FactSet, a global financial digital platform and enterprise solutions provider, has unveiled a new campaign that is a smart departure from category norms. 

Titled “Not Just The Facts,” the campaign shows what happens when members of the investment community are pelted with increasingly absurd and irrelevant facts. The ending reminds viewers that getting just facts—without context or personalization—is useless. 

“The premise is comedic, but the point it makes is 100% true: The investment community is overwhelmed with information,” said FactSet CMO Jenifer Brooks. “FactSet provides our clients with industry-leading breadth and depth of data through an intelligent platform that ensures they’re getting not just the facts, but also the context they need to make the most of these facts.” 

For more than 40 years, FactSet has been creating flexible, open data and technology solutions that help investors make crucial decisions; today, FactSet serves over 206,000 investment professionals worldwide. Building on this momentum, FactSet was ready to come out with a strong, differentiating point of view to build awareness of its offerings.

“The best way to stand out is to do something really memorable and different, and FactSet really embraced that with this campaign,” said Kim Mickenberg, Associate Partner and Executive Creative Director at VSA. “There’s a misconception that B2B advertising has to be less interesting and emotional than consumer-facing ads, but the truth is that B2B buyers are people, too—and people love to laugh.”

The spots were directed by Thinking Machine’s Docter Twins, who worked closely with the broader team to ensure an excellent shoot. 

“You know it’s a special project when the entire crew is enjoying each take just as much as the agency and client,” said Matthew Docter. 

“We got involved early on because Kim’s scripts were so good, and we couldn't have asked for a more creative collaboration,” Jason Docter added. “The teamwork on set kept us nimble and enabled us to capture a lot in a single shoot day.”

“From the start, we were inspired by FactSet’s story, the clarity of their point of view, and their willingness to do something really different in the space,” said Mickenberg. “We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with FactSet and our collaboration with Thinking Machine, and we couldn’t be more excited about the work.” 

The campaign is rolling out across digital, streaming, and CTV this week. 

**VSA Credits**

- Kim Mickenberg: Associate Partner | Executive Creative Director
- John Sheehan: Account Lead
- Josh Berta: Associate Partner | Executive Creative Director
- Jessica Sochol: Associate Partner | Strategy
- Rebecca McNerney: Associate Director | Strategy 
- Jessica Brown: Associate Creative Director | Copy
- Megan Schulist: Creative Director
- Sarah Trent: Associate Director | Design
- Tarek El-Mofty: Associate Partner | Executive Director, Production
- Bryan Haney: Director, Motion Production
- Thomas Horne: Director, Editorial and Animation
- Nate Pence: Motion Editor
- Kara Denniston: Project Manager
- Maria Erdmann: Senior Copy Editor
- Bri Lockett Van Andel: Business Manager
- Ronnie Crecco: Music Composer

**Production Company: Thinking Machine**

- Docter Twins: Director
- Alon Simcha: Executive Producer
- Alexandra Byer: Line Producer
- Kip Bogdahn: Director of Photography
- Ursula Barker: Art Director
- Lauren Charkow: Casting Director

**About FactSet**

FactSet (NYSE:FDS | NASDAQ:FDS) helps the financial community to see more, think bigger, and work better. Our digital platform and enterprise solutions deliver financial data, analytics, and open technology to nearly 8,000 global clients, including over 206,000 individual users. Clients across the buy-side and sell-side as well as wealth managers, private equity firms, and corporations achieve more every day with our comprehensive and connected content, flexible next-generation workflow solutions, and client-centric specialized support. As a member of the S&P 500, we are committed to sustainable growth and have been recognized amongst the Best Places to Work in 2023 by Glassdoor as a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award winner. Learn more at [www.factset.com](https://www.factset.com/) and follow us on [X](https://twitter.com/FactSet) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/factset/). 

**About Thinking Machine**

Thinking Machine is a Los Angeles–based commercial production company specializing in creative storytelling. [thinkingmachine.tv](https://thinkingmachine.tv/)


FactSet Says No to Boring B2B Advertising

A businesswoman sits in front of a screen with charts on it at a long table

large_FactSet_Image3_web.jpg

medium_FactSet_Image3_web.jpg

small_FactSet_Image3_web.jpg

thumbnail_FactSet_Image3_web.jpg

FactSet_Image3_web.jpg

VSA Associate Partner and Executive Director of Production Tarek El-Mofty was recently interviewed by AdForum. During the interview, Tarek discussed his views on the future of production—particularly, how to create authentic and relevant campaigns and user experiences. 

Tarek and author India Fizer cover the importance of listening tools in campaign creation and how they serve as real-time focus groups. They also discuss how VSA approaches cross-cultural campaigns by emphasizing intersectionality during audience research and how that ladders down to different audience needs. 

Tarek also shares his thoughts on how augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) can be used to improve user experiences, and how new technologies might deepen the impact of these interactions: 

“With the emergence of Apple Vision Pro and the possibilities of 3D cameras and video, we’re about to see a whole new evolution of these mediums. Apple Vision Pro seamlessly integrates AR/VR for a truly blended reality. This technology can create immersive 3D videos with captured depth perception as well as allow for object recognition and tracking. Overall, it will create better virtual environments and even more practical applications.” 

[Read the full interview](https://www.adforum.com/interviews/tarek-el-mofty-vsa-partners-authenticity-is-critical-to-brand-success). 


Tarek El-Mofty Interviewed by AdForum

large_GettyImages-1269476497_web.jpg

medium_GettyImages-1269476497_web.jpg

small_GettyImages-1269476497_web.jpg

thumbnail_GettyImages-1269476497_web.jpg

GettyImages-1269476497_web.jpg

02291jsochol

Jessica Sochol

Associate Partner, Strategy

VSA’s Jessica Sochol was recently interviewed by AdForum to give insights on the expansion of retail media. During the interview, she discusses the reasons and trends behind the boom of retail media, how retail brands can adapt and use new technologies to improve customer experience, and what that means for brick and mortar locations. 

Jessica points to three trends that have propelled the growth of retail media: the rise of retail content creation, the explosion of the digital big-box retailer, and the rise of social media marketing. 

She also shares how brands can use personalization to supercharge their CX: 

“​​Brands need to get their data in order, ensuring every customer interaction treats the customer like you’ve met before. That means remembering previous orders, recommending related, relevant products, and offering unique customer service and offers that recognize the existing relationship. As retailers expand their media arms, they have access to more data — especially around the topics and issues each customer cares about — and should be ready to use that information to show up in a way that says, ‘We see you, and we appreciate you.’”

[Click here to check out the full article](https://www.adforum.com/interviews/jessica-sochol-vsa-partners-the-biggest-opportunities-are-in-the-nitty-gritty-details), which includes additional insights about designing retail experiences for Gen Z and Gen A as well as how to create a powerful physical-digital connection between customer experiences. 


Jessica Sochol Featured on AdForum

large_GettyImages-1283408120_web.jpg

medium_GettyImages-1283408120_web.jpg

small_GettyImages-1283408120_web.jpg

thumbnail_GettyImages-1283408120_web.jpg

GettyImages-1283408120_web.jpg

curt-schreiber-1524

Curt Schreiber

Chief Creative Officer

VSA Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber was recently a guest on Greg Kihlström’s podcast, “The Agile Brand.” In this episode, Curt and Greg explore the benefits of stakeholder design and how organizations can implement it into their own business practices. 

Stakeholder design emphasizes the importance of optimizing outcomes for multiple stakeholders, which could be shareholders, employees, customers or even outside groups, like nonprofits or social justice organizations. Curt has previously worked with Jon Iwata and the Yale Program on Stakeholder Innovation and Management on “The New Brief,” which gathered 60 business leaders, designers and strategic thinkers to develop new ideas and processes for stakeholder design. 

Curt outlines why stakeholder design has become critical to success and innovation. First, CEOs today face ever-increasing pressure to meet the needs of multiple groups but often feel underprepared to lead in this landscape. Stakeholder design can help manage optimal outcomes for these sometimes opposing demands, and support CEOs as they respond to these new expectations. 

It also yields more creative solutions that drive growth. Stakeholder design naturally involves a greater set of constraints, which Curt explains are essential for encouraging outside-the-box design thinking. Its practice involves breaking down siloed departments and cross-collaboration that can spark innovative thinking. 

[Listen to the full podcast](https://open.spotify.com/episode/35LajDDHAHbvYxpMcNuXxu?si=FvjTIBnvQLSWx3ADjuQIlg) to hear more from Curt about how businesses can implement stakeholder design, the value of horizontal thinking over vertical thinking and why stakeholder design can help you bring value to more people than ever before. 


Curt Schreiber Appears on ‘The Agile Brand' Podcast

large_VSA-social-sharing-generic

medium_VSA-social-sharing-generic

small_VSA-social-sharing-generic

thumbnail_VSA-social-sharing-generic

VSA-social-sharing-generic

ariadna-navarro-1524

Ariadna Navarro

Former Chief Growth Officer



VSA Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro recently appeared on an episode of “CMO Convo,” hosted by Will Whitham, to discuss how Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) can overcome today’s biggest challenges—including how to get buy-in from their fellow executives on the importance of brand as a business asset. 

With the increased ability to measure and trace results, CMOs today are often held to hard metrics and KPIs that need to be realized immediately. But, paradoxically, brands can sometimes take years to build, and short-term tactics may compromise long-term success. 

If a CMO doesn’t already have a mutual understanding with other business leaders about the critical role brand plays, they are going to have an uphill battle. Still, they can aid their cause by showing how brand can be used as the filter through which all decisions are made, as well as demonstrating how brand can help other executives meet their own KPIs. 

[Check out the full podcast](https://www.cmoalliance.com/the-secret-to-successful-long-term-marketing-plans-with-ariadna-navarro/) to hear more about how CMOs can navigate the new marketing and business landscape, including how to build strategic partnerships among other executives and teams for shared success, why emotion is so critical in marketing and how to measure it, and Ari’s three golden rules for CMO success. 



Ariadna Navarro Appears on ‘CMO Convo’ Podcast

Motorola Solutions took to the New York Stock Exchange floor on November 15 to unveil its new brand narrative, “Solving for Safer.” The brand narrative was crafted with agency VSA to better communicate Motorola Solutions’ transformation and investment in public safety.

