Verde Brand Communications
BORN OUT OF PASSION
It all started 12 years ago – although the vision for Verde precedes that. Founded by journalist, consultant, mother, and adventure seeker Kristin Carpenter-Ogden in Durango, Colorado, Verde’s foundation as a premier brand communications agency has always been driven by passion. Passion for success, passion for leadership, passion for cultivating rock-solid client and media relationships, passion for the active lifestyle, and passion for infusing professional fun into everything we do. From what started as a handful of eager PR tacticians who created and executed high-level strategy and results for such influential client partners like Athleta, prAna, and GoPro years ago, Verde has transformed into a diverse, talented team of 30 vibrant, motivated, creative, and dedicated people who bring unique skills and personalities to Our Family and the work we do today. With our tightly-knit agency working out of offices in the outdoor hotspots of Jackson Hole, Boulder, and Durango (and both the east and west coasts), our agency has grown to be the influential leader in strategic brand communications that delivers results across big, mainstream media and our core markets of outdoor, cycling, active lifestyle, snowsports, and action sports. We are proud to be valued partners of a top-notch roster of 35-plus clients, across numerous industries and DNA compositions. Our growth over the last few years has inspired us to diversify our agency with the addition of dedicated Social Media and Content Solutions, Events, and Action Sports divisions to further our service offerings to brands and continue to set ourselves apart. From our nucleus of seasoned, experienced directors to our account coordinators, what makes our agency operate like a well-oiled machine is our people. We are authentic, connected, and innovative as we strive to always stay one step ahead of the game. Our mission is to continue to sustainably evolve our agency as an innovative and creative leader in integrated brand communications. We are genuine partners to our clients, traditional media, new media influencers, and the end consumer with a common goal of creating memorable experiences that breed success.
we travel
we climb
FARTHER
HIGHER authenticity
we inspire others to get
intelligence we seek ADVENTURE we strive
to be the
we go BIGGER
OUTSIDE
we live for the
OUTDOORS
creativity
passion
BEST
WHAT MOTIVATES US
OUR INTEGRATED AGENCY Verde Brand Communications we believe the world is better seen from the saddle of a bike, from five A tmiles into a trail run, from the top of a backcountry bowl the night after it has snowed 12-plus inches, from the nose of a surfboard riding a glassy wave, or halfway up the crux pitch of an alpine climb.
Simply put, the passion for those kinds of activities are what led us to this line of work in the first place. They’re why we’re based where we are. And, they’re why we get the results that we do. Over the last 12 years, our team has grown into a collective of 30 PR strategists, social media gurus, technology geeks, product experts, business analysts, and branding and marketing aficionados. We are known for our strong customer service, creativity, environmental stewardship, and results-driven approach. Our agency strategically helps clients distill their brand message and product positioning, identify audiences, and then create the bridges needed to catalyze engagement and activation. Considering this goal, our philosophy can be summed up in a two words: opportunity + execution. We’ve built our name as a leader in public relations and brand communications for more than a decade in the active lifestyle markets because we create exposure and brand awareness for our clients that enable discovery for media and end consumers. an integrated, broad menu of services from traditional PR to social media and digital content creation Withto targeted marketing, we provide ALL our clients with high-level counsel regardless of size. The level of strategic, creative offerings Verde is able to provide puts us in a class of our own.
Verde melds the capabilities and reach of a larger agency into a fine-tuned, nimble team with genuine fluency in our clients’ core markets. Our expertise has always been to grow and further our clients in their founding markets, while expanding them successfully into new markets and media channels through an integrated brand communications approach comprising earned, owned, and paid media services. And, we do this tactfully and without diluting a brand’s authenticity or credibility. We have built our name on exemplary service to our clients and to all media we serve. Our work uncovers opportunities for messaging and targets delivery. The results we bring to our clients moves the needle in sales, grows market share, and builds mindshare.
