holiday season.
Marianna was brought to us through an agency we had worked with sporadically. To ensure the campaign's success, we provided a detailed brief and held several creative meetings to align on the concept. We leaned into the West Coast holiday aesthetic, showcasing UGG styles in warm, sunny settings — a natural fit for the Australian brand’s roots.
A/B testing played a key role in this campaign. We tested two distinct looks:
A traditional holiday campaign feel — cozy slippers paired with winter-inspired styling.
A sunny LA day look — slippers styled with jeans in a casual, warm-weather vibe.
To further amplify Marianna’s involvement, we created a Q&A feature for our blog, offering her fans styling tips and showcasing her campaign imagery. She was also prominently featured across social media, advertising, and email campaigns.
The result? The campaign’s high-quality photography and styling effectively conveyed the brand’s message, while Marianna’s reach drove significant traffic to our sites and increased UGG brand conversions.
A major win for our first-ever holiday influencer campaign across three retail platforms.
Tommy Blades & Andrew Kearns for Hiking Boots
Photographers, Business Owners, Influencers & Outdoor Adventurers
When I joined SHOES.com, Tommy was one of the first non-fashion influencers I brought on board. Already familiar with his content through Instagram, I knew he would be a strong fit for our upcoming hiking boot campaign.
I pitched the idea to our creative team: Tommy would shoot the campaign in his own backyard — the rugged landscapes of the Pacific Northwest — an ideal setting to showcase our outdoor-focused brands.
Tommy partnered with his friend and talented photographer, Andrew Kearns, to capture the campaign. Their imagery was prominently featured across our homepage, product detail pages, and two dedicated blog posts — including a Q&A on hiking and an Instagram tutorial. The content authentically demonstrated how the boots perform in outdoor environments while enhancing the brand’s credibility.
The campaign successfully tapped into Tommy’s engaged audience of over 500,000 followers, expanding our reach to a broader, organic audience. The stunning imagery and authentic storytelling played a major role in driving engagement and boosting customer trust.
Following this success, we continued working with Andrew on additional content projects, including key contributions to our Portland Made trip, where he helped scout Cape Kiwanda — the perfect setting for our influencer team to experience the scenic PNW landscape firsthand.
Katie Goldie for Winter Boot Wonderland
Photographer, Influencer, Outdoor Adventurer
Katie Goldie will always hold a special place in my Canadian heart. As a true adventurer, Katie’s passion for experiences — not just commercial work — made her the perfect fit for our winter wear campaign.
With winter approaching, we wanted to showcase authentic cold-weather scenes while highlighting must-have gear. After brainstorming with Katie, we landed on a brilliant idea: she’d spend a weekend in Banff, Alberta, with a couple of friends and a dog — capturing the ultimate mountain getaway vibe.
The approach was both cost-effective and impactful. We shipped products directly from our partner brands, and Katie delivered stunning content that felt genuine and aspirational.
Her imagery was featured across our homepage, social media, blog posts (focused on winter wear education), and email campaigns throughout the season. Katie’s real-time updates on Snapchat and posts during the campaign launch provided valuable exposure, driving both traffic and engagement.
The result was a campaign that blended beautiful storytelling with practical product promotion — resonating deeply with our audience.
STYLE’d Avenue (@Meg_legs) for CLARKS BOOTS
Fashion Influencer
For this campaign, we partnered with an agency to collaborate with Meg, a Salt Lake City-based influencer, to style and shoot content for our Clarks boot campaign.
While Meg was fantastic to work with, the final photography didn’t meet our usual standards in terms of resolution and clarity. Rather than discarding the content, we took a creative approach — adjusting proportions and repurposing the imagery to engage a younger, female audience.
By showcasing Clarks in an unexpected, street-style setting around Salt Lake City, we introduced the brand to a North American audience less familiar with Clarks as a fashion-forward choice. The result was fresh, relatable content that gave our audience new styling inspiration and broadened Clarks' appeal in a competitive market.
This campaign reinforced the value of flexibility — turning unexpected challenges into an opportunity to connect with a new customer base.
BC SPCA Election 2024 Campaign
Driving Acquisition and Advocacy for Political Change
Objective: Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-phase marketing strategy for the BC SPCA’s election campaign, aimed at elevating animal welfare issues within the election cycle and positioning the organization as a leader in advocacy. The campaign sought to educate the public on candidates' positions regarding animal welfare, encourage voter engagement and drive action through strategic communication channels.
Strategic Approach: To maximize visibility and influence, I recommended extending the campaign over several weeks, mirroring the approach of political campaigns. This strategy not only promoted voting but also focused on empowering the public to research candidates’ stances on animal welfare and make informed decisions. The extended campaign timeline allowed us to maintain consistent, impactful messaging on critical issues.
Key Campaign Components:
Six Core Priorities: The campaign focused on six key animal welfare issues, each receiving at least two weeks of dedicated promotion. This allowed for in-depth engagement on each topic and helped sustain interest over time.