The sentiment behind the new brand narrative conveys Motorola Solutions’ continual commitment to improving public safety. VSA Associate Partner and Head of Content Bill Maday explains, “‘Solving’ speaks to Motorola Solutions’ constant drive to innovate, while ‘safer’ embodies its promise that just as threats to public safety are ever-evolving, so are its technologies.”

“We think more people should know about the amazing and important work Motorola Solutions does,” says VSA Associate Partner and Head of Strategy Michael Girts. “This new brand narrative tells their story in a powerful, simple and inspiring way, and it helps them get the credit they deserve for building and connecting the technologies that make the world safer.”


solving-for-safer-press-release-photo-v2-1920x1080

Over the past nine years, Motorola Solutions has invested $12 billion in research, development and the acquisition of safety technologies with a single goal: to connect those in need with those who can help. These technologies enable private enterprises and public safety agencies to collaborate quickly when it matters most. 

The new brand narrative is being rolled out through a massive public launch, including a ringing of the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange and a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal. The brand narrative will also be rolled out internally. 

“We’re excited to see this brand narrative continue to inspire our workforce and our investors,” says VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser. “It’s a bright future for Motorola Solutions, and now they have the words to describe it.” 


Motorola Solutions Announces New Brand Narrative, ‘Solving for Safer’

Solving-for-safer-wsj

Curt Schreiber was recently interviewed on the podcast “Bonanza Growth: Innovation, Strategy and UX for SaaS,” hosted by Behrad Mirafshar. 

Behrad and Curt dove deep on how to transition from a graphic designer to creative director, how Curt has seen brands shift in response to emerging technologies, the complexity of stakeholder design and how to build a strong brand experience. 

The Bonanza Growth podcast features hands-on knowledge from experts on UX design, design thinking and product innovation. 

[Click here to listen to the show](https://open.spotify.com/episode/4A9divgXIPOlsRF8e0rIJe?si=Sg2_kPCNQha9E2YHHlIdlg). 


Curt Schreiber Is Guest on ‘Bonanza Growth’ Podcast

VSA Partners recently announced the launch of new brand identity work for client EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure. The work was created to better reflect EdgeCore’s updated business strategy and plans to develop gigawatt sized data center regions to support customers’ AI/ML workloads.

At the heart of the rebrand is EdgeCore’s new tagline, “Designed for Density,” which aptly describes its focus on developing 300+ MW data center campuses capable of providing high-density power to the world’s largest cloud and internet companies. The new brand messaging better communicates the company’s alignment with customer priorities, such as scalability and operational efficiency, as well as the commitments EdgeCore has made to sustainability, safety and local communities.

EdgeCore_Assets_collection

“This new brand all comes down to communicating certainty,” said Anne-Marie Rosser, Chief Executive Officer at VSA Partners. “An EdgeCore client could find space elsewhere. But it’s the certainty that EdgeCore can deliver the density they promise—on time and within budget—that enables them to serve and retain the biggest names in tech. EdgeCore is one of the most concentrated groups of experts ever assembled to tackle this challenge. The new identity matches EdgeCore’s bold vision, and is a statement that EdgeCore has the right people, relationships and knowledge their clients require.”


Book Unfolds_9x16

With an established reputation for excellence in brand development and identity work, VSA was tasked with redesigning the EdgeCore logo, as well as specifying an entirely new design system for the company. 

The resulting work plays into the physicality of the business, capturing both the essence of what EdgeCore does and how it conducts its business. The grid design in the logo is inspired by the data blocks that form the foundation of information storage systems, and the color palette takes its cue from the RGB monitor, establishing red, green and blue as the core colors. The logo is also imbued with meaning—the monogram illustrates the data storage space EdgeCore provides its customers, with the square representing its clients’ data. All together, the new identity creates a sense of familiarity for EdgeCore’s tech-based audience, communicating confidence and approachability through a recognizable and inviting design language.

“We’re excited to launch this rebrand for EdgeCore,” said Rosser. “It’s the perfect complement to their growth story and positions them well for even further expansion in the years to come.”

**Credits:**
- Mike Walsh, Client Engagement 
- Kris Newgren, Executive Creative Director
- Marisa Rondinelli, Strategy Director
- Jimi Geiyer, Associate Creative Director
- Nadia Nyberg, Design
- Zach Nichols, Design
- Sam Christian, Creative Director
- HoJo Willenzik, Associate Creative Director
- Sam Stalling, Production Design
- Jill Hoffman, Project Management


**About EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure**

EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure serves the world’s largest cloud and internet companies with both ready-for-occupancy and build-to-suit data center campuses that are designed for density. Privately held and backed by committed equity, EdgeCore enables hyperscale customer requirements by proactively investing in regions that provide the land and power necessary to support and scale AI and cloud technology. While working thoughtfully with the communities in which we do business, our data center campuses are built at scale to meet key performance specifications, safety metrics and sustainability objectives. EdgeCore has data center campuses in four North American markets with plans to expand into new regions in 2024. For more information, please visit [edgecore.com](https://edgecore.com).

EdgeCore Unveils New Brand Identity

A modern building with the EdgeCore logo on the outside.

EdgeCore_building_mockup_hero

Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber was recently a guest on the podcast “Prodity: Product by Design,” hosted by Kyle Evans. 

On the show, Curt and Kyle discuss the power of constraints and negative space in design, the importance and power of reconceptualizing brand identity during periods of business transition, and how to create multistakeholder design in the modern world. 

“Product by Design” features interviews with founders, leaders and experts about product management, artificial intelligence (AI), user experience design, technology, and how we can create the best product experiences for users and our businesses. 

You can listen to the show on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/26lHCsLyc00yVnPveMniEn?si=73fd0b924a824804) and [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prodity-product-by-design/id1506983636?i=1000630359336), or [click here to learn more about Prodity: Product by Design] (https://share.transistor.fm/s/c9272691).

Curt Schreiber Is a Guest on ‘Prodity: Product by Design’ Podcast 

anne-marie-rosser-1524

Anne-Marie Rosser

Chief Executive Officer

VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser was recently published in Forbes magazine with her piece, “Four Things Your Marketing Agency Wants You To Know About AI.” Check out an excerpt of the piece below, and [click here to read the full piece on Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/10/04/four-things-your-marketing-agency-wants-you-to-know-about-ai/?sh=2b02284f7710).

To say that AI is top of mind for most business leaders feels like an understatement. A recent IBM study found that the [global AI adoption rate was 35% in 2022](https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/GVAGA3JP#:~:text=Around%20the%20world%2C%20the%20adoption,of%20AI%20is%20practically%20ubiquitous). And in Q3 2023, [the term “AI” was uttered an average of 3.7 times per S&P 500 analyst call](https://www.reuters.com/technology/companies-double-down-ai-june-quarter-analyst-calls-2023-07-31/#:~:text=The%20terms%20%22AI%22%20or%20%22,the%20same%20time%20last%20quarter)—more than double the previous quarter.

There’s a definite edge of panic to the excitement as companies jockey to showcase they’re incorporating the new tech into their operations and leaders scramble to forecast AI’s impact on their business. Meanwhile, pundits surround them, proclaiming that AI is either the next renaissance or the end of the world.

If you’re a business leader struggling to find your place in the AI discourse, my advice is this: Look to your marketing agency. Here’s why.

Agencies are used to helping businesses work through thorny problems, like cultural shifts, internal reorgs, M&As, new patterns and trends, and a constant drive toward growth. Clients come to them to get ahead or stay ahead, and a big part of that has always been figuring out how to leverage new technologies for a competitive advantage.

Agencies also have a unique finger on the cultural pulse, as they consistently work with different clients in different industries with different perspectives. This gives them a rare ecosystem of use cases, research and conversations that they can dissect and learn from.

As my own agency begins to help our clients create and implement AI strategies, there are four key pieces of advice that keep rising to the top. Here’s what we’ve been telling our clients:

### It’s OK to be a cautious adopter.
 
I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about how if your business doesn’t get into AI right now, you’re going to miss the boat and never get this chance back.

In the words of my colleague, “That’s not how technology works.” In fact, many successful businesses have found their way into emerging technologies by waiting until they stabilize, researching what people like and don’t like about their uses, and capitalizing on that experience to turn out superior products.

Plus, there are still a lot of things, from copyright laws to data protection, that don’t have the guardrails companies need to manage risk in AI adoption.

It’s OK to adopt AI in a way that makes sense for your business. If that means taking huge leaps because risk is in your DNA, great. If that means hanging back and watching what works and what doesn’t before investing, also great. Let your purpose—not the hype—drive your decision-making.

[Click here to continue reading](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/10/04/four-things-your-marketing-agency-wants-you-to-know-about-ai/?sh=2b02284f7710).

Four Things Your Marketing Agency Wants You to Know About AI

**Westborough, MA** – DetecTogether, an organization dedicated to saving lives by teaching people how to detect cancer early, recently brought on strategy and creative agency VSA Partners to renew its “Response Time Matters” campaign targeting a high-risk demographic: firefighters.

“Cancer is the leading cause of death in firefighters,” says Tricia Laursen, President and Executive Director of DetecTogether. “And by raising awareness of what a cancer symptom can feel or look like and accelerating behavior shifts, we can help change that.” 

The videos star FDNY firefighters along with firefighter and paramedic Jason Patton, whose “Fire Department Chronicles” social media series has nearly 2 million followers.

“The campaign hinges on two ideas critical to breaking into the firefighter audience: humor and authenticity,” says Mike Lee, VSA Director of Strategy. By partnering with Patton—who’s known for his comedic content—and the FDNY, the campaign delivers on both.  

"Our jobs are incredibly serious," says Patton. “Lives are on the line. So between jobs, while we’re at the firehouse, we like to lighten things up. And that’s exactly what DetecTogether’s videos do, using comedy to get firefighters taking action against cancer.” 

Doug Gallow, VSA Associate Partner of Client Engagement, adds, “These partnerships allow our campaign to come from the firefighting ranks itself—a message for firefighters by firefighters.”

Occupational cancer is the No. 1 cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. Firefighters are 9% more likely to be diagnosed and 14% more likely to die from cancer than the general population. By raising awareness of what warning signs of cancer can feel or look like and motivating firefighters to use DetecTogether’s simple roadmap to early detection—called “3 Steps Detect”—the organization is working to help improve these outcomes.

“We want every firefighter to use 3 Steps Detect, because it can save their lives, and we want every person to know about it, too. This campaign is part of our ultimate goal to bring the lifesaving advantage of early cancer detection to the entire population,” says Laursen.

