Challenge: Communicate strategic insights and ideas to a global denim brand.

Solution: Consumer stories brought to life via a unique digital presentation.

I collaborated with Studio Riley on a project for a well-known denim company. Initially hired as a writer, I was subsequently asked to lead the consumer insights and provide creative oversight for a digital presentation providing key findings and recommended positioning. The work provided the client with a better understanding of their core customer audience and fostered internal corporate cultural insights.

Nike has hired Ashley for multiple projects over the years. She is a sought-after writer and creative, strategic mind who leaders appreciate as a trusted partner and collaborator. Her projects often involve internal “D2D” (division-to-division) communications collaborations. She has led events, workshops, and off-sites, written executive communications and scripts, and provided leadership ideation.

Challenge: Develop a clear brand strategy for a company with no internal brand leadership expertise and uncertainty about where to begin.

Solution: A multi-phased approach to educated and aligned the leadership team around a total brand refresh and change management.

Del Amo Construction is a second-generation, partner-owned LA construction company. Word of mouth over 50 years had led to great success, but their leaders worried about how sustainable that success was in the 21st century. Never having engaged in formal marketing tactics, they were wary of how much they should spend on advertising, whether their website was adequate, and what the point of social media was for them.

I began by focusing on their brand strategy, and working with them to come together around their “What, How, and Why” (credit: Simon Sinek). This led to more clarity of purpose and allowed me to draft a cohesive brand strategy document that provided the road map for all subsequent brand communications related work.

In addition to serving as a de facto CMO reporting directly to the President for over one year, I led other creative agencies and individuals hired to deliver a total brand refresh that included a new logo, new website, original videos, a social media presence, streamlined and brand appropriate core values, print materials, and the development of an annual employee recognition program aligned with the new company values. It all culminated in a company event to celebrate and unveil it to their 100 employees. I wrote/edited the executive speeches and advised on the show flow and venue design. Finally, I worked closely with the President to assist with change management challenges related to future brand management.

UMPQUA BANK HIRED ASHLEY TO HELP DESIGN THE TRAINING MODULE FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM OF THEIR DIGITAL BANKING CONCIERGE TEAM. SHE LED THE TEAM IN A WRITING WORKSHOP TO CREATE THEIR PROFESSIONAL ON-LINE BIOS, HIRED A VIDEO PRODUCTION TEAM TO DOCUMENT THE TRAINING, AND CURATED RELEVANT SPEAKERS ON THE SUBJECT OF DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT AND ON-CAMERA PRESENTING.

CRB MANUFACTURING HAD ALREADY BEGUN WORKING WITH A GRAPHIC DESIGNER TO REDESIGN THEIR WEBSITE, BUT THE PROJECT HAD STALLED DUE TO LACK OF A CLEAR STORY AND COMPELLING COPY. THE DESIGNER RECOMMENDED THE CLIENT HIRE ASHLEY TO HELP. ASHLEY FRAMED A UNIQUE BRAND STORY AND MESSAGE HIERARCHY FOR THE CLIENT, AND THEN USED THAT TO WRITE FRESH COPY THAT BROUGHT THEIR BRAND AND THEIR CULTURE TO LIFE. A COUPLE YEARS LATER THEY HIRED ASHLEY AGAIN TO BUILD OUT THE CAREERS SECTION OF THEIR SITE. THEY SAY THEY STILL GET COMPLIMENTS TO THIS DAY ON THEIR SITE. WWW.CRBMFG.COM

HDR ARCHITECTS AND ORANGEWALL STUDIOS HIRED ASHLEY TO GUIDE THE CREATION OF A PITCH FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE PHIL KNIGHT CANCER RESEARCH CENTER IN PORTLAND, OREGON. ASHLEY CRAFTED A MESSAGE HIERARCHY THAT STOOD OUT FROM THE COMPETITION BY FOCUSING ON THEIR BELIEF IN THE POWER OF PHYSICAL SPACE ON PATIENT/HUMAN EXPERIENCE. THE PRESENTATION WAS SITED AS THE MOST INNOVATIVE RECEIVED, AND THE CLIENTS STATED IT WOULD FOREVER CHANGE HOW THEY APPROACHED PITCH CREATION.

PDF UPON REQUEST.

