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Mission

To ensure socially responsible corporations optimally communicate their core values to their stakeholders.

Brave One develops new channels and improves existing methods for corporations to communicate their CSR efforts. Whether streamlining current efforts or creating entirely new ones, we help companies better define their approach, track success, and tell the story of their corporate citizenship to an audience of consumers, employees, and investors.

MISSION

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tHe orbit assessment isThe ORBIT Assessment is Brave One’s five-step process that affords us a comprehensive understanding of your organization’s past and present CSR and communications efforts.

Once our thorough appraisal is complete, we present action plans that will help form the foundation of new communications programs, strategies, and policies in 3 key areas.

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Employee Engagement

The formula for a stand-out reputation in CSR is simple: increase employee awareness. At Brave One we develop employee-facing communications platforms that increase understanding and involvement in corporate philanthropy, encourage volunteerism, and celebrate stand-out employee efforts and achievements.

85% of employees are more likely to initiate spontaneous word-of-mouth promotion when they are involved with the CSR initiatives of their company, and 65% of them are more likely to do so when they are informed about such corporate initiatives.1

Consumer Communications

Brave One’s ORBIT factors your bottom line into every aspect of our recommendations. We believe strongly that CSR efforts should help to achieve product and service differentiation, inspire brand loyalty, and motivate purchasing decisions. We incorporate CSR into business-to-consumer messaging through every available channel, from traditional and digital advertising down to packaging.

55% of consumers are more likely to purchase a products with ‘added social benefits. 2

Investor Relations

Comprehensive social and environmental policies are increasingly necessary for attracting `individual investors as well as establishing partnerships. Brave One helps potential investors clearly understand Corporate CSR efforts and goals as well as the distinct benefits these hold for their investment. Creating comprehensive social reports is just one of the many means Brave One has for communicating CSR efforts to stakeholders.

Investors are no longer content merely to make money, but want to assure they are doing so responsibly.3

1. Dawkins, J. & Lewis, s. “Corporate responsibility: the communication challenge.” Journal of Communication management, 9 (2): 108-119 | Penn shoen berland, Corporate social responsibility branding survey 2010 | strategic Corporate social responsibility: stakeholders in a Global environment by William b. Werther, Jr., David Chandler 2. Penn shoen berland, Corporate social responsibility branding survey 2010 3. strategic Corporate social responsibility: stakeholders in a Global environment by William b. Werther, Jr., David Chandler

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Overview Brave One begins each engagement by first becoming experts in your corporate communications.

Areas examined include: • Comprehensive interviews with multiple stakeholders; everyone from

customers, investors, and executives on down to your organization’s newest hire.

• An exhaustive audit of current internal communications channels; including intranet, corporate magazines, newsletters, and any additional publications.

• A review of all external marketing, advertising, and PR efforts.

• Past and present non-profit and corporate partnerships.

• Active digital and social media strategies and policies.

• A thorough assessment of public opinion and recent media coverage.

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Research Once we have a complete understanding of your past and present CSR efforts, Brave One determines what strategies should be discontinued, what can be recalibrated, and what has yet to be explored.

Our research will reveal the following: • Locate where your CSR reputation falls relative to your closest competitor’s.

• Investigate new partnerships with advocacy organizations more in keeping with your area of industry and the core values of your corporation.

• Develop and deploy quantitative online tools to determine if your social and environmental priorities are aligned with those of your stakeholders.

• Analyze industry trends to determine which initiatives will put your company at the forefront of CSR.

• Additional factors and considerations based on industry, company size, and product or service characteristics.

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Briefing After completing our overview and research, Brave One presents our findings and strategies in 3 distinct action plans:

• Internal CSR Communications

• Business-to-Consumer CSR Communications

• Investor CSR Communications

Each of these Action Plans will form the bedrock of your communications strategy for their given audiences. They will detail where you have been, tell you where to go next, and create traceable reference points to direct your CSR strategy and maintain a path towards success. Each action plan addresses the following topics:

• Status Evaluation: Each action plan begins with a review of your current CSR performance and its effectiveness.