The 3 Steps Detect process includes: 

1. **Know Your Great** (know what “great” feels like for your personal health)
2. **Use the 2-Week Rule** (seek medical attention for persistent subtle health changes lasting 2 weeks)
3. **Share With Your Doctor** (share changes in your health, even if they are uncomfortable or embarrassing)

The worst cancer diagnosis is a late one. The National Institutes of Health (2022) found that 50% of cancer cases are late-stage diagnoses, and only 14% of cancer cases are identified through recommended screenings. DetecTogether’s mission is to bring the lifesaving advantage of early cancer detection to all, because awareness and action by patients plays a vital role in getting a diagnosis earlier.  

As part of achieving this goal, and with content quality and versatility in mind, VSA Partners captured video at the Fire Department of New York’s training academy on Randall’s Island, known for its tough courses and highly respected programs. The media plan, executed by Prohaska Consulting, provides DetecTogether with 12 months of fresh content that can create trackable metrics around firefighters’ actions and beyond. The refreshed campaign augments the existing organic components—like kits for fire stations that contain edgy, informative posters about the early signs of cancer—with digital, paid social and influencer promotions. 

“We’re excited to save lives. That’s what the work is about, and VSA Partners helped us do that with creativity and humor along the way,” Laursen says. 

Summing up the work, Patton adds, “Anytime you can get firefighters singing and dancing is a good day. Watch the videos—you’ll see what I mean.” 

Response Time Matters was made possible with the support provided by EMW-2021-FP-00573,1A Auto, Last Call Foundation, Powertech Controls, the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), Firefighter Cancer Support Network, and the Center for Fire, Rescue, and EMS Research.

Check out the [campaign videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baEZdg9sdPw&list=PLfPwCTl1QOGoNTMnmFrSNlJZ5B309Jl91&index=11), and learn more about [Response Time Matters](https://responsetimematters.org/).

DetecTogether is a non-profit education and advocacy organization located in Westborough, Mass. It was founded to address an unmet need in the cancer world. While it is undisputed that early cancer detection leads to the best health outcomes, no one was teaching people how to identify early warning signs of cancer. In consultation with doctors from top cancer centers, founders Jim and Nancy Coghlin and their family set out to provide people with this life-saving education.
 
Now in its second decade, the mission of DetecTogether is to save lives by teaching people how to detect cancer early and be active partners in their healthcare. For more information, please visit [DetecTogether.org](https://www.detectogether.org/).

DetecTogether Launches Response Time Matters Campaign

Jason Patton wears a DetecTogether T-shirt while standing in front of an FDNY fire truck

Jason_Patton_for_DetecTogether

Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro recently shared her thoughts on building breakthrough brands in a piece published on MarTech Series. Ari explores the importance of truly differentiated brand experiences, the cyclical nature of brand-consumer relationships, and how even product-driven, tech companies need strong branding to truly stand out. 

Check out an excerpt below, or click [here](https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/conviction-and-persistence-the-foundation-of-breakthrough-brands/) to read the full article. 

No matter how innovative your product or service is, or how niche of an industry your business operates in, it’s excruciating to find differentiation these days … and it’s a never-ending chase. The acceleration of a perpetually changing future has made it all that much more critical to sharpen the most important tool you have for standing out from your competitors: your brand.

Before digging deeper into how a brand is built, it’s crucial to first understand what we mean when we say “brand.” While many people (even some in our industry) conflate brand with advertising or the products they sell, those are only pieces of what you do that make up the larger idea of who you are. Put simply, a brand is the most compelling articulation of your business strategy—a clarification of what you stand for, and the basis of your relationship with customers. Note the word “compelling.” It has to be true, relevant and differentiated.

#### From bland to brand
Using the Silicon Valley startup landscape as an example, you can see the effects of using product as a brand (PaaB™). Technology is not a differentiator anymore; it’s an equalizer. Although tech-driven, business-model innovation is great, it has to come with the development of brand. Think about how many times you’ve heard a business described as “the Uber of X” or “the Warby Parker of Y.” Just as quickly as those household names upended industries, they were engulfed in a sea of copycats all sporting minimal, templatized UX; clean, muted design; and a familiarly witty, human tone. When ideas are only new for a moment and products are easily imitated, “disruption” becomes more of a category than a way of standing out.

#### What do you stand for?
To avoid fights on features and performance comparisons, it’s up to brands to create a more authentic connection with customers, building relationships and loyalty over time. That’s what I call a “better human experience.”  It’s a pursuit to create value for all stakeholders—employees, customers, investors, clients. But how do you commit to standing for something in an ever-changing landscape? It starts with conviction—fighting the urge to follow every trend or to say something broad enough to appeal to everyone, and instead find what’s true to you and relevant to your audiences. Identifying that sweet spot is what makes the connection between a brand and a customer resemble any other human relationship. For the same reasons love isn’t eroded by a single argument, customers stick by brands that stay true to the values that attracted them in the first place.

Continue reading by clicking [here](https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/guest-authors/conviction-and-persistence-the-foundation-of-breakthrough-brands/). 



The Foundation of Breakthrough Brands

Ari_Navarro_2023-4_16x9

Ever.Ag, a leader in agricultural software, data, analytics, and finance, recently [unveiled a new campaign](https://www.ever.ag/everything/?utm_source=VSA&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=brand) that challenges the limitations of phrases like “farm to table.” The campaign highlights how its solutions help folks working in the global food supply chain manage and optimize the intricate and delicate ecosystem of everything that happens in between the table and the farm. 

Boasting decades of hands-on experience, the new Ever.Ag brand name better represents the depth and breadth of its capabilities. This 360 campaign found the connecting thread of a story encompassing so many of Ever.Ag’s proven successes in the industry. 

Ever.Ag has a diverse customer base that spans the agriculture supply chain. Farmers rely on it to manage risk, food manufacturers use it to help reduce waste, and retailers use it to inform sustainability efforts. This new campaign needed to speak to all of those people and businesses and demonstrate exactly how Ever.Ag can help people drive progress and efficiency in these constantly evolving industries. 


To help create the campaign, Ever.Ag tapped VSA Partners, a creative and strategy agency that designs for a better human experience. VSA’s reputation for making the complex compelling was a perfect fit for telling Ever.Ag’s story and ensuring that its messaging would resonate with a wide range of audiences. 

“At the end of the day, Ever.Ag is here to help the people we serve,” says Toby Lee, Chief Marketing Officer of Ever.Ag. “VSA Partners knows how to take a truly intricate business and find the human story. We’re really proud of how this campaign turned out and the tone it sets for Ever.Ag’s exciting future.” 

VSA worked with Ever.Ag to create a powerful narrative that would lean into the trust that comes from generations of know-how and deep partnerships, as well as Ever.Ag’s innovative technology and visionary data that tackles the industry’s biggest challenges. By upending phrases like “pasture to plate” and “seed to store,” VSA set the stage for conveying Ever.Ag’s vast capabilities and for communicating its status as a premier intelligent supply chain and risk management company in agriculture. 

“Ever.Ag is making a difference in the world around us by envisioning a more fruitful, durable farming ecosystem,” says VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser. “This campaign captures the essence of their capabilities without losing sight of the central story—it’s a lot to do, so Ever.Ag does a lot.”

[Click here to visit the campaign's landing page](https://www.ever.ag/everything/?utm_source=VSA&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=brand).

Ever.Ag’s New Campaign Showcases How They Simplify the Intricacies of Modern Agriculture

everag_screenshot3_hero

Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently featured on MarketScale, discussing her views on how businesses can move forward with integrating AI into their operations in an ethical and sustainable way. 

Ari outlines her approach with four pillars: transparency, boundaries, accountability, and education. 

Transparency means that clients need to know how it’s being used. However you’re using AI, and whatever business you’re in, ensure your partners are informed. 

Boundaries entails outlining what AI can and cannot do or be used for. Despite the hype, it’s not the end-all-be-all solution to absolutely everything. 

Accountability is the next pillar. What governance is in place for your use of AI? What are the checks and balances on the output before it becomes external-facing? 

And finally, education—education to empower employees to learn how to use the different platforms, as well as to understand some of the consequences of poorly-managed AI. 

Click [this link](https://marketscale.com/industries/software-and-technology/what-are-the-main-ethical-considerations-in-the-development-and-implementation-of-ai-systems/) to watch the interview. 

Building Ethical, Accountable AI Business Practices 

Ethical AI_hero

Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber was recently featured in SmartBrief with his piece, “What B2B Marketers Can Learn from Luxury Brands.” 

His piece explores how B2B marketers can tap into the same tactics used by high-end consumer goods to create stronger brands and relationships. 

Read the intro below, or click [here](https://corp.smartbrief.com/original/2023/08/what-b2b-marketers-can-learn-from-luxury-brands) to read the full article. 

Consumer marketing tactics are frequently regarded as irrelevant by business-to-business sales operations. B2B, after all, is all about thoroughly educating customers and forming deep sales relationships. And it typically has a longer sales cycle than applies to most consumer marketing.

But there is one category of consumer products that faces very similar challenges to the B2B space and may provide a roadmap for how to create more demand: luxury.

Luxury products are outliers in the consumer marketing realm. Just like B2B products, they too require significant differentiation and relationship-building. However, unlike many B2B organizations, marketers in the category heighten this relationship with strong brand-building and enhanced customer experiences—not just to acquire new customers, but to turn people into super fans who purchase repeatedly and consistently advocate for these products.

I believe these tactics can offer a wealth of opportunity to B2B marketers.

#### High-funnel personalization
A personalized touch is a hallmark of both luxury and B2B. Both types of buyers want to be recognized by name and expect special treatment. Whereas B2B often relies on the salesperson to personalize interactions, luxury starts this journey of meeting personal needs much higher in the funnel.

Highly specialized and personalized communications from the start go a long way toward establishing a transaction further down the line. In many ways, it takes the pressure off the salesperson of having to build the relationship from a cold start, warming the customer with a sense that the company as a whole understands them and their needs. But more importantly, it claims some of the loyalty for the brand itself.