Multi-channel Engagement Strategy: We used a combination of organic social media, media releases, educational content and targeted paid advertising to maximize reach and engagement across diverse platforms.
Community Engagement: A heavy emphasis was placed on active community management. The social team and Science and Policy team responded to comments, answered questions and interacted directly with supporters on both organic posts and paid ads. This helped build trust with the community and fostered a sense of involvement and connection.
Interactive Feedback Mechanism: Surveys invited participants to rank their top three animal welfare priorities, providing valuable insights into public concerns and ensuring that the campaign was responsive to voter interests.
Key Outcomes
Increased Email Subscriptions: One of the primary goals was to grow the BC SPCA’s email list. By aligning the campaign with a timely national issue, we successfully engaged new supporters, significantly increasing sign-ups and boosting community engagement.
Positioning BC SPCA as a Leader in Animal Welfare: The campaign solidified the BC SPCA’s reputation as a thought leader in the animal welfare space, holding political candidates and government officials accountable for their positions on animal rights.
Broad Public Engagement: Over 16,000 participants engaged with the campaign (55% increase), ranking their animal welfare priorities and 4,250 emails were sent to election candidates, urging them to take action for animal welfare.
Political Impact: The campaign influenced political platforms, with one major party including our call for more pet-friendly housing in their platform and several independent candidates committing to support animal welfare if elected.
Public Discourse Contribution: The campaign successfully integrated animal welfare into public discourse during the election cycle, ensuring that it was recognized as a key issue for voters and politicians alike.
Community Building & Trust: By actively participating in conversations and responding to questions and comments, we built stronger relationships with the BC SPCA’s audience, showing that the organization values and listens to its supporters. This level of engagement not only enhanced the campaign’s credibility but also deepened public investment in the cause.
House of Artisans store design & launch
After returning from New York, I dove into a project in Amsterdam with Bianca Blom, the founder of LINJA, to help launch her new venture — a slow fashion store in De Pijp called House of Artisans. The store would feature seven Dutch brands, all founded and designed by women.
My role was to take over from a previous design team, reimagine the space, and simplify the floor plans for a more functional and inviting experience. The goal was to have the store ready for its opening on December 7th, 2018, creating a smooth, beautiful, and unique shopping environment.
The basic layout was already set, including the storefront window, a styled display of all seven brands, wall spaces for each brand, a creator space in the center with a mini kitchen, and a private area in the back for client fittings with the designers.
The vision was to make the space comfortable, cozy, and welcoming for all who entered.
LOGO DESIGN
Designer: Kirsty Tsang
Final Store & Launch Event
LINJA Shoes
Project
Dutch luxury shoe brand, LINJA was in need of a brand refresh and marketing support to help catapult them into the US and also widen their reach in Europe. I’d be working on brand story, content development, full online brand audit (web experience, product design, brand imagery), supporting the media event in NYC and supporting Bianca Blom, the founder of LINJA on short lead time projects.
Goals:
Short-term: A full brand refresh, re-writing the story-telling of the brand and it’s supporters, new website, integration with Shopify, art direction, campaign and product photography and help managing a New York media launch event, PR agency and all within 6 weeks of my start date.
Long-term: Long-term goals: build a strong brand story, product & construction design, marketing plans for 2019, email marketing audit and further develop the web experience.
Outcome:
Completed full rebrand, brand playbook (new fonts, brand colours, brand story, creative direction), briefed and directed two video shoots, lifestyle photography and product photography.
Developed a new LINJA Lookbook (lifestyle photos and brand story written), event signage and supported New York launch event- increasing media exposure and traffic to LINJA site. Launched first iteration of the LINJA website (second in-progress), wrote product copy, brand story and started on ‘How it’s Made’ (in-progress graphic).
Feedback from media, customers, LINJA founder and other Dutch entrepreneurs led to more work for other brands. ;)
Team:
Design & Art Direction: Kirsty Tsang
Photography: Marielle Sales & James Bee (NYC)
LOOKBOOK PHOTOSHOOT
Using a seasonal blue balanced with the classic LINJA Caramel color, the team built a backdrop utilizing both collections in a fresh and angled approach.
SHOT: BROOKLYN, NY
BRAND PLAYBOOK
Developed a full brand playbook and finalize the next seasonal colours, we decided on the main colours, and f/w accents for the website, look book and event signage.
MEDIA EVENT NYC
Hosted a LINJA preview for fashion, tech and lifestyle media, fashion influencers and celebrities at the rooftop bar at the made hotel in new york city. guests were treated to a brunch and lunch menu, a beautiful seated area to enjoy brunch, try on linja’s and hear the story from the founder on a more intimate level.