• Competition: We break down your industry’s current CSR trends, review your competition’s current strategies and responses to said trends, and determine your company’s current industry reputation.

• Recommended Communication Strategy: The bulk of each action plan outlines your new communications objectives, provides revisions to your CSR Brand Voice, and proposes new initiatives. Your strategy will include amendments to existing communications channels, both online and offline, suggestions for resource allocation, as well as the development of new assets and communication methods. After we define the platforms for your CSR communication, each action plan provides a strategy and timeline for a long-term, multichannel PR and Marketing campaign.

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IntegrationBrave One’s resources allow us to execute on our recommendations through content creation, asset development, and project management.

We make certain that all of our new strategies, initiatives and communication channels are incorporated into your organization’s system as seamlessly as possible. We recognize that our clients are incredibly busy, and have developed a system of implementation and integration that makes working with Brave One simple.

To implement strategies, Brave One maintains the following services:

• PR and marketing strategy and execution

• Copywriting and content creation

• Campaign management

• Media strategy and placement

• Digital design and development

• Qualitative and quantitative research

• Analytics

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TrackingKey to any successful business investment is the ability of company leaders to track their return on their investment. In the final phase of the ORBIT process, Brave One tracks, compiles, and analyzes Key Performance Indicators to ensure your business is executing its new strategies as effectively as intended.

Tracking is offered in the months following ORBIT’s completion, and covers the following areas: • Increases in media coverage.

• Changes in investment and investor relations.

• Displayed affinity on all social network sites.

• Growth in employee awareness and involvement in CSR initiatives.

• Revenue growth.

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Lukas SnellingPartner & Chief Strategic Officer

An expert in digital media and communications, Lukas began his career at CBS where within just a few short years he ascended to the position of Director of Digital Media. While serving as Director, he was the recipient of the Web Marketing Award for Outstanding Achievement in Web Development. Lukas eventually left CBS to form his own marketing consultancy, Digital Media Army, a consulting group dedicated to helping businesses increase revenue through effective online communication.

While still at CBS Lukas founded the Green Radio Initiative, a program that created actionable messages for audiences to embrace more sustainable lifestyles across the full CBS portfolio of assets.

Lukas has overseen national media campaigns for both Fortune 500 companies as well as non-profits, he has also advised corporate executives on their PR and communications strategies, particularly those related to sustainable and environmental initiatives. He has assisted numerous organizations in the creation of press, fundraising, sales and marketing materials.

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Jesse MayhewPartner & Content Manager

Prior to founding Brave One, Jesse owned and operated CSRcopy, a writing firm dedicated to helping corporations with their CSR and sustainability initiatives. Jesse has written and consulted for a vast range of companies including Capital One, Energizer, Compass Group North America, Freeworld Media, 3BL Media, Public Address System, and many more.

In the past Jesse has served as Director of Editorial and Operations at CSRwire, a leading global source of corporate social responsibility and sustainability news, reports, events and information.

A veteran cause marketing writer, thought leader, and consultant, Jesse is the author of Corporate Storytelling and Your CSR Strategy, a highly regarded industry report dedicated to best practices in cause marketing and social media strategy. Jesse’s writings on Corporate Social Responsibility have appeared in The Washington Post, 3BL Media, and CSRwire.

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Our StoryBrave One is a communications agency dedicated to helping companies face new global realities by embracing new, emerging media strategies to achieve their business goals. We have the resources of a web studio, the insight of a consultancy, and the daring of a veteran PR firm. Our clients are those organizations that have bravely stepped up to the challenge of today’s most pressing social and environmental issues.

Our Principles Economic, social, and environmental realities are no longer simple side issues or pet projects for any company ready to play a serious role in the post-recession economy. Future CSR efforts won’t be found tucked away in annual reports, but front and center in a company’s brand, behavior, and guiding principles. At Brave One, We believe doing good is more than a marketing term. We only work with businesses that back up their efforts with action, display a high standard of ethics and practice responsible corporate citizenship.

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www.braveoneagency.cominfo@braveoneagency.com413-650-2770

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