#### Mystique that transforms the buyer
From the earliest marketing interactions, successful luxury elevates the perception of being a part of something bigger than one’s self—something that sets you apart from the masses. Whether it’s a cologne with a slightly odd smell or an interior with an unexpected combination of styles, or even a handbag that might be perceived as gaudy, luxury products demand your attention and impart that attention on the buyers themselves. It essentially changes the conversation from “Should I buy this?” to “How can I live without it?” The customer arrives asking the salesperson not how you fit into their life, but rather how they fit into your world.

B2B can easily employ similar tactics. From adding unexpected, custom-feeling design elements to your product to upgrading packaging for a luxury feel to inviting your customers to an exclusive event, B2B marketers have a wide range of opportunities to enhance the look, feel or other memorable element of either the product or the marketing. The result is a vibrant and enjoyable product experience that helps buyers justify their choice, motivates other employees using the product, and boosts their reputation among their peers.

Click [here](https://corp.smartbrief.com/original/2023/08/what-b2b-marketers-can-learn-from-luxury-brands) to continue reading. 

What B2B Marketers Can Learn from Luxury Brands

Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro recently appeared on the On Brand podcast, hosted by Nick Westergaard. Ari and Nick discussed the importance of seeing brand as a business asset, how too much A/B testing can ruin a customer experience, and VSA’s process for turning brand differentiation into a tangible human experience. 

Check out the episode [here](https://www.nickwestergaard.com/connecting-brand-to-growth-with-ariadna-navarro/). 

Connecting Brand to Growth

AdForum recently interviewed VSA's Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro to get her thoughts on the future of AI and creativity, and how companies can set ethical, responsible guardrails around the technology.

Check out an excerpt below, or click [here](https://www.adforum.com/interviews/ai-tools-still-rely-on-creativity-more-than-they-threaten-to-replace-it-ariadna-navarro-vsa-partners ) to read the full interview. 

#### Does your agency encourage or deter the use of AI in your work? If applicable, how does your team integrate these tools into the creative process?

It’s a little of both right now. We encourage everyone to use it, but with guardrails and guidelines to keep the work honest, human, and original. At the moment, AI is best suited to things like exploration, evaluation, and experimentation. It can reliably accelerate existing processes — from research and analysis to idea generation and content creation — but it’s equally susceptible to misinformation, redundancies, and both legal and ethical issues that we’re only beginning to understand. 

In other words, AI is an exciting, new option in our toolkit, but it’s nowhere near a replacement for any of the ways we work yet.

#### How does the accessibility of these tools affect the way it is used?

The accessibility factor is core to AI’s success. It’s incredibly rare for a tool to possess both the low barriers to entry and the near-infinite possibilities that AI represents. The open format and widespread availability of this generation’s AI tools have given them access to an unheard-of volume of perspectives, permutations, and information that’s driving its rapid evolution, but that also comes with increasing risk.

While the exponential growth and innovation of these nascent phases is exciting, it’s also why we can’t afford to lose any more ground in understanding and safeguarding against the dangers and threats it could pose.

Click [here](https://www.adforum.com/interviews/ai-tools-still-rely-on-creativity-more-than-they-threaten-to-replace-it-ariadna-navarro-vsa-partners ) to continue reading. 


AI in Advertising 

marisa_rondinelli.jpg

Marisa Rondinelli

Strategy Director

VSA’s Marisa Rondinelli, a director of strategy, was recently published by the Association of National Advertisers. Her piece “Why TikTok Trends Are a Marketer’s Best Friend” explores why brands should take social media trends seriously, and how doing so creates better products and stronger customer loyalty. She also lays out actionable steps brands can take to improve their social listening and quickly respond and capitalize on social media trends.

Read an excerpt below, or [click here for the full piece](https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show/id/ii-2023-07-tiktok-trends). 

Today's viral TikTok trends featuring unconventional hacks, secret-menu items and #challenges have led to the emergence of "TikTok products." Born from the real users rather than the boardroom, these trends are forcing brands to respond, wreaking havoc on supply chains and angering retail workers. Despite this disruption, here's why they're the best thing to happen to your business — and how to make the most of it.

As marketers, it's our job to be the voice of the consumer. We research and we listen, we plan and we predict. And yet, [we often get it wrong](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2020/09/14/marketing-does-not-work-the-truth/?sh=45c267ec2c5b).

Consumers are complicated and unpredictable. Their beliefs don't match their behaviors, and their preferences don't translate to purchases we think they will. So, when they tell us what they want, it's on us to listen — and respond.

Yes, these viral-born products, hacks and ideas can create a diversion from approved marketing plans and leave brand and product managers scrambling. Brands may even feel trapped — [held hostage by the whims of TikTok trends](https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-trends-pink-sauce-product-development-661c4178). But if we look past the initial chaos that's created, we can see them for what they really are: a gift. Because at their core, they're built of the stuff marketers' dreams are made of.

First off, these are authentic endorsements of the brand from trusted voices. Organic exposure from influencers is valuable enough — couple that with the virality of a social media trend and you have grassroots marketing at its finest. Remember when nostalgic millennials discovered the magic that happens when you [put ice cream in a Fruit Roll Up](https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/how-to-make-frozen-fruit-roll-ups-tiktok)? These are moments that build both ownership and brand awareness for your business.

Second, these trends are novel solutions rooted in unmet needs. Social media has created a way for brands to connect with customers like never before and what once could only be obtained in listening sessions is now a dialogue that runs 24/7. When trends like the [cottage cheese and mustard sensation](https://www.thekitchn.com/tiktok-cottage-cheese-mustard-trend-23549816) that captivated the protein-craving community emerge, brands can know in almost real-time what their customers are wanting and how they'd prefer that need to be met.

Finally, these trends showcase sizable demand that equates to strong conversion. It's the kind of clear ROI signal you rarely get from other forms of marketing. Take the Peter Thomas Roth eye tightener that has [repeatedly sold out](https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/09/22/peter-thomas-roth-makeup-tiktok-orig.cnn-business#:~:text=Peter%20Thomas%20Roth's%20cosmetic%20products,social%20media%20helped%20drive%20sales.) since the original viral video gained over 50 million views in 2021. Trends pay off.

To capitalize on these moments, there are a few ways brands can ready themselves for maximum impact:

### Listen Up

Top up social listening capabilities to get wind of trends sooner. Better yet, bring creators into the conversation early by creating influencer networks, hosting co-creation sessions, or offering product-previews in exchange for feedback and usage ideas.

[Click here to continue reading](https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show/id/ii-2023-07-tiktok-trends). 

Why TikTok Trends Are a Marketer’s Best Friend

Marisa_TikTok_hero

VSA’s Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently featured on the podcast The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. 

During the episode, Ari chatted with host Josh Elledge about why she believes in the power of brand, the difference between the brand problems of start-ups and the brand problems of large corporations, and how she leads projects from the philosophy “every business problem is a human problem.” 

[Click here to listen to the episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1600-practical-solutions-to-thorny-problems-with-vsa/id1394227396?i=1000620158016), and thanks to Josh for having Ari on the show. 


Ariadna Navarro Appears on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Podcast

Ariadna-16-ColorPrint_thoughtful_entrepreneur_hero

dana-arnett-1524

Dana Arnett

Chairman & Founder

VSA Partners is pleased to announce the appointment of its Chairman and Founder, Dana Arnett, to two prestigious boards: the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Board and the Chicago Public Media Business Leadership Council. 

With over four decades of active involvement in the Chicago business and government sectors, Dana and VSA have consistently contributed to various initiatives, playing pivotal roles in notable projects such as the 2016 Chicago Olympic Bid Committee, the Millennium Park Committee, the Grant Park Music Festival, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Chicago’s nonprofit innovation hub, 1871. Dana's extensive board experience, combined with VSA's expertise, will provide invaluable leadership and insights in addressing the diverse needs of these boards. 

Joining these esteemed boards underscores Dana’s personal commitment and VSA’s firmwide support to the Chicago community: “We are dedicated to leveraging our expertise to support and enhance the vision and mission of organizations that play a vital role in our city's cultural and media landscape,” said Dana. “Through our involvement, we aim to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the continued growth, cultural inclusiveness and success of these institutions."

The appointment of Dana to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Board comes at an exciting time as the museum embarks on an ambitious journey to expand its vision and mission. Under the leadership of CEO Erin Amico, the museum aims to redefine the visitor experience, both within its walls and beyond. Dana and Erin will collaborate to champion nature and explore innovative ways to evolve and breathe life into these experiences, creating an enriching environment for the community.



As a member of the Chicago Public Media Business Leadership Council, Dana joins a distinguished group of leaders dedicated to supporting the mission of Chicago Public Media, which includes influential entities such as WBEZ and the Sun Times parent brand. Chicago Public Media is one of the largest nonprofit public media organizations in the country and serves as a vital source of news and information for the city. Guided by respected leader Matt Moog, the council will support the organization’s mission of bringing Chicago businesses, individuals and communities together around human-centered, solutions-oriented journalism that makes a positive difference.

In addition to these new board appointments, Dana continues to foster growth, creativity, and community engagement with a number of national organizations. 

For more information about VSA and its founder, Dana Arnett, please visit www.vsapartners.com. To learn more about the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and the Chicago Public Media Business Leadership Council, please visit their respective websites: naturemuseum.org and wbez.org.

Dana Arnett Appointed to Two Chicago Boards

about-arnett

Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro recently appeared on “The Unified Brand Podcast,” hosted by Chris Outlaw. 

During the show, Ari shared how brands can increase their Moments of Impact® (MOIs) by investing in the brand interactions that matter, and using their brand as a filter to decide which moments have the greatest significance for brand recognition and loyalty. 

[Click here to listen to the full episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unified-brand-branding-podcast/id1515780484), and thanks to Chris Outlaw and The Unified Brand Podcast for having Ari on. 

Ariadna Navarro Appears on The Unified Brand Podcast

Ariadna_Navarro_leadspace

 Invenergy, the leading privately held developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions, recently launched its new website, marking the culmination of a strategic effort to enhance the dialogue around the clean energy transition that the company has been leading for over 20 years.  

The new site focuses on Invenergy’s history, its expansion into new technologies, and showcases the company’s global portfolio and end-to-end clean energy expertise. Notably, Invenergy’s commitment to being a trusted partner and proven pathfinder is a consistent theme throughout the interface. 

Copy of Invenergy_2

“Invenergy was founded on an entrepreneurial spirit that guides everything we do, and we wanted to reflect that core value in our new website,” says Randy Frink, Invenergy’s Vice President of Marketing. “As Invenergy continues to experience tremendous growth, our new website serves as an essential resource for our customers, partners and employees who have all been key to Invenergy’s position as the premier provider of clean energy solutions.” 