Product Photoshoot
Community & Event Activation
Seawheeze Half Marathon Activation
PROJECT:
Strategic Partnership with Lululemon to Elevate the ‘Seawheeze’ Half Marathon Experience
Developed and executed a multi-faceted partnership to enhance brand visibility and engagement by creating:
Targeted pre-race content
Comprehensive social media promotional strategy
Seamless event activation
On-site race recovery stations
Exclusive influencer dinners with key runners
High-impact post-race content
GOAL:
Leverage the Lululemon/Seawheeze partnership to drive customer acquisition through amplified brand exposure and curated content shared by top-tier fitness influencers.
OUTCOME:
Maximized Brand Exposure: Led a strategic influencer campaign, partnering with top health and wellness personalities to create content around race preparation and recovery using Vega products. The campaign successfully drove organic traffic, as influencers shared their personal experiences across social channels and blogs.
Deepened Community Engagement: Curated an exclusive influencer and media dinner, offering an intimate space for networking, idea-sharing, and authentic content creation. This strengthened our relationships with key local personalities while expanding Vega's reach within the fitness community.
Enhanced Local Presence: Executed a live event activation at Vega’s race recovery station, where we engaged directly with participants, distributed products, and captured dynamic, real-time content. This bolstered our social presence and solidified Vega’s connection with local runners, expanding our footprint within the active lifestyle community.
PROJECT:
Marathon Activation & #FuelYourBetter Campaign
When Vega influencer Christina Menssen revealed her biggest fear—being unable to finish the Vancouver Marathon on her own—I orchestrated a highly emotional and unexpected surprise to support her. In addition to a dedicated cheer team and race stations, I secretly flew in Christina's key running partner, Emily from Arizona, to run alongside her. We captured the moment in real-time, aligning it with the overarching #FuelYourBetter campaign.
GOAL:
Increase community exposure for Vega within the active health and wellness demographic while generating compelling content to drive engagement for the #FuelYourBetter campaign.
OUTCOME:
Maximized Brand Visibility: Employed a dynamic, multi-channel creative approach to race-day activation. From influencer-driven content before the marathon to live coverage of the race, we used strategic signage and influencer engagement to amplify our message.
Enhanced Social Engagement: Captured emotionally charged moments, leveraging influencers and user-generated content to drive the viral spread of our #FuelYourBetter hashtag. This created increased organic sharing of Vega product experiences across social media.
Expanded Local Media Reach: Partnered with high-traffic local media outlets to share race content, further amplifying Vega’s exposure within the community and across digital channels. This led to a measurable spike in traffic to our site and greater engagement with our products.
Whole Foods Smoothie Launch
Smoothie Station Launch at Whole Foods
SETUP A MEDIA EVENT TO LAUNCH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH WHOLE FOODS IN VANCOUVER. READ MEDIA HERE.
Hard Candy Toronto Launch
Supporting Madonna's new Hard Candy gym launch (Toronto)
ACTIVATED GYM-GOERS WITH VEGA PRODUCTS AT A HIGH-PROFILE MEDIA LAUNCH. READ MORE HERE.
Shoes Community & Event Activation
Winter time coffee activation in Toronto
HANDING OUT FREE HOT COFFEE AND COUPONS TO USE ON OUR WEBSITE OR IN-STORE. READ MORE ON THE TORONTO CITY SERIES.
Portland Shoe Drive
Produced a "Portland Made" campaign series to boost brand exposure, organized a shoe drive, and hosted a community event to celebrate the drive and the campaign launch. [Read more about the Portland Made campaign here.
Shoes: Bumbershoot Festival Activation
Organized an RV activation at Seattle’s Bumbershoot Music Festival, where we engaged festival-goers by sharing live updates on social media, inviting influencers to join us, and offering free gifts, swag, and tickets to an exclusive bootcamp workout.
Making Madonna Work
While at Vega, I was presented with a unique opportunity that aligned perfectly with the company's brand values: the launch of Madonna's Hard Candy gym in Toronto. Despite limited internal support and resources, I saw immense potential in this partnership. At the time, social media and celebrity influence weren’t widely understood within the company, and I often had to advocate for their integration into creative content, photoshoots, advertising, and influencer engagement.
Key Challenges & Initial Steps:
Internal buy-in: At the time, I had no internal support for this project, and social media wasn’t yet a key focus for Vega.
No budget: I had to work with zero budget and minimal resources.
Limited understanding of celebrity influence: In 2014, many at Vega didn’t fully grasp the power of celebrity endorsements and influencer marketing.
Convincing leadership: Despite these challenges, I successfully negotiated Vega as the main brand sponsor for the event in exchange for in-kind product.
Strategy & Execution:
Event Activation:
Collaborated with a small team of three to design a brand presence at the event, including a smoothie bar with Hard Candy-themed creations and a VIP section for media and influencers.
We created a custom menu with Vega products, including energizer drinks, smoothies, and vegan snacks.
VIP area featured Vega energizers mixed with liquor in martini glasses and vegan appetizers.