ASHLEY WROTE AND EDITED COPY FOR AN INTERNAL NIKE APP MEANT TO GUIDE ALL SEASONAL PLANNING AND SALES. SHE LED A HALF-DAY WORKSHOP TO CLARIFY KEY MESSAGES WITH BRAND OPERATIONS LEADERSHIP AND WROTE THE EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS INTRODUCING THE TOOL.

ASHLEY DESIGNED, PRODUCED AND FACILITATED UMPQUA BANK'S OFF SITE TO INSPIRE THE TEAM OF THEIR NEW SAN FRANCISCO "STORE" BEFORE IT OPENED IN 2013. A MORNING OF SPEAKERS (CEO RAY DAVIS & AN IDEO CONSUMER EXPERIENCE EXPERT) AND FUTURE VISIONING EXERCISES WAS FOLLOWED BY AN AFTERNOON DIVIDING INTO TEAMS EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF HUMAN AND DIGITAL SERVICE INTERACTIONS IN A SERIES OF TRANSPORTATION, FOOD, RETAIL, ART, AND HOTEL EXPERIENCES.

ASHLEY WAS HIRED BY A ONE HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD SENIOR LIVING CENTER TO EXPLORE HOW TO REFRESH THEIR BRAND AND REVITALIZE THEIR BUSINESS. SHE LED INTERNAL WORKSHOPS AND ASSESSMENTS AND COLLABORATED WITH A CONSUMER INSIGHTS EXPERT ON CONDUCTING EXTERNAL KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS. SHE DISTILLED ALL THE INFORMATION GATHERED INTO A RECOMMENDED BRAND POSITION AND STRATEGY AND PRESENTED IT TO SENIOR LEADERSHIP AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

ASHLEY’S THREE SONS ATTENDED CHAPMAN ELEMENTARY, A PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL FAMOUS FOR BEING AN ANNUAL MIGRATION STOP-OVER FOR VAUX SWIFTS. SHE SAW A BRANDING AND FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY AND RECOMMENDED THE SCHOOL ADOPT THE NAME "THE CHAPMAN SWIFTS." AFTER GETTING PTA APPROVAL, SHE LED THE DESIGN OF THIS LOGO, AND CREATED A PROGRAM TO SELL T-SHIRTS, WATER BOTTLES, STICKERS AND OTHER ITEMS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL. THE PROGRAM, NAME AND LOGO ARE STILL BEING USED TO THIS DAY, OVER TEN YEARS LATER, AND 100% OF THE PROFITS GO TO THE SCHOOL AND PPS.

GOUMIKIDS, IS A SMALL ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPANY WITH A CAUSE-RELATED FOCUS. IN THEIR EARLY START-UP DAYS, THEY HIRED ASHLEY TO HELP ESTABLISH A CLEAR BRAND VISION. SHE LED WORKSHOPS AND FOCUS GROUPS TO DRIVE BRAND COMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE, WROTE BRAND GUIDELINES, AND WROTE/PRODUCED KEY VIDEOS. www.goumikids.com

EVERY YEAR NIKE AND DOERNBECHER’S CHILDREN HOSPITAL FOUNDATION PARTNER TO PAIR SIX CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN WITH NIKE DESIGNERS TO DESIGN A SIGNATURE SHOE. THEY HIRED ASHLEY TO WRITE THE INSPIRATIONAL STORIES OF THE KIDS CHOSEN AS THE 2014 DESIGNERS. THE STORIES WERE SHOWCASED IN A BOOK, AS WELL AS IN THE BOX TOPS OF ALL THE SHOES SOLD. THE FREESTYLE PROGRAM HAS RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE FOUNDATION. PDF UPON REQUEST.

ASHLEY LOVES COLLABORATING WITH FELLOW CREATIVES. SHE AND HER FRIEND ULRIKE KERBER OF VIVA DESIGNS, BASED IN SANTA BARBARA, CO-CREATED THIS VIDEO SHORT FOR SOULPANCAKE. www.facebook.com

Ashley is also a creative writer and producer. She has many personal projects under her belt. Visit her at her other website to learn more.

ASHLEY DEVELOPED AND WROTE A COMPANY MISSION, CORE VALUES, AND MANAGERIAL TEMPLATES FOR THE PREMIER KENNEL NATURES ACRES, LOCATED IN THE PORTLAND METRO AREA.