Working closely with global creative agency, VSA Partners, Invenergy developed a messaging platform and visual design that clearly communicates both its offerings and its proactive commitment toward helping each stakeholder navigate their individual journey through the clean energy space.

“Invenergy’s website truly sets the clean energy leader apart in the industry,” said VSA Associate Partner of Client Engagement Jerry Stiedaman. “The new site invites a dialogue with all of Invenergy’s stakeholders and clearly guides the audience to their desired resource.”

“VSA and their partners did a phenomenal job, and we can’t wait to see the response to our new online presence,” says Frink.

The new site is currently live and can be viewed at [www.invenergy.com](https://invenergy.com/). 

Copy of Invenergy_1

Copy of Invenergy_3

**ABOUT VSA PARTNERS**
VSA’s purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and design agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in an increasingly noisy world. With offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities — branding, advertising, data science and technology — all under one roof. VSA is also a proud member of Meet The People, an international family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM. 

**ABOUT INVENERGY**
Invenergy drives innovation in energy. Invenergy and its affiliated companies develop, own, and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Invenergy's home office is located in Chicago, and it has regional development offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Poland, and Scotland.

Invenergy and its affiliated companies have successfully developed more than 30,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction or contracted, including wind, solar, transmission infrastructure and natural gas power generation and advanced energy storage projects. 


Invenergy’s New Website Activates a Clean Energy Conversation for Today and Beyond  

Copy of Invenergy_4_web

Jerry_Stiedaman_MG_9142_enhanced_web

Jerry Stiedaman

Associate Partner, Client Engagement

VSA's Jerry Stiedaman recently wrote an article for WARC, “With consumers craving stability, now is the big opportunity for big brands.” Read on for an excerpt below, or [click here](https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/with-consumers-craving-stability-now-is-the-big-opportunity-for-big-brands/en-gb/6232) to read the full piece. 

Ongoing consumer uncertainty means that for big brands, it’s time to shine. Despite the call to disrupt and reimagine business—a call that spawned a thousand startups—the national and global turmoil of the past few years (and in the financial sector the past few months) has brought about a significant shift in consumer priorities. The result is a renewed focus on the familiar and reliable.

According to [PwC’s February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey.html), 96% of those surveyed said they were planning on adopting cost-saving behaviors in 2023. The study also showed that 69% of consumers altered their non-essential spending in the previous six months. These statistics show that consumers are adopting much more careful spending habits in 2023, and brands will need to make their offerings feel truly valuable amid growing price sensitivities.

The antithesis of long-lasting value? A company with shady credentials or an unproven track record. Startups have been hit particularly hard with this brand connotation—failures have [left thousands of consumers in the lurch](https://nymag.com/strategist/article/what-to-do-when-bankrupt-company-owes-you-money.html). As one example, before its recent sale to e-commerce specialist Retention Brands, the subscription makeup service Birchbox left customers without their monthly boxes for some time. The brand posted a [mea culpa on Instagram,](https://www.instagram.com/p/CkrOcSFvogh/?hl=en) citing “a host of unprecedented setbacks that are affecting all of you, our cherished members.” It’s no wonder that people seek safety over novelty.

The startup landscape is also getting walloped by financial factors. Rising interest rates around the world mean they are increasingly vulnerable to competition. VC funding is radically slowing after [the worst Q4 since 2013](https://www.wsj.com/articles/venture-fundraising-hits-nine-year-low-c2b4774?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink). And the startup-friendly tech sector has seen more than [100,000 layoffs](https://layoffs.fyi/) this year. This damage was further compounded by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in early March. Many startups relied on SVB for banking and payroll—in fact, [88% of Forbes’ “Next Billion-Dollar Startups” were SVB customers](https://www.svb.com/startup-banking/).

With startups hurting from financial difficulties and reputation damages, more established brands have a clear opportunity here to reposition their offerings and lean into the demand for safety and consistency with a longevity well suited to the task.

So how does the big brand take advantage of these times? Here are three thought starters:

1. Refocus and strengthen your core experience. 

The last decade has seen a barrage of brands differentiating themselves with a veneer of friendly colors and unconventional marketing tactics. While that might get people in the door, it certainly won’t make them stay. By refocusing on stability and strength, you're investing in your company’s future: [Bain & Company](https://media.bain.com/Images/BB_Prescription_cutting_costs.pdf) says that “across a wide range of businesses, customers generate increasing profits each year they stay with a company. In financial services, for example, a 5% increase in customer retention produces more than a 25% increase in profit.” Put simply, existing customers spend more than new customers. Plus, their referral potential gives you a free, built-in acquisition machine.

[To continue reading, click here](https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/with-consumers-craving-stability-now-is-the-big-opportunity-for-big-brands/en-gb/6232). 

VSA's Jerry Stiedaman Published in WARC

Copy of big-opportunity-for-big-brands_web

VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser was recently published in Forbes magazine with her piece, "How To Accelerate Your Business During A Downturn." Check out an excerpt of the piece below, and [click here to read the full piece on Forbes.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/06/08/how-to-accelerate-your-business-during-a-downturn/?sh=5acfea2e219c)

The outlook for business right now can feel bleak. Few financial experts can agree on what the economy will look like in even one month. Prices are rising. Customers are nervous. And with such volatile economic headwinds, pulling back and waiting out the downturn might seem like a smart defense. But if we’re honest with ourselves as business leaders, we know that pulling back now is not a defense at all. It’s simply a form of paralysis.

As counterintuitive as it seems, I believe now is the time to play offense. And that doesn’t have to mean spending more. What it does mean, though, is acting bravely and reprioritizing your spend for better effect.

Throughout my decades of experience in the agency world, I’ve gotten insight into a wide range of companies and their tactics for navigating economic volatility. Often, we’ve been working right alongside them. The following tactics are certainly not an all-inclusive list, but they are the mindsets I’ve seen work time and again.

### Define Your Constraints

As I lead an agency that cut its teeth in design, I can tell you that designers appreciate constraints—and they’re not alone. Reflecting on your situation and defining the challenges you face is always the best place to start.

A macro example: Most companies have the dual challenge of needing to address both the acquisition of new clients and the retention and growth of existing clients in any given year. But this looks different based on industry and where the company is in its lifecycle, i.e., its circumstances.

Less mature companies or those that are less recession-proof might still need to drive acquisition as the primary focus. Resetting to metrics that drive acquisition in the near term can help focus on limited resources. Conversely, many companies find that retention becomes the primary focus. This move to retention might mean that the budget shifts to more high-touch activations, such as events and in-person workshops—face-to-face time with clients to deepen relationships.


[Click here to continue reading.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/06/08/how-to-accelerate-your-business-during-a-downturn/?sh=5acfea2e219c)

Anne-Marie Rosser Published on Forbes

AnneMarie-07-ColorWeb_edit_mrw

VSA Partners' Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber recently sat down with Ricardo Esteves at DesignRush to discuss how the digital era changed advertising and branding. 

Ricardo and Curt discussed the changing role of traditional branding and advertising, how to be a great desiginer, the biggest trends in advertising and branding, and how AI will impact marketing. 

[Read the full article here](https://spotlight.designrush.com/interviews/vsa-curt-schreiber-digital-era), and thanks to [DesignRush](https://www.designrush.com/agency/logo-branding/brand-strategy) for the feature! 

Photo by AIGA.


Curt Schreiber Interviewed by DesignRush

Curt_Schreiber_AIGA

Lux Capital, the revolutionary venture capital firm known for its uncanny ability to identify and fund successful innovators in the science and tech space, believes in the power of brand. That’s why it’s invested in a new brand awareness campaign, including a recent website overhaul with VSA Partners.

Guided by Lux’s mission to turn “sci-fi into sci-fact,” the team at VSA Partners set out to capture the rigorous science-based focus that established the Lux brand while presenting the company as a VC powerhouse that manages a $4 billion portfolio. The new work, which includes identity assets along with a redesigned website, comes at a critical time for Lux, showcasing its evolution from investing at the earliest stages of a company to include growth and late-stage investments as well.

“We have a unique reputation among VC firms,” said Lux Capital Chief Marketing Officer Scott Rubin. “Our partners and associates don’t come from the financial world. They are all scientists and engineers, which enables us to dig in deeper and truly evaluate the viability of scientific innovation or emerging technology. With this refreshed brand identity, we’re breaking the mold for what you expect from a VC firm, but we want investors and innovators to recognize this difference. It’s who we are at our core, and VSA Partners did a phenomenal job of helping us tell that story.” 


“We’re seeing venture capital become increasingly crowded,” says John Sheehan, Partner, Client Engagement at VSA San Francisco. “Lux Capital’s commitment to expressing their brand is a valuable, differentiating asset that other VCs are simply leaving on the table.” 

The redesigned website at [LuxCapital.com](https://www.luxcapital.com) allows visitors to take a journey through both the firm’s mission and portfolio, showcasing how Lux Capital is every bit as innovative as the startups and established companies in which it invests. 

VSA Creative Director Michael Trovela notes, “We approached the UX and content strategy for Lux Capital’s new site with the goal of telling its story by highlighting the companies it grows and the innovations it enables. That direction led to us a site design that emphasizes the interconnectedness between people, companies and ideas. It’s a visual blending of these elements that showcases how the success of Lux Capital’s approach is its own interconnected innovation.”

“We’ve been helping companies realize their brand purpose and lift themselves above the competition for a long time, but this is some of the most rewarding work we’ve ever done,” says Sheehan. “Lux Capital is a firm that’s truly committed to making the world a better place. From biotech startups working on methods for restoring eyesight to firms involved in making workplaces safer through new robotics, they’re consistently at the forefront of science and innovation. The chance to delve into this background and to help them establish the next chapter of their evolution was truly an honor.”

VSA Partners Designs New Website for VC Firm Lux Capital

Lux_Capital_hero_16x9

Dori Tunstall recently visited the Design Observer podcast “The Design of Business | The Business of Design,” hosted by VSA’s Dana Arnett and dreams • design + life CCO Kevin Bethune. Dori Tunstall is Dean of the Faculty of Design at OCAD (Ontario College of Art & Design) University in Toronto. Throughout her career, Dori has infused the principles of design anthropology into the corporate world and has helped establish design anthropology as an academic field of study. Her new book, “[Decolonizing Design: A Cultural Justice Guidebook](https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262047692/decolonizing-design/),” was just released on February 14. 