Branding & Exposure:
Secured prominent placement for Vega’s logo alongside Madonna’s brand, offering global exposure for the company.
The event included media risers, a step-and-repeat backdrop, and an exclusive VIP section to elevate Vega’s visibility.
Recognized the opportunity to create long-term brand value through a high-profile partnership.
Execution in Toronto:
Arrived two days before the event to finalize logistics and connect with key media, influencers, and Madonna’s trainers, who I brought on as brand ambassadors.
Worked closely with local teams to ensure smooth event activation, including perfecting the smoothie recipes and managing event setup.
Additional Coordination:
Simultaneously supported the launch of Brendan Brazier’s new book in Toronto, which included organizing media and influencer outreach.
Managed both events in parallel, ensuring both were executed seamlessly in a high-pressure, time-sensitive environment.
So What Actually Happened?
Massive Media Exposure:
Over 100 publications covered the Hard Candy launch, as it was the first opening in North America, making it major news.
Vega’s logo was prominently featured, gaining unparalleled exposure that significantly elevated our brand’s visibility.
Madonna’s Iconic Arrival:
Madonna arrived (fashionably late) to a media frenzy, where she conducted interviews with both local and international outlets.
She walked the red carpet to lead two dance-type classes in the group fitness room, alongside her trainer and choreographer, and new Vega Ambassador, Nicole Winhoffer, who continued to support Vega for years.
Personal Reflection:
On a personal level, I found myself within two inches of Madonna. While I kept my composure during the event, I later cried in my hotel room for the profound impact Madonna’s message of confidence and female empowerment had on me.
Key Takeaways:
Creative Risk-Taking: Despite limited resources, I used creative tactics and innovative partnerships to elevate Vega’s visibility.
Brand Values & Relationship Building: This experience reinforced the importance of staying true to brand values and fostering authentic relationships with key influencers.
Multitasking & Strategic Planning: The ability to balance multiple high-profile projects in a short timeline demonstrated my strategic multitasking capabilities and focus on driving measurable results.
For Vega, this was a massive media win. For me, it was a career-defining moment that reinforced my passion for marketing, creativity, and taking bold opportunities.
Women In Tech Conference: Storytelling Panel
Panel Discussion at the WIT Regatta Conference - Vancouver, BC
I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at the Women in Technology (WIT) Regatta in Vancouver, a 5-day event that celebrates and supports women in the tech industry. Our session, "Tell It Like It Is: The Art of Storytelling in Business," received the largest turnout and was even voted as the best session of the conference!
Panelists:
Jordan Bower, Nancy Loadman, Kristy Gardner
Moderated by Ian Davis, organized by Laura Sukorokoff (both from Hyperwallet)
The discussion centered around how storytelling influences both our professional lives and our personal brands. Each panelist shared their unique perspective on how storytelling has shaped their career and how others can harness its power to develop their own brand. For me, storytelling has been key in public relations, social media, influencer marketing, and brand marketing.
One of the key reflections I took away from the discussion was realizing that while I often tell my story, I haven’t been as intentional as I should be about crafting it for specific audiences. Storytelling isn’t just about narrating your experiences; it's about editing and presenting your story with purpose.
From Panel to Workshop: Applying Storytelling to Campaigns
After the panel, we split into smaller workshop groups to dive deeper into applying storytelling to real-world campaigns. I led a session where we explored how storytelling can be integrated into a campaign process from start to finish.
What we discovered was that story doesn’t come into play until the foundational work is done. Here’s how the process unfolded:
1. Discovery Phase:
Before the story can emerge, it’s essential to set the stage. This phase is all about the groundwork:
Define clear goals: Are you aiming for brand exposure, new customers, or something else?
Identify your audience: Who are you speaking to, and what do they care about?
Establish logistics and timelines: What’s the timeframe for your campaign, and what resources will you need?
Once these elements are in place, you can move forward with purpose and clarity.
2. Development Phase:
With your foundation set, it's time to think about the message. This is where your story begins to take shape:
Determine what you want to say based on the goals and audience you've identified.
Consider what your audience wants to hear, addressing their needs and pain points.
Decide on the channels for communication—whether it's social media, email, or internal communications.
By this point, you’ll have a clear sense of the why and who, and storytelling can start to inform the what and how.
3. Crafting the Story:
Now comes the exciting part—bringing the story to life. With everything in place, your story can be developed into engaging content:
I recommended using Google Slides as a simple yet powerful tool to storyboard the campaign. This approach helps everyone involved—from creative teams to marketers—stay aligned and collaborate seamlessly.
Storyboarding allows ideas to flow and provides a visual roadmap for your content. It’s an ideal way to see how the story aligns with the campaign goals and make changes as you go.
4. Editing and Refinement:
Once the initial story is mapped out, the next step is editing:
Align your content with your brand voice and campaign objectives. This step ensures consistency across all elements.