OUR EXPERIENCE
“We are proud to have Verde Brand Communications handling PR for the 15 brands in the K2 Sports portfolio. Verde’s team is not only consummate pros at helping craft and disseminate our communications, they are fun people to be around. We like having Verde as a part of our Team.” -- Tim Petrick | President and CEO, K2 Sports | tim_petrick@k2sports.com “The team assembled at Verde is one of the best in the business: Knowledgeable, brand-aware, and attentive to my requests without ever being pushy. I never have to worry about the arrival of a requested product sample or the accuracy of the information they provide about their clients. Above all else, they’re all just good human beings. And that matters.” -- Matt Berical | Senior Editor, Maxim | mberical@maxim.com “For more than four years, Verde Brand Communications has consistently delivered high-impact media placements for Outdoor Research’s most important product introductions. With two Outside Magazine Gear of the Year awards and more than 40 other awards and accolades, Verde has positioned Outdoor Research within the very top tier of outdoor apparel brands.” -- Charles Lozner | Director of Marketing, Outdoor Research | charlesl@outdoorresearch.com “Throughout the years, Verde has gone out of its way to make things happen for us at the magazine. They understand the magazine and how we cover our world. And it goes way deeper than just product. People, ideas, trends. When I need to track down a source for a story or am in need of some background info, I often ring Verde up.” -- Sam Moulton | Executive Editor, Outside magazine | smoulton@outsidemag.com “Kristin Carpenter-Ogden and Verde are an integral part of the Accell North America organization. They have allowed us to orga nize a comprehensive plan of engagement around the media, social media and communication planning. Beyond these initiatives, likely the most valuable asset that Verde has offered is their assistance in development of strategic planning for our business. Verde brings a valuable, and experienced, perspective to our strategy discussions that we had been missing prior to our engagement with Verde. In short, I would highly recommend Verde.” -- Chris Speyer | CEO, Accell North America | cspeyer@accellna.com “I’ve worked with the folks at Verde for eight years and positions at three magazines, and what’s stayed consistent is their thoughtful pitches, helpful advice on new gear and trends, and unmatched — wait, am I allowed to say that? Nearly unmatched! — level of professionalism. I know that if I’m working with someone at Verde, I’ll get exactly what I need, and fast.” -- Marissa Stephenson | Senior Editor, Men’s Journal | marissa.stephenson@mensjournal.com
WORDS FROM CLIENTS & MEDIA
In 2007, Verde Brand Communications established a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practice division. In the division, Verde works closely with clients to create CSR platforms and reporting, messaging build out, outreach and liaison work with outsourced CSR contract entities, such as carbon-footprint analysis companies as well as non-profits.
Verde maintains this division because it’s a critical part of how we give back. Our reach as PR and brand communication practitioners is large, as is the reach of our media and influencer stakeholders. Our work can directly translate into visibility and forward movement on important environmental and social values work. Verde Brand Communications CSR Clients: - Osprey (Global) - La Sportiva (Global) - Nikwax (Global) - Primaloft (Bluesign-driven) - Confluence Watersports - Outdoor Research (Global) - Allied Down (Responsible Down Initiative) - prAna (Windpower Initiative) - Cocona - Ocean Minded (Crocs) Verde is the pro-bono brand communications provider for the Conservation Alliance, and has held this post proudly for the past nine years. Additionally, Verde represents The Green Lane Project and People for Bikes and agency founder Kristin Carpenter-Ogden serves as a volunteer board member of the American Mountain Guides Association. Verde supports: - The Access Fund - The Conservation Alliance - Trails 2000 - Telluride Venture Association
Corporate social responsibility
CASE STUDIES
this year, Verde worked with the team at Diamondback to develop a multi-channel (trad PR, social, content) media strategy E arlier around the company’s introduction of their new Mission 27.5 bike at the Sea Otter Classic (SOC) cycling festival and online with
retail partner Backcountry.com. As a brand that sells direct, Diamondback needed to “own” key product introductions at consumer events, generating demand while positioning the product online for consumer purchase. The brand needed to demonstrate – with exceptional owned content and earned media - its ability to elevate new product categories and technologies. Our strategy included creating and deploying the following assets: a product movie, photography, advertisements, media relations, and digital content. Our digital marketing tactics included creating a “super feature” on Diamondback.com that pointed visitors to a dedicated experience page, containing: a pre-loaded product movie, specs, product photography, social media feed for the product’s branded hashtag, a product giveaway portal, and a newsletter sign-up button. With retail partner Backcountry.com, a promotion for the Mission 27.5 was launched the week after SOC’s close to ride the SOC momentum. The Verde team produced digital content which was deployed on the Diamondback blog, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google Plus, with the goal of overall channel growth, product awareness, and driving traffic to the Mission 27.5 experience page. Social marketing included paid/promoted content, consistent on-the-ground updates, athlete activation with Instagram video, and giveaway opportunities. We also produced a media-specific e-mail campaign designed with custom creative (prior to SOC), inviting media to be the exclusive group of first-riders – which generated authentic, endemic reviews. Campaign coverage included: placement of the Mission 27.5 in every key endemic media publication (print + digital), inbound links back to Diamondback.com from top endemic sites, and SEO that grew the brand’s Facebook fans by 605 and engaged more than 700,000 on Facebook in the four-day period.