Ever since she was a child, Dori was a maker and doer. As her passion developed, she began trying to understand why people make things and the meanings behind the things they make. She saw that design decisions have a major influence on what we see, what we feel and what we experience out in the world. 

Dori spoke with Dana and Kevin about design’s place in the world and her role in shaping how people utilize design and make it work better for everyone.

“Design’s superpower is its ability to open up other possibilities of how we do things and see things and experience things in a way that helps people decide: ‘Ah, this pathway might be better.’ So the work is equipping our students with the skills and the knowledge and the confidence to be able to do that. And, I would say, educating our clients on the real implications of the decisions they’re making.”

As one of the leading minds and proponents of design anthropology, Dori discussed the forces that have ruled design in the past, and the transition to new design systems and possibilities that are emerging today. Her goal is to instill more fearlessness and deeper interconnectivity as a means to give designers more freedom within the constraints they face on a daily basis. 

“You’re not going to get their creativity, their innovation or their passion if you stop them from being who they are,” Dori said. “The onus is on design businesses not to crush that.

One advantage of being a professor is that I see the future every day in the work of my students. They care about using design to make the world more equitable and sustainable. How do we make a living and how do we make a better world, and can we get those two goals in alignment?”

“The Design of Business | The Business of Design” is a podcast from Design Observer, now in its 10th season. Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune co-host the show, exploring how design works within complex organizations to shape decisions and processes, drive innovation, evolve products and services, and more. 


[Click here](https://designobserver.com/article.php?id=40580) to listen to the episode and learn more about this Design Observer podcast. 

Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune Interview Dori Tunstall

large_Dori_Tunstall_new

medium_Dori_Tunstall_new

small_Dori_Tunstall_new

thumbnail_Dori_Tunstall_new

Dori_Tunstall_new

VSA Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber joins a select group of agency and industry experts who will choose the winners of this year’s [REGGIE Awards](https://www.reggieawards.org/). For 40 years, these awards have been a highly anticipated annual showcase from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the U.S. advertising industry’s oldest and largest trade association. The awards recognize campaigns that combine strategy, originality, execution, results and business objectives. Last year’s best-of-show award was taken home by Mischief @ No Fixed Address for its work on the beauty brand eos. 

“It’s always fun to see and reward great creative work that builds true business value,” Curt said. “My experience with the REGGIE Awards will be all that much richer because the criteria so closely mirror VSA’s ethos of combining strategy, design and measurement.” 

REGGIE Award categories span experiential, digital/social media, sponsorship, influencer, brand purpose, content, B2B and age-specific campaigns. Gold, silver and bronze winners are selected in addition to the best-of-show Super REGGIE, which is drawn from the gold winners. All winners will be revealed at the REGGIE Awards Gala on April 27, 2023 at the ANA Brand Masters Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida.

VSA celebrated its 40th anniversary in November 2022. Longtime clients include Google, Nike and IBM, and VSA has offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco. VSA belongs to the international family of unified and independent agencies led by Meet The People.


Curt Schreiber Appointed Juror for 2023 REGGIE Awards by the Association of National Advertisers

Headshot of Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber

Curt_Schreiber_16x9

VSA’s Dana Arnett and dreams • design + life CCO Kevin Bethune sat down with [Morningstar](https://morningstar.com/) CEO Kunal Kapoor on their podcast, “The Design of Business | The Business of Design.” Before assuming his current role in 2017, Kunal served as president, during which time he was responsible for product development and innovation, sales and marketing, and driving strategic prioritization across the firm.

Dana, Kevin and Kunal discussed the role of design in transforming the way investors interact with financial data—for deeper insights and more personalized strategies.

“One of the beautiful things about Morningstar and one of the reasons I was drawn to it was this notion of design, technology and research coming together,” said Kunal. “It really spoke to me and demystified something that seemed far more complicated than it ultimately was.”

Kunal revealed that design can be a powerful engine of growth—a problem-solving tool that improves how an organization operates and the benefit it brings to its customers. At Morningstar, it’s woven into the fabric of nearly every touchpoint, from how it designs its offices to its product managers and designers working side by side, to designing a brand architecture that ties a through line from the organization’s roots to the present day. 

“We're all creatures of habit,” Kunal said. “Part of the role of design is to help evolve how we think about those habits.”  

“The Design of Business | The Business of Design” is a podcast from Design Observer, now in its 10th season. Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune co-host the show, exploring how design works within complex organizations to shape decisions and processes, drive innovation, evolve products and services, and more. 

[Click here](https://designobserver.com/article.php?id=40578) to listen to the episode and learn more about this Design Observer podcast. 


Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune Interview Kunal Kapoor

Leadership-Kunal-Kapoor_new

We are honored to share that the work for “Until Justice Just Is” received a Bronze Award in this year’s Anthem Awards. The Anthem Awards, founded by The Webby Awards, celebrate purpose- and mission-driven work from people, companies and organizations worldwide. 

VSA developed “Until Justice Just Is” in collaboration with the YWCA, a group famous for its advocacy and support for women. But the organization has also stood on the front lines of eliminating racism for well over a century, and during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, it wanted a way to invite people to join its mission—and empower them to make a real, measurable impact. The site, [untiljusticejustis.org](https://untiljusticejustis.org/), gives individuals and companies a place to publicly pledge their support for antiracist efforts, access tools and resources to use in their own communities, and join the YWCA’s Racial Justice League, where they can share best practices and hold each other accountable for change. 

[Click here to view the case study.](https://vsapartners.com/work/ywca)

Congratulations to the current VSAers who contributed to this work: Kim Mickenberg, Avery Gross, Jess Sochol, Susan Pfeifer, Emily Gorski, Bryan Haney, Sam Stalling and Amy Bretz.

And to the rest of the team: Chrystine Witherspoon, Elle Abarca, Evan Thompson, Melanie Trombley, Tré Seals at Vocal Type, Darrell Booker, Daniel Delgado, Ben Strang at Sarofsky and post-production audio house [Another Country](https://www.anothercountry.net/).


VSA Partners Wins Anthem Award

UJJI News_Banner


VSA’s Jerry Stiedaman, Associate Partner, Client Engagement, was recently published in MedCity News. 

His article, “Healthcare and Gen X: 4 Things Marketers Need to Get Right” examines how despite its spending and decision-making power, Gen X is routinely overlooked by healthcare marketers. 

Jerry outlines why healthcare marketers should consider the Gen X audience, and the four steps to winning the generation’s loyalty and attention. 

An excerpt of the article is below. [Head to MedCity News to view the full piece.](https://medcitynews.com/2023/02/healthcare-and-gen-x-4-things-marketers-need-to-get-right/)

## Healthcare and Gen X: 4 Things Marketers Need to Get Right


When it comes to healthcare marketing, Generation X once again gets the short end of the attention stick.

Overshadowed by boomers—a prime target for healthcare advertising dollars as they age and require more care—and millennials—the holy grail audience for the emerging health-tech industry—Gen X’s unique healthcare needs and position often leave its members underserved and mostly ignored.

This oversight is a massive missed opportunity for healthcare marketers. First off, Gen X is at the height of its spending potential. Its U.S. population of 65 million has saved a collective $13 trillion and owns 29% of the nation’s household wealth (versus just 6.4% owned by millennials).

It’s also the sandwich generation, which means Gen Xers make healthcare decisions for their aging boomer parents and their millennial children in addition to themselves. Gaining the attention and loyalty of just one Gen X consumer can grant healthcare marketers a fast-track audience with all of their family members.

Just like its neighboring generations, Gen X has unique perspectives and needs that marketers must know. Here are four ways that healthcare marketers can better connect with their Gen X consumers:

#### 1. Make it branded 

Gen X was the first real healthcare consumer, coming into purchasing power after the patient rights movement of the 1970s and the healthcare consumer rights movement of the 1990s. It also witnessed the rise of pharmaceutical ads targeted directly to consumers, which began as early as the ’80s and exploded full force in the late ’90s. As with other buying experiences, Gen X is accustomed to shopping around for its healthcare.

Gen X’s comparison for the self-determined selection of healthcare experiences makes investing in a brand critically important for healthcare businesses. Companies need to invest in a strong brand that stands out from competitors and creates a connection with the Gen X consumer. Ensuring a consistent, clear narrative across all points of the consumer journey demands a brand that is well-equipped to carry its message.

*To view additional steps on how marketers can attract and win the Gen X audience, [check out Jerry’s full piece on MedCity News here.](https://medcitynews.com/2023/02/healthcare-and-gen-x-4-things-marketers-need-to-get-right/)*

Healthcare and Gen X: 4 Things Marketers Need to Get Right

Jerry_Stiedaman_MG_9142_16x9

Kim Erwin recently visited the Design Observer podcast “The Design of Business | The Business of Design,” hosted by VSA’s Dana Arnett and dreams • design + life CCO Kevin Bethune. Kim Erwin is the Director of the Equitable Healthcare Lab and Associate Professor of Practice at IIT Institute of Design. She is also the co-founder of the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design at the University of Illinois Chicago and the author of “Communicating the New: Methods to Shape and Accelerate Innovation.”

Kim joined Dana and Kevin to discuss the role of design in delivering care, the challenge of traditional innovation processes when applied to healthcare, and the importance of approaching problems from a systems-aware perspective:

“In order to fix it, in order to begin to innovate in it, you need to have this systems-aware perspective. Most designers want to move outside the health system because there’s more latitude. However, anything that you create that’s outside the system by design is of no interest in the system. And so the ability to get scale, to reach all the people you need to reach—these are the limitations of traditional innovation methods applied to healthcare.”

“The Design of Business | The Business of Design” is a podcast from Design Observer, now in its 10th season. Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune co-host the show, exploring how design works within complex organizations to shape decisions and processes, drive innovation, evolve products and services, and more. 

[Click here](https://designobserver.com/article.php?id=40576) to listen to the episode and learn more about this Design Observer podcast. 


Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune Interview Kim Erwin

Kim-Erwin_web_new

VSA’s Dana Arnett and dreams • design + life CCO Kevin Bethune sat down with designer Norman Teague on their podcast, “The Design of Business | The Business of Design.” In addition to his studio practices, Norman Teague is Assistant Professor in the University of Illinois Chicago’s industrial design program.