Get feedback from your team and refine the story to better resonate with your target audience. Editing isn’t just about cleaning up the language—it's about aligning your narrative with the campaign’s vision.
At this point, you should feel confident that the story you’re telling fits your goals, your audience, and your brand’s identity.
5. Reporting & Analysis:
Setting clear benchmarks at the beginning is critical to understanding whether your campaign was successful:
Assign someone to track metrics—such as website traffic, conversions, and engagement. This accountability helps you stay on top of progress and make adjustments as needed.
Use your reporting data not just to measure success, but to learn. Ask your team what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved. This feedback loop ensures continuous learning and improvement.
6. Application of Learnings:
Lastly, it’s vital to apply what you’ve learned through your assessment. Even if a campaign hits its goals, there's always room for refinement:
Iterate and improve: If something didn’t work, make it better next time. And if something did work, double down on it and see how it can perform even better.
Campaign Process Overview:
Discovery: Set goals, identify your audience, and plan logistics.
Development: Craft your message based on what your audience wants to hear and choose the right communication channels.
Channels: Select where and how to share your story (e.g., social media, email, etc.).
Story: Develop a compelling story that resonates with your audience.
Editing: Refine your content to align with brand identity and campaign goals.
Reporting: Track performance and gather insights.
Launch: Go live and keep an eye on the campaign’s progress.
Assess: Evaluate outcomes and refine strategies for future campaigns.
By understanding where storytelling fits into the overall process, you can create campaigns that are not only strategic but also deeply engaging for your audience.
THE PORTLAND MADE STORY
After the success of the Toronto City Series and pop-up shop, we set our sights on a fresh new destination. We decided to dive into one of the coolest cities in America - Portland, Oregon.
PROJECT:
Building on the success of the Vancouver and Toronto City Series, we launched the third installment with a fresh, impactful approach. By blending larger-scale influencer activations, strategic brand partnerships, and a give-back element, we introduced ‘Portland Made’—a campaign focused on the unique culture and style of Portland, Oregon.
GOAL:
Drive brand awareness in Portland while creating compelling content for a shoppable Portland Made collection on Shoes.com.
OUTCOME:
65% Increase in Brand Exposure: Achieved 3 million media reach and 1.7 million social reach.
Fully Integrated Campaign: The Portland Made collection was prominently featured on the homepage, supported by a dedicated content series on the blog, email marketing, online ads, and social media.
Strategic Insights & Execution:
Identifying Key Influencers: Unlike Toronto, where we had a well-connected local figure, I relied on extensive research, direct outreach via emails, Instagram DMs, and phone calls to curate a list of authentic Portland influencers. This hands-on approach allowed us to tap into the city’s unique, community-driven culture.
Going Beyond Photography: This time, we needed more than just beautiful imagery. We interviewed Portland locals to capture their stories, blending their narratives with our product to create an emotional connection.
Shoppable Experience: We introduced a newly designed, interactive shoppable feature page that seamlessly integrated content as users scrolled, offering an immersive experience of both product and personality.
TEAM
Producer: Cristina Pagnucco
Photos: Jeremy Jude Lee
Video: Rosanna Peng
Design: Kirsty Tsang
The Influencers
GREGORY GOURDET
EXECUTIVE CHEF AT DEPARTURE PDX & TOP CHEF CONTESTANT
Gregory Gourdet is known as a Top Chef contestant in season 12; and the Executive Chef at Departure PDX with a love of Asian cuisine and a healthy mindset when it comes to food. Gregory has gone on to make a name for himself in the Portland community well beyond his culinary skills. When he’s not cooking up a storm in the kitchen he can be found in the great Portland outdoors getting in touch with nature.
“We have a wonderful community of chefs and also local artisans who really pride themselves on perfecting their crafts from beer, to chocolate, to whiskey, to candy, to salt, to hot sauce—we make everything here. This really inspires us to make delicious things with the ingredients that we have here at home.
And that translates into a community of chefs working together, hanging out together, supporting each other, conversing over and about food, and working to make it happen in a very popular food town.”
MICHELLE LESNIAK
Fashion designer, finalist on project runway
Portland native Michelle Lesniak gained international attention when she was named the winner of Project Runway in 2013. However, it’s Michelle’s journey to fully fledged designer that really caught people’s attention. After spending 10 years in the wine industry, Michelle finally followed her dream into the world of sewing and fashion design. Here, the renowned designer speaks to us about this journey and how Portland has supported her the whole way.
“Growing up in Portland was like being in the best circus family ever. Very supportive of letting your freak flag fly—even through high school which can be a treacherous time for most teenagers. Marching to the beat of your own drum was really important and I think that’s why there’s so much creativity in this town.”
