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Derris Madewell Kikoff Kenneth Cole In Common With Minted Roxanne Assoulaine
Derris
For me: First comms job, agency job, and client services job. For Derris: the first non-PR hire. Built the content division at the brand-building and PR firm. If there was a “job that changed everything,” this was it.
What I did:
Evangelized for a new way of thinking. It was as much about internal education as it was about supporting clients.
For a rebrand for a cannabis holding company, handled positioning, brand voice, and every word of copy.
Published a book on empathy for a B2B gifting company that became an annual report.
Led email marketing and social content for a kid’s organic brand.
Big learnings:
Everything is marketing.
Learn to scale the non-scalable.
Client services needs a makeover.
Madewell
I joined as the first-ever dedicated content hire to develop storytelling. I started by launching the blog and Instagram. I finished having integrated community and UGC, written ad copy, produced shoots, etc etc etc.
What I did:
Concepted and wrote all social content (and won Bloglovin’s Best Blog Award)
Integrated UGC and put community - real people - at the center of storytelling.
Created editorial franchises still used years later
Big learnings:
Leverage customer data. Seek it out proactively every. single. day.
Connect non-ROI initiatives to the bottom line
Repetition matters as new customers meet you
Kikoff
The GGV-backed finance app for Gen Z needed an editorial strategy and richer, regular dialogue with their community. I pitched (and launched) a Gen Z Board of Directors to make sure we were always engaged with the people we were serving.
Big learnings:
DM random people on Tiktok and ask if they wouldn’t mind talking with you. Then mentor them.
Approach content like an engineer or product person. Do not plan so far ahead.
Perks, proactive surprises, and rewards for no reason go a long way.
Kenneth Cole
Helped Kenneth build a mental health coalition that brought together 8 massive non-profits, then launched a campaign. Pentagram brought it all to life. Collaboration, not competition.
What I did:
Strategy and partner and celeb casting for the new organization
Partnered with Pentagram on the “square peg, round hole” (read the case study)
2 big learnings:
Big companies will share the spotlight
Admit your blindspots.
Outcomes:
FastCo covered the launch day
Got first 10k Instagram followers in one month
In Common With
Supported the hands-down coolest design studio through a website overhaul and brand refresh.
What I did:
Rewrote every word on the new website, designed by creative director Ben Wagner of Lido Studio.
Built email flows for onboarding, triggered, and CS communication.
Big learnings:
Weird product descriptions do more for you. And for customers.
If you have to choose, be clear, not clever
Minted
Presented the first-ever “Gen Z and online culture” talk at the artist platform’s annual retreat in Vegas.
What I did:
Spent hours with highschool and college kids on FaceTime, DM, in person
Gave my hour-long talk (read my deck here) to 200 people
Big learnings:
Spend time on things others dismiss as a toy.
Your lunch-and-learn can become a client deliverable.
Roxanne Assoulin
Wacky content initiatives and media relations for a beloved niche jewlery company.
What I did:
Developed a contest for people to design their own bracelets coloring book
Produced the brand’s first pop-up DIY event in The Hamptons
Managed interviews in Vogue, Fashionista, PopSugar, Bustle
Cast real people to market the launch of the men’s collection
3 big learnings:
Launch when it’s ready, not when it’s perfect.
Let customers design their own products.
Deliver work ahead of schedule.