Norman joined Dana and Kevin to share his thoughts on embracing collaboration, building community and shaping the evolving story of design:

“We all understand what’s happened with design history, and maybe it would be different if some of us were in charge of those recording moments. But I feel like the recording from this point on will show Blackness if I have anything to do with it. And so the best way I can do that is just to look at ways in which I can collaborate. How does that work influence me? How does it look today from a Black standpoint?”

“The Design of Business | The Business of Design” is a podcast from Design Observer, now in its 10th season. Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune co-host the show, exploring how design works within complex organizations to shape decisions and processes, drive innovation, evolve products and services, and more.

[Click here](https://designobserver.com/article.php?id=40575) to listen to the episode and learn more about this Design Observer podcast.

Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune Interview Norman Teague 

Norman-Teague_web_new

VSA Partners recently announced the hiring of Thaddeus Ternes as its new Vice President of Technology. In this position, Ternes will be charged with expanding and growing the firm’s technical capabilities in the areas of app and web development, as well as working with emerging technologies such as extended reality, connected devices, ambient computing and other nascent technologies.

VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser is very excited at the additional capabilities Ternes’ hiring brings to the agency’s client roster. 

“We couldn’t have been more fortunate in finding someone as talented as Thaddeus to fill this role,” she said. “His deep background in software development, along with his many years in digital marketing, give him the perfect set of skills for leading us into new-tech arenas that will further bolster our ability to design for a better human experience.”

Ternes comes to the position after half a decade with Accenture. There he distinguished himself as a leader in “human-centered technology,” developing complex initiatives with an eye on keeping human interaction simple, accessible and intuitive. In his most recent role, he was the Principal Creative Technologist and Experience Architect at Accenture Song in Austin, where his work included designing services for smart cities, intelligent logistics operations and frictionless retail experiences.

“Making technology more meaningful and inclusive is my passion, and I could see very quickly that it aligned well with VSA’s purpose,” Ternes said. “It’s an exciting time for technology. We’re on the precipice of huge breakthroughs, and with that comes a responsibility to ensure people remain our priority, and that new technologies are used to elevate, not complicate, their experiences.” 

“It really is a great match,” said Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber. “Thaddeus has spent much of his career interrogating what human-centered technology looks like, and that focus on the user is exactly what VSA designs for. This investment in our capabilities will enable us to activate our ideas across the creative landscape.”

Rosser agrees: “We are continuously pushing VSA Partners to be at the forefront of technological innovation in the branding world. This hire solidifies our commitment to only providing our brand clients with the best possible solutions for evolving and growing in today’s technology-rich environment.”

Ternes assumes his new position immediately and is already engaging on client projects for the agency. 

“Knowing the breadth of his past accomplishments, I can’t wait to see the impact he has with our roster of clients,” said Rosser. “The work is sure to be impressive.”


VSA Partners Welcomes Thaddeus Ternes

Thaddeus_Ternes_MG_9316-1_r1_1920x1080

VSA Partners is celebrating its 40th anniversary! Since our founding in 1982, VSA Partners has become an integral part of the Chicago design and strategy community, and has worked with top brands like IBM, Google and Nike to help companies break through in an increasingly noisy world. 

To mark the milestone of our 40th year, we sought to do something different from the typical approach that companies might take to celebrate such occasions.

“We easily could have focused this anniversary as a retrospective on the exceptional work VSA is known for,” says CEO Anne-Marie Rosser. “But what really makes VSA successful is our people and their laser focus on designing for a better human experience. We knew that any effort to mark our anniversary should reflect the VSA way of thinking that has driven our work for 40 years and will continue to empower us for years to come.”

With this framework, VSA created an insightful, playful and at times poignant video series exploring the power of design in all its forms. The result is a window into the minds here at VSA, and how team members channel the world of design into their work. 

The editorial campaign focuses on a wide range of concepts, from museum branding to detective shows to kitchen gadgets. Each video then explores how these transformational ideas have improved and enhanced the creativity of individual staff members.

“We too often take for granted the products, services and social constructs of the modern world,” says Chief Creative Officer Curt Schreiber. “But when we take time to examine how these innovations have radically changed and improved our lives, we’ll often find deep inspiration for the next big innovation yet to come.”

The video series comprises short videos of less than a minute apiece. Partner and Head of Design Thom Wolfe explains, “The idea is to not overwhelm people with our inspirations, but to encourage them to consider their own sources of inspiration and ultimately create a social dialogue about the role of design.”

The complete collection can be found at [www.vsaforty.com](https://vsaforty.com).

“If just one person or marketer who views this video is inspired to approach their world through human-centered design, we’ll count this as a success,” says Rosser. “When we lead with designing for the human on the other end of the experience, that’s when truly magical things happen.” 

  VSA Partners Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Exploration of Design’s Human Impact

VSA40_Thumbnail

Marcia Lausen recently visited the Design Observer podcast “The Design of Business | The Business of Design,” hosted by VSA’s Dana Arnett and dreams • design + life CCO Kevin Bethune. Marcia Lausen is Director of the UIC School of Design and Founder of the Chicago office of Studio/lab. Following the 2000 presidential election, she also played a leading role in Design for Democracy, a national election design reform initiative from AIGA. Her book of the same name, “[Design for Democracy: Ballot and Election Design](https://ucp-press-web10.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo5723477.html),” explores design models to improve the election process. 

Marcia joined Dana and Kevin to share her thoughts on the difference between brand and identity, the importance of integrating the roles of practitioner and educator, and learning to be a leader: 

“I was not someone who was outspoken or saw myself as the leader of anything. But what happened is I became good at something and gained a lot of experience and skill. And it’s that ability that made me brave enough to be in front of people.” 

“The Design of Business | The Business of Design” is a podcast from Design Observer, now in its 10th season. Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune co-host the show, exploring how design works within complex organizations to shape decisions and processes, drive innovation, evolve products and services, and more. 
 
[Click here](https://designobserver.com/article.php?id=40568) to listen to the episode and learn more about this Design Observer podcast. 

Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune Interview Marcia Lausen

Marcia_Lausen_new

VSA’s Dana Arnett and dreams • design + life CCO Kevin Bethune sat down with Richard Ting on their podcast, “The Design of Business | The Business of Design.” Richard Ting is the Vice President of Design for Revenue at Twitter and the former Chief Experience Officer at R/GA. He is also Co-Founder and a board member of LAAUNCH, a nonprofit created to combat anti-Asian hate crimes and increase Asian representation. 

Richard shared a broad overview of the thinking that has built a career steeped in community, design and functionality. He began his career at R/GA based on his admiration of its ability to leverage both design and technology. 

“I think if agencies or companies overindex just on science and technology, you lose a little bit of the emotion—the visual finesse that should be applied to products. And if companies overindex just on art and design, they can’t always push the experiences forward.”

Richard also spoke about how the best kind of design is deeply strategic, how he stays connected to culture, and how admitting what you don’t know is the first step to keeping up with the internet. 

“The Design of Business | The Business of Design” is a podcast from Design Observer, now in its 10th season. Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune co-host the show, exploring how design works within complex organizations to shape decisions and processes, drive innovation, evolve products and services, and more. 
 
[Click here to listen to the episode](https://designobserver.com/feature/s10e6-richard-ting/40567) and learn more about this Design Observer podcast. 


Dana Arnett and Kevin Bethune Interview Richard Ting

Richard_Ting_New

VSA Partners is thrilled to announce we received a Platinum, two Golds, and a Silver award in the 2023 Graphis Advertising Awards program. 

The Platinum and two Gold awards went to three spots created as part of the “Invite Knowledge In” campaign for Pearson’s Connections Academy. 

The Silver award was given to work performed for Affirm B2B’s “Turn Up the Volume” campaign. 

VSA is honored to have received these accolades from the 2023 Graphis Advertising Awards program, and deeply grateful to the incredible team members who made it happen.

Read on below for a little more about each of the projects!

**Connections Academy: Platinum, Gold Awards**

Connections Academy is a tuition-free online educator. They came to us looking to elevate their brand from the sea of sameness that typifies the marketing in their industry–in so many words, “kids in front of screens.” The goal was straightforward: Increase brand awareness, recall, and favorability.

Connections Academy’s approach to online learning brings an inspiring curriculum directly into the homes of their students and their families. Taught by educators trained specifically in online learning, they really do “bring the lessons to life.”

So for our creative approach, that’s exactly what we did. In a series of films, we encouraged viewers to “invite knowledge in” by showing historical figures (symbolizing Connections Academy’s range of academic subjects) brought to life and dropped directly into the worlds of our students. From Cleopatra and Newton on a schoolbus, to a centaur in the hallway, to a medieval knight removing his shoes before heading inside, we created a visual landscape that drove home our clients’ point of difference, and stepped completely outside the creative conventions of the industry.

The finished work was unlike anything else in the category, and the clients were thrilled with the elevated and highly differentiated new look this work gave to the brand.



**Affirm B2B: Silver Award**

Affirm is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform that offers shoppers the option to pay for their purchases in installments, without the late fees, hidden charges, or fine print associated with credit cards. VSA Partners was engaged by Affirm to develop a B2B Campaign Platform and Integrated B2B Brand Identity that would target small-to-midsize, direct-to-consumer, e-commerce companies and drive adoption. While the B2B program had great numbers on its side (85% average order increase when using Affirm, 50% more conversions, and 7.2 million Affirm users), it lacked a cohesive brand expression system and a clear and unified point of view.

VSA was tasked with moving Affirm from a tactical marketing strategy to a holistic, compelling point of view. We needed to rally the brand around a “big idea,” and unify their marketing efforts into a cohesive platform that tied all their messaging together. To do so, we created an identity, messaging, branding, advertising, and a campaign platform that could be used across multiple channels to drive differentiation in the category. This assignment included the creation of a clear narrative as to why merchants should consider Affirm as their partner, a playbook for how this brand expression system could be carried out into future activations, and direct tie-ins to integrate this new brand system with the existing Affirm brand identity.

Affirm B2B needed a strong POV that could ladder down into multiple applications. It also had to hit the right tone—B2B marketing often suffers from a lack of personality and a feeling of inaccessibility. Considering that this work would target small businesses, our approach needed to buck the trend and instead exemplify warmth, kindness, and a pro-business attitude. It also needed to convert skeptics by positioning Affirm as a trustworthy, professional partner, without losing the bold and approachable personality Affirm is known for.