MARCUS HARVEY
PORTLAND GEAR & @PORTLAND INSTAGRAM
Marcus Harvey is the man behind Portland Gear, and has done a great job intersecting his love for art with business. As a passionate Portlander, he crafted a product that people were proud to wear, by Portland for Portland. With Portland’s community-first culture, Marcus was able to craft an authentic product that remains true to the aesthetic of the city and people. With the @Portland Instagram handle under his belt, he has gathered support from the whole city, showcasing the true pride of Portland.
“The concept of community and rooting for the underdog has been around for a long time. Portland is not really corporate and has really embraced the little guys here, the underdogs. Portlanders get behind the weird and the wacky and support their community. There’s a lot of stats that have proved that bigger brands have a hard time here.”
EMILY KATZ
INTERIOR DESIGNER & MACRAME ARTIST
Emily Katz is a designer and macrame artist who spends her days teaching her craft in one-of-a-kind workshops, creating incredible art installations, and travelling the world. She connects with her international community through Instagram—that modern platform for entrepreneurs and portal for creative inspiration.
While her work takes her to bustling cities like LA and New York, she carries the Portland spirit of slowing down and appreciating the natural world with her.
“Portland has a sense of place, people who come from here hold that with them and take that spirit wherever they go. The international Portland community is still rooted in Portland through a love of nature, slowing down.
At the core of what Portlanders value is the opportunity to walk outside and be immersed in nature and have a sense of community.”
OREGON PUBLIC HOUSE:
A BEAUTIFUL MERRIMENT OF NON-PROFIT & BEER LOVE.
RYAN SAARI, PASTOR & BOARD MEMBER OF OPH
STEPHEN GREEN, VC & BOARD MEMBER OF OPH
“Our motto is “Have a pint. Change the world.” Our slogan is “Eat. Drink. Give.” You pick what you want to eat, what you want to drink and where you want your profits to go to from a list of charities that we partner with. Every person that places an order is able to support a cause they believe in, something that they want to give back to. It’s really, really simple.” -Ryan Saari
Stephen Green: “It’s really a “neighbour’s living room”, where you can come and hear about a non-profit and find out about the amazing impacts that they have been having on lives here. But, it’s also a business – we run the back. We run a business that has to be financially sustainable. We are doing both at the same time, and there’s a value proposition in that. I’m really happy on what we have accomplished.
Stephen Green
Ryan Saari
Portland Made: Stylist: Eden Dawn
Portland Made fashion stylist shares her love for the city and how she's trying to make her mark.
Hosannas
The musical trio, Hosannas found Portland the perfect place to develop their music in a supportive community.
ADX Feature
Tackling Tech Talent Drought
Since I started at the BC Tech Association in mid-March, the largest issue to tackle was how to creatively relay what we do for the BC Tech community. The first project was one that had already been in-conversation for some time (6 months or so). The project goal was to get more knowledge out to a younger generation about the variety of jobs available in the tech industry, but shared in a more age-appropriate way.
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
We started with funnelling down who we actually wanted to talk to and how we would share this campaign. We knew mainly it would be relayed on social media and would have to lead with video-first strategy. There was also a huge opportunity to grab new brand exposure. The tech industry needed to know what we were up to, university and high school students needed to see this and get interested in tech careers, along with government exposure to see our intentions for the future... and personally we wanted to shake things up a bit and show off something new! Show that no matter the industry or 'brand', you can still be bold, colourful and attention-grabbing with your marketing.
Aspire to Tech was created by our team coupled with using a team of creatives I've worked with before and new extensions of those creatives, and the icing was I finally had the chance to work with one my good friends. Together we piled together discovery, research, creative development, story ideas, story boarding, interviews, shoot days and even worked with a horrific back-end to our website.
I'm really happy with these videos and this campaign, it sparks interest into a new narrative, which features a diverse group of hard-working go-getters who make up an industry flourishing with culture-driven offices and who work in the unknown exciting future of technology.
Finished Product
DEDICATED WEBPAGE
CALL TO ACTIONS
WRITTEN CONTENT SERIES
VIDEO PRODUCTION
PHOTOGRAPHY
Who I've worked with
Kirsty Tsang
Kirsty Tsang, Art Director, Graphic Designer, Vancouver
Kirsty was the Senior Graphic Designer for SHOES.com, art directing and co-producing alongside me for Portland Made and developing creative for all campaigns and leading a team for all creative.
Tyler & Due
Rosanna & Jeremy
Jeremy Jude Lee, Photographer, Vancouver
Jeremy also worked on various brand campaigns, Vancouver City Series and much more..
The City Series - Toronto
PROJECT:
Capture the stories of influential Torontonians, highlighting their unique style and personal narratives.
WHY:
Ahead of our Toronto pop-up launch, we aimed to create a buzz that would generate organic "word-of-mouth" promotion. This was supported by a multifaceted community activation strategy, including a coffee/hot chocolate truck, a breakfast media event, a late-night influencer gathering, and the flagship City Series: Toronto. This initiative was the perfect opportunity to gather compelling content from the city's most influential figures.
