Story & Partnerships · Cincinnati
every product has aStoryMost just haven't been given a stage.
Brand activation and partnerships for businesses whose brand is already built. I help it come alive in the world.
See how
I walk it first. I experience your product the way your customer would. I notice where it lands and where someone checks out. Then I get curious about why.
Three ways to give it a stage
Collaboration
Say you came to me with a product that has a story no one knows. We might pair it with an artist or maker whose work gives it new meaning.
Gathering
Say your product is good but the room is quiet. We might partner with a newer club or community that shares your values, and host evenings people remember and learn something from.
Telling
Say people walk right past it. We stage the product itself: where it was sourced, who made it, why it matters. The same burger tastes different when someone walks you through every layer.
Some brands need a refresh. Some need a full rebrand. Most don't know which yet, and they shouldn't have to guess. We start small, watch what your audience responds to, and let the brand evolve from there. If I don't believe it's ready, I'll tell you. Kindly, and before you spend a dollar.
Collaborations
Collaboration · Silk scarf
John Ruthven Bengal Tiger Scarf
A silk scarf pairing the work of Cincinnati wildlife painter John Ruthven with Grey Hall Design, a collaboration I brought together. I called the studio with an idea: a scarf drawn from one of his paintings, made with his family. My first thought was one of his horse paintings blended with her watercolor designs. When that direction wasn't landing, I suggested a Bengal tiger, a nod to the Bengals and to the city, and the studio developed it from there.
Silk scarf · Retail
Red Rock Ranch Silk Scarf
A custom silk scarf for Red Rock Ranch, designed with Grey Hall Design. It sold out at the ranch, and they've asked for another order. After visiting the ranch, I brought it to Grey Hall Design and helped map out a design drawn from the place itself. I commissioned the run, and the ranch bought the inventory.
Questions
What does a brand activation strategist do?
A brand activation strategist takes a brand that already exists and brings it to life in the world, through collaborations, events, and the way the product is presented and told. I don't start from a blank page. I start from what you've already built.
Do you only work with brands that are already built?
Mostly. My best work starts from something real. If the foundation needs to change, we'll find that out together, a little at a time.
What's the difference between a brand refresh and a rebrand?
A refresh keeps the heart of the brand and updates how it shows up. A rebrand replaces the foundation. I begin with small changes, watch how your audience responds, and let that decide which one you need.
What happens if you don't believe in my product?
I'll tell you, kindly and early, before you spend money on it. I only take work I believe in.
Do you work with agencies?
Yes. Agencies bring me in to experience a product the way the end customer would, and to help shape it from there.
How do we start?
Tell me about what you've built and where it feels stuck. If it's a fit, I start by walking your business the way your customer would.
Contact
tell me aboutWhat you've built
Where it feels like you, and where it's asking too much of you. Every note lands with me, personally.
April Collar · Grounded Finds
The Scout Guide Cincinnati & NKY, Volume 11