KAI HSING
Creative Strategy
+1.415.823.1521 / kai(at)proto-kai.com
PROFILE
A strategist using methods rooted in cultural and social science research, design thinking and documentary storytelling to understand what motivates people and how to engage them.
EXPERIENCE
Freelance Strategist, San Francisco, California
11.2009 – present
* Defining audience insights and developing digital strategies to spur brand engagement both on and offline with Distill, an experience design firm and Loomis Group, a full-service ad agency.
* Oakland International Airport: Leading development of a new process to measure and understand effectiveness of digital outreach efforts through customer journeys, social media monitoring and other methods.
* YouTube: Developed and produced research case studies for campaign that showed how small businesses can use video to successfully grow their business.
* Kiva.org: Created strategy from market research, audience surveys and interviews to produce 60-second video spot that convinced Sam’s Club shoppers to give $1 million to microfinance nonprofit.
* Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: Repositioned contemporary arts center as a content curator and digital storyteller as a way to build their cultural brand; video series has been nominated for national museum awards.
* Party Corps: Redefined nonprofit organization as an online platform for connecting musicians with social causes; conducted audience research, developed online product roadmap and brand strategy.
* Turnstyle: Defined target audience insights to develop, commission and produce original nonfiction video series; developed outreach strategy for increasing audience and gaining distribution partners.
Creative Producer, Current Media, San Francisco, California
10.2007 – 11.2009
* Led branded campaign for T-Mobile that had one of the highest rates of engagement on the network.
* Developed strategies to successfully increase online participation among television viewers by 30%.
* Discovered cross-platform business opportunities for building audience and brand awareness.
* Member of programming department that won Emmy and Webby Awards for interactive television in 2007.
Online Content Strategist, Current Media, San Francisco, California
08.2006 – 10.2007
* Led team in content and user experience development for relaunch of Current.com as an interactive, social news web site that increased uniques threefold to around 2 million a month in less than one year.
* Developed audience insights to curate and define Current’s online editorial voice.
* Used competitive analysis and user mapping to define and drive creative development process.
Cultural Curator, Flavorpill Productions, San Francisco/New York/London
10.2004 – 10.2007
* Researched, curated and wrote about emerging trends, events and culture for trend forecasting magazine reaching 400,000+ targeted influencers.
* Evangelized unique promotional and marketing partnerships with Budweiser, Le Tourment, Absolut and others.
Organizer, Service Employees International Union, Seattle, Washington
01.2004 - 03.2004
* Researched and developed messaging strategies to increase member enrollment and build campaign awareness for new labor union representing statewide healthcare workers.
EDUCATION
Certificate, Miami Ad School, Account Planning, 2011
Winner of Best Overall Campaign (client: YouTube)
* Campaign built brand loyalty among moms by positioning YouTube as a catalyst for world-changing ideas.
M.A. University College London, Cultural Theory, 2005
Awarded with Distinction (high honors)
* Thesis used critical theory and analysis to examine the cultural economics of user-generated content.
B.A. Portland State University, International Communication, 2003
Academic Dean’s List
* Using social science methods, thesis highlighted development opportunities in African immigrant community.
* Finalist, Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Best Collegiate Arts Writing, 2002
Activities and Societies: Daily Vanguard newspaper, KPSU Radio.
VOLUNTEER
Citizen Schools, 826 Valencia
LANGUAGES
Chinese Mandarin, French, Dutch