REQUIREMENTS:
We sought individuals who were not only influential but also deeply embedded in their community. They had to have a strong voice, authenticity, and a genuine passion for Toronto. These were the people who could speak for the city and showcase how our brand fits into their everyday lives. We aimed to highlight their stories and the shoes they rely on to navigate their dynamic worlds.
ESSENTIALS:
Curating Authentic Content: We needed to capture the essence of Toronto street style.
Creative Collaboration: We enlisted top photographers and videographers @tilore and @duepinlac to document every aspect of the activation—from influencer interviews to the pop-up shop experience to the roaming coffee truck.
OUTCOME:
118% Increase in Brand Awareness: Our targeted content and community engagement efforts led to a significant spike in brand recognition.
3.5 Million Social Reach: The campaign reached millions, amplifying our message across social channels.
Successful Pop-Up Launch: The pop-up shop became a hub of activity, further cementing our presence in Toronto.
Extensive Content Creation: The initiative generated a rich portfolio of content tailored for both city-specific promotions and broader North American campaigns.
We found the taste-makers, entrepreneurs, artists and athletes, asked them questions about their city and the shoe styles they wear.
LAUREN TOYOTA
Q: How has the resurgence of these vegan brands changed your outlook on the future of animal-friendly fashion?
A: well these brands are creating cool unique shoes that just happen to be vegan. It’s not like they’re branding themselves as a vegan footwear company and i actually think that’s beneficial.
I think brands should offer synthetic options in their lines and you are seeing it more and more. Most vegan footwear isn’t really that cool and i feel like it lacks a modern edge and a modern approach to marketing.
I like that I can just go on to SHOES.com and find vegan options that aren’t just hiking shoes or weird toe shoes.
SAMMY RAWAL
Q: You’ve got a pretty cool job. How did you get to where you are now?
A: I got my BFA in photography knowing I wanted to apply the knowledge I got in still imagery and design to moving pictures/motion. I’ve always been really inspired by music, fashion and dance; with music videos being one of my favourite mediums. After graduating, I managed to get an internship at a big film production company and just hustled my way from intern, to paid office mule, to director. The executive producer at that company really took me under her wing and she became (and still remains) a mentor to me.
JEREMIAH SHAMESS
Q: What is your favourite thing about Toronto?
A: the individual neighbourhoods. It’s amazing to see how unique each neighbourhood can be. The people, the shops, the restaurants, the families – and the style! I lived in west queen west and just moved to a tri-plex at Bloor & Ossington, and I will be moving to Roncesvalles/Dundas west to a new development in two years. I love all three neighbourhoods for different reasons. It is truly a great feeling to see the contrast of each one. I love that Toronto is subjectively and objectively multicultural.
ALEXANDRA ORLANDO
Q: How did the Olympics affect what you are doing now?
A: I approach everything with an “I will not give up” attitude. I will do everything I can to try and make a situation better or get the best out of myself – whether it is personal, work or fitness related. A big part of my motivational speaking is rooted in finding your inner strength and tapping into your potential in all areas of your life.
Matt Castel
Taylor Klick
Sergio Senatore
From Portland to Cape Kiwanda
PROJECT:
Collaborating with Instagram influencers Tommy Blades (@PNWonderland, @tommyblades) and Andrew Kearns to create a hiking campaign aimed at driving traffic and increasing exposure for SHOES.com.
WHY:
Having previously worked with Tommy and Andrew on outdoor content, we decided to elevate the collaboration by creating a full-day shoot focused on lifestyle hiking content. The objective was to produce a visually striking campaign that would resonate with outdoor enthusiasts and drive traffic to SHOES.com.
CAMPAIGN GOALS:
Increase SDC exposure in the PDX area by 75%.
Develop a strong, lasting relationship with the Danner brand.
Create authentic, lifestyle-driven content for a hiking campaign.
STRATEGY & EXECUTION:
Tommy and Andrew introduced me to a talented group of outdoor photographers and adventurers, including Beth Kellmer, Nick Carnera, Mikayla Dunn, Luke Lozano, Branden Leion, Mallory Santic, Bryan Daughtry, and Jake Chamseddine. Together, we set out to capture a unique and authentic hiking experience. We chose a hidden gem—Cape Kiwanda, near Portland—a location that frequently appears in Andrew’s Instagram feed but is rarely visited by tourists. The goal was to create content that felt both aspirational and real, capturing the spirit of adventure.
Brand Partnerships & Integration:
We secured several strategic brand partnerships to outfit our team and elevate the campaign:
Danner (footwear)
Richer Poorer (socks)
Incase (bags)
The North Face and Marmot (apparel from SHOES.com)
After securing brand approvals, we outfitted the group with footwear, bags, socks, jackets, and unique swag packages, which helped create a cohesive and authentic outdoor narrative.
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT & OUTCOME:
89% Increase in Brand Awareness in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region.