Our approach centered on educating potential merchants on the possibilities Affirm unlocks, as well as Affirm’s commitment to partnership and merchant success. We also leveraged Affirm’s unique competitive advantage, carrying the optimism, positivity, and energy that competitors lack through our messaging and brand expression.

The central campaign platform rallied around the cry to “Turn up the volume,” which emphasizes Affirm’s ability to increase conversions, customer love, and sales for businesses. This idea was carried out into the visual identity, key messaging, core assets, and a playbook for external and internal partners to work from. Throughout all the materials, we focused on infusing flexibility into our expression system, both in copy and design. The system itself is simple, but allows for a multitude of combinations and mediums. Every design element was thoughtfully crafted to symbolize growth, which builds in a cohesive story while still offering a range of options to the Affirm team. This interchangeability allows for messaging, imagery, and even graphics to easily be swapped in and out for each other—without losing the strong point of view.

The brand expression developed for the Affirm B2B team took the overarching brand identity and housed a new, dedicated expression beneath it that was well-suited for the target audience.

In messaging, we highlighted smart, approachable, optimistic, and bold as the target tones for all B2B branded assets. One manifestation of this tone is that rather than simply write out stats or RTBs, we look for clever, relevant, and novel ways to frame them. This approach was critical to leveraging the compelling statistics that Affirm B2B had about its user base and merchant success, and implementing them into the overall brand identity.

The selected typography straddles personality and functionality, bringing structure and clarity to our message without losing the Affirm touch.

Colors were carefully selected from the Affirm brand identity palette to build a dedicated Affirm B2B palette that felt warm, bold, and optimistic; and photo-editing was designated in line with the Affirm aesthetic, like harsh drop-shadows behind objects.

And, finally, the graphics symbolize various pillars of the Affirm brand. For example, the arch graphic speaks to the volume of sales, conversions, and customers in a playful way; the speech bubble highlights customer testimonials and quotes; and the wave graphic represents the upward mobility clients will see with Affirm, as well as the growth potential and allusion to volume of sales.

The final campaign platform for Affirm was launched across video, social, ebook, and more. We also provided Affirm with a playbook they could use for additional B2B campaigns and branding. VSA continues to apply this campaign wrapper across several B2B campaigns and communications for Affirm B2B; the playbook also offers Affirm guidance on how to leverage the system for their in-house team as well. Our new B2B campaign transformed the way they go to market, and gave them a compelling new value proposition—plus all the tools they needed to bring it to life.


VSA Partners Wins Multiple Graphis Advertising Awards

Graphis_Advertising_Pearson_Hero

VSA’s Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently a guest on the podcast Rockstar CMO FM, hosted by Ian Truscott. 

Ari and Ian examined how the role brands are expected to play in society has shifted: as the institutions that once acted as moral compasses failed or ceased to command respect, society has increasingly turned to corporations to provide the same level of ethical guidance we once expected from religions, governments, and educational centers. 

In fact, some brands even command a cult-like status not unlike a religion, with passionate communities rallying around a charismatic business leader. 

Ari and Ian discussed how brands can embrace this newfound role as purpose-providers with responsibility and credibility, and how embracing brand as a business asset can help brands build purposeful growth throughout their entire ecosystems and successfully articulate their offerings to consumers. 

[Check out the link here to listen! ](https://rockstarcmo.com/139-the-hola-to-opportunities-ariadna-navarro-of-vsa-partners-and-storytelling-over-a-cocktail-episode/) Ari and Ian's interview begins at 00:27:25. 


Ariadna Navarro Guest on Rockstar CMO FM

Rockstar CMO FM_vsa

VSA CCO Curt Schreiber was recently interviewed by Little Black Book’s Ben Conway. The article, “Chasing the Big and Sweating the Small,” explores Curt’s design origins, as well as the founding principles of VSA Partners. Curt shares what he’s learned about design and running a business during 30 years at VSA, including how our purpose to design a better human experience has guided the company’s transition from a boutique design agency to a brand-led customer experience agency. 

Here's an excerpt from Curt: 

“Early on, virtually all of the VSA staff were designers. As designers, we wrote the proposals, managed the projects, delivered the production files—and designed as well. As we grew, the opportunities required greater and more specialized skill sets. We hired strategists, developers, project managers, video editors, and content managers. We also opened offices on the east and west coasts to access more talent and better serve clients. 

The design practice has always been integral to VSA’s DNA. Today, we consider ourselves a brand and strategy agency, and our capabilities have expanded far beyond what we started out with. But it all still comes down to design—just a different concept of what ‘design’ looks like. VSA’s purpose is to ‘design for a better human experience.’ So whether you’re a strategist, developer, or producer, every person in the company has a valuable role in design.”

[Check out the article here](https://www.lbbonline.com/news/chasing-the-big-and-sweating-the-small-with-curt-schreiber) for the full interview.

Chasing the Big and Sweating the Small with Curt Schreiber

Curt_Schreiber_MG_7463_16x9

VSA’s Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently a guest on the JUST Branding podcast, co-hosted by Jacob Cass and Matt Davies. 

In this episode, Ari tackles the rise of “blands”—a category of brands that while claiming to offer a completely unique product, adopt an almost uniform visual identity and voice.

[Check out the episode here](https://justcreative.com/blands-vs-brands/) or below to hear more about what a bland is, why blands became so popular, and how companies that once embraced the blands can create a stronger, longer-lasting brand legacy. 



Ariadna Navarro Is Guest Speaker on JUST Branding Podcast

Compilation image of Jacob Cass, Ariadna Navarro, and Matt Davies' headshots

blands-vs-brands-youtube

VSA Partners is proud to announce six moves within our executive suite, including a new CEO and the naming of three partners.

After serving for two years as President, [Anne-Marie Rosser](https://vsapartners.com/about/anne-marie-rosser) will ascend to the role of CEO at VSA Partners. She will succeed [Dana Arnett](https://vsapartners.com/about/dana-arnett), who after four decades at VSA, will take on the title of Founder and Chairman. [Ariadna Navarro](https://vsapartners.com/about/ariadna-navarro) has served for four years as VSA’s Chief Strategy Officer and will expand her role to take on the Chief Growth Officer position. VSA Partners’ three new partners include [Mike Walsh](https://vsapartners.com/about/mike-walsh), Head of Client Engagement; [Kristin Lingren](https://vsapartners.com/about/kristin-lingren), General Counsel and Secretary; and [Thom Wolfe](https://vsapartners.com/about/thom-wolfe), Head of Design. 

The announcement of our recent promotions and partner additions signals a new era for VSA. As the firm nears our 40th anniversary, the timely transition to the next iteration of firm leadership is emblematic of our future-focused mindset, and seeks to further empower the core team of next-generation executives who have driven the success and reputation of VSA.

The tenure and loyalty exhibited by the recent promotions is also indicative of VSA Partners’ strong culture of great people and great work, with many recently promoted employees having decades of award-winning experience.

“It’s less a passing of the torch and more an acknowledgement that the torch has already been passed,” says Arnett. “This leadership team has always guided and inspired our associates while elevating the businesses we touch. These promotions underscore their character as leaders and it further confirms we’re heading in the right direction.”

Arnett’s successor as Chief Executive Officer, Anne-Marie Rosser, has deep ties with VSA that span over two decades. During her tenure, she has served in multiple positions, including Associate Partner of Strategy, Head of Client Engagement, and President. This depth of experience across the different disciplines at VSA makes Rosser especially adept at both steering the high-level strategic vision and ensuring its day-to-day implementation. 

“I don’t think it’s possible to have chosen a more worthy successor than Anne-Marie,” says Arnett. “No one knows our business as definitively as she does. And I think it’s fair to say we would never have gained the recent momentum and success we have without her expertise and leadership.”

For her part, Rosser spreads the credit for their successes to her entire team. “I’ve never worked with a group of people more dedicated to their jobs. From strategy to creative to account management, this team brings their best day in and day out.” 

Rosser also credits the invaluable leadership of Arnett. “Dana is and always will be the heart and soul of VSA. His passion and empathy have created a culture that cares deeply about the people they work with—colleagues, clients and the people who interact with the brands we build. I am deeply honored to be following such a legacy.”

The firm’s new Chief Growth Officer, Ariadna Navarro, joined VSA in 2018 after heading up strategy at Interbrand. Her expanded role will combine her strategic expertise with her passion for finding unique business opportunities for clients ranging from IBM to AT&T. 

“Ari is one of the most passionately curious people I know. I’ve seen her dive deep into everything from building an ethical metaverse to the ins and outs of cryptocurrency. She’s a fantastic problem solver and will be an asset to our clients by positioning VSA to best serve the next generation of brands,” says Rosser. 

The three new partners all bear deep legacies at VSA. 

Thom Wolfe, Head of Design, has been with VSA for over 20 years. He has long been a counterpart to Curt Schreiber, VSA’s Chief Creative Officer. 

“Thom is one of the most thoughtful designers and leaders I have met in my career,” says Schreiber. “And he’s constantly adapting his craft to what our clients need. He finds the way design can make something better, no matter what the medium.” 

Kristin Lingren, previously Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, has been with VSA Partners for 14 years—during which she has built the legal practice to its current invaluable role in the day-to-day business. 

“Kristin’s reputation precedes her—she is well-known in our organization for her ethics and role as a trusted advisor to the firm’s leadership,” said Rosser. “She has been invaluable in bolstering the stability and responsibility of our firm, and I am deeply grateful to have her as a colleague.”

Mike Walsh has led engagements for many of VSA’s marquee clients since joining the firm 15 years ago. He will now take on an expanded role in the client engagement practice as partner. During his tenure at VSA, Walsh has been instrumental in growing the firm’s business through economic cycles via his consistent pursuit of uncompromising quality. 

“Anyone who knows Mike knows what an incredible team member he is,” Rosser says. “Mike is an exceptional leader and has one of the quickest wits I’ve ever encountered. He’s relentlessly focused on the human behind our clients’ business problems—it keeps his work grounded in empathy and relatability, and has been a really powerful force at VSA.” 

Congratulations to all the new partners and executives moving into their expanded roles! VSA Partners is deeply grateful for the years of dedication showcased by this group, and very excited for the next 40 years of building the VSA legacy. 


The latest from inside VSA

Subscribe

Subscribe