CASE STUDIES (CONT.)
partner Ibex, makers of high-quality, performance merino wool clothing, came to Verde with a devoted customer base C lient through its website and print catalogs, as well as distribution in outdoor specialty retailers nationwide. Ibex challenged our agency to increase visibility for the brand and to help achieve greater visibility in women’s broad market lifestyle, fashion, and fitness publications. Developing a targeted tactical plan that utilized our deep broad market networks, our team of senior staff worked closely with Ibex executives to generate messaging, goals, and an effective line of communication. Strategically executing our pitch outreach, exclusive one-on-one NYC media tour with Ibex executives, and proactive approach to realizing Ibex’s brand awareness, sales, and marketing goals, we produced more than 16 media placements in outlets that pinpointed Ibex’s overarching goals for the campaign. Campaign coverage included: Redbook Magazine, Shape, FitSugar.com, Fitness, Whole Living, Runner’s World, Health, Prevention, Yoga Journal, Organic Spa, Self.com, Women’s Wear Daily, and more.
CASE STUDIES (CONT.)
of Verde’s founding clients, Backcountry.com, tapped the agency to create a campaign that focused on highlighting CEO O ne Jill Layfield and the growth of women business executives at high-profile, fast-moving companies. The goal was to build
brand awareness while featuring Jill as CEO, positioning the brand as the source for gear knowledge, and leader in specialty online retail for outdoor gear. Working closely with the internal team and executives at Backcountry, Verde administered strategic public relations tactics that focused on influencers in mainstream media and high traffic/circulation outlets across a variety of categories including: business, women’s interest, broad market, general interest, trade, outdoor, action sports, snowsports, endurance, and local/ regional outreach. The nine-month campaign yielded numerous print and digital placements that focused on Jill and the growing company, as well as speaking engagements, profiles, and broadcast/on-camera appearances. And, residual media interest and coverage continued well after the campaign period. Our client partner was impressed with Verde’s execution, messaging, results, and reporting. Since this campaign, Backcountry has looked to Verde to create similar campaigns for members of their Executive Team. Campaign coverage included: NPR, Outside Magazine’s “Power List: Most Influential People in the Outdoor industry,” Internet Retailer, Outside TV, Women’s Adventure, and more.
CASE STUDIES (CONT.)
Verde’s partnership with women’s active lifestyle apparel brand Athleta spanned three years. Over the course of this time, Verde successfully managed core and broad market brand communications surrounding GAP, Inc.’s purchase of the brand.
Athleta partnered with our agency to grow and amplify their customer base in core markets for their performance, fashion-forward female-designed activewear. In addition to helping increasing sales and market share, Athleta tasked Verde with creating an effective communications strategy that solidified the brand’s position in core markets, while providing high-level consul for growth into new markets. Verde introduced the media to Athleta’s branding through a spring ‘08 product collection preview featuring swim-related apparel, which was one of Athleta’s strongest product offerings. Building off initial campaign success, our agency worked to expand relationships with target media in fitness, outdoor, health/wellness, lifestyle, and fashion through full-court press tactics – selling Athleta branding, products, and growth initiatives. In addition to highly noticeable results, our team developed strong communication with Athleta marketing executives to maintain a cohesive unity that was integral to the campaign’s success. We also provided comprehensive reporting that highlighted results and ROI. Campaign coverage included: People Magazine, Redbook, Real Simple, Women’s Health, Shape, Lucky, Outside, Yoga Journal, SELF, Fitness, and Runner’s World. Media placements totaled more than 100 million impressions.
VERDE RESULTS
A
t Verde we utilize traditional, non-traditional, innovative and wide-reaching methods to create visibility and momentum for our clients, including:
Public Relations Influencer Relations Social/Digital Media Athlete/Ambassador management Rep support and training Tradeshow support Crisis Communications Marketing Strategy/Support Brand Refining/Consultation Community Management Content Marketing Content Bank Corporate Social Responsibility Constituent Outreach Events + Tailored Media Trips Pay-Per-Click Services Communications/Media Planning (traditional and online) SEO/Search Engine Marketing
INTEGRATED SERVICES
Chris Primavera Lisa Mullen Kristin Carpetner-Ogden
Craig Randall
Tessa Byars
Keith Cozzens
KEEN TEAM
Verde Brand Communications Boulder | Jackson Hole | Durango
verdepr.com (970) 259-3555