2.5 Million Social Media Reach, amplifying the campaign across multiple platforms.
Developed a fully integrated content campaign, including assets for the homepage, blog, email marketing, product detail pages, and paid advertising.
Collaborated closely with the graphic team to craft visually compelling content that told the story of our hiking adventure. This content was featured prominently on the homepage, linked to a detailed blog post, and integrated into product pages, email newsletters, and paid ads, driving increased engagement and traffic.
Shoppable Web Content
8:00am: We gathered at one of Portland’s most well-known live music venues and eateries, the Doug Fir, for a proper introduction over coffee and a hearty breakfast. Allie from Richer Poorer arrived with her Danner boots and game face on.
9:30am: A bunch of us piled into a large van while Tommy and co. (accompanied by his dog Evergreen) hitched a ride in the big blue SHOES.com RV.
12:30pm: Arrived at Cape Kiwanda. Took in the views, walked around the beach for a bit and then headed into the Pelican Pub for a quick lunch.
1:30pm: Fueled and ready to go, we grabbed our cameras and bundled up. The weather had started to take a turn. In our weather-appropriate Danner boots and rain-proof outwear, we started our climb up the huge sand-dune mountain. Windy as it was, we were all focused on getting to the point to check out this epic view all the influencers were raving about.
The caramel rust colored sand looked beautiful balanced with the green trees and crashing waves that overtook the side of the Cape as we reached the top point. The group began snapping as our hair blew in the wind–we looked to the left and noticed a large grey cloud approaching. The first-timers (SHOES.com and RP Allie), decided we’d better think about turning back.
After 20 minutes of shooting, we decided to turn back. At that time, the wind had picked up and the rain began to pour.
We made it down the huge dune with a bit of sand in our hair, but feeling refreshed. Luke and Branden had taken off to grab photos on the other side of the Cape.
10:30am: A quick stop at a beautiful creek that led into a waterfall. Epic spot for some shots!
11:00am: Second stop at a quaint store for road snacks.
3:30pm: Jumped back into the van and headed to Cape Point. The weather was still not letting up, but we weren’t going to leave without getting some forest/hiking/fog shots…
5:00pm: We gathered in the SHOES.com RV for snacks, beer and goods: Incase bags filled with a Danner camping mug, RP socks, Incase apple cases and Watson’s shoe care.
6:30pm: Headed back to Portland, said our goodbyes and went home to download, upload, and share our images on our social channels.
Here's a few social shares from the day
The Smoothie Launch: Vancouver's South Granville Street
Marketing Strategy for Heirloom Juice Co.: A Community-First Approach
I wanted to take a fun, experimental approach to help Heirloom Juice Co. (HJC) gain exposure and build a loyal customer base. The goal was simple: create a buzz around their new juice bar by making people smile and fostering a sense of community on South Granville. The idea was to engage locals and spread positivity with delicious, refreshing smoothies.
Here’s how I approached it:
Leverage my knowledge of South Granville: I’m familiar with the area, so I decided to interact with the local crowd and capture authentic moments.
Use real people, not models: Instead of relying on staged photos, I took candid shots of locals enjoying the product, showing real, relatable experiences.
Focus on community building: HJC’s product is about creating connections, and the best way to build a community is through referrals—genuine, positive word-of-mouth about the product.
Deliver an amazing product: Every smoothie needed to be top-notch, ensuring that customers were excited to share their experience with others.
Keep it simple: Marketing doesn’t need to be over-complicated. Sometimes the most impactful ideas come from keeping things straightforward and authentic.
Why This Approach Works:
HJC is a brand that thrives on offering a product that’s both convenient and delightful—smoothies on-the-go. But building a community around that product takes time and strategy. It’s all about referrals: genuine recommendations from people who actually love the taste. The key here is making sure that every smoothie handed out is a standout, no "meh" reactions allowed. If the product isn't amazing, the word-of-mouth will suffer.
I believe in keeping things simple. In marketing, especially, the best ideas often emerge when the process is uncomplicated and authentic. Over-complicating things or getting too many opinions can dilute the impact. The success of this campaign was in its simplicity: capture real moments, spread joy, and show off the product in a natural, engaging way.
This strategy isn’t about being flashy or relying solely on online presence. While HJC continues to grow its online community, it’s the street-level connections that truly matter. Social media is valuable, but it won’t teach you how people interact with your product in real life. The real insights come from engaging with customers as they go about their daily routines—much like observing wildlife in its natural habitat. By doing this, you get to understand how your product fits into their world, which leads to more targeted, authentic campaign ideas.
Key Takeaway:
Step away from the screen. Engage with real people to see how they interact with your product.
Genuine human connection sparks creativity. You might be surprised at how many original, unexpected ideas emerge from authentic interaction
Thanks to Leanne at Oliver and Lily's, Genevieve at Violet Boutique, Experience Headphones, WANT Apothecary, Sunny at West Elm, TNA and Ashley Aveda Tonic.