
PORTFOLIO PROJECT
ZERO TOLERANCE
Zero Tolerance, launched in 2006 and known popularly as ZT Knives, is a brand born from a clear vision: design superior hard-use knives for first responders. According to this vision, each ZT knife would be manufactured in the United States from super-premium materials, and would be specifically built for firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement, and military service-members.
With the speed of a lightning strike, ZT established a dedicated fanbase. And with the power of a thunder roll, their fans soon included folks from all walks of life. Regardless of who they were, every ZT customer experienced the manifestation of the brand’s vision. A truth that has remained consistent over time.
Zero Tolerance, a sister-brand to its scrappier sibling Kershaw, is part of the Kai USA family — a Japanese/American joint venture since 1974, headquartered at their plant and main office in Tualatin, Oregon. And as soon as ZT understood what we were accomplishing for Kershaw, they, too, wanted in on the action. (Please see the Kershaw case-study for more.)
And so, we folded-in a ZT hero-video to a burgeoning production calendar already humming with Kershaw work. We were determined to further distinguish the two brands from one another, while accomplishing a clear brand statement for ZT that was as serious as it was refined.
CLIENT ::
ZT Knives
SERVICES ::
Creative Direction, Team Leadership, Team Management, Ideation, Creative Concepting, Scriptwriting, Casting, Directing, Scoring, Editing, Copywriting, Copyediting, Content QA
CHANNELS ::
Video, Web, Social
APPROACH ::
Targeted, Strategic, Multidisciplinary, Collaborative, Brand-driven, Customer-centric




ZERO TOLERANCE :: MORE
Similar to our work with Kershaw, from Moment One, we established a cross-collaborative, blended team that respected each other’s needs and specialties, and worked seamlessly together. On the agency side, our priorities drove us to:
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Establish a clearly defined brand, easily distinguishable in the marketplace.
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Bolster ZT’s reputation for superior quality with visual and scripted storytelling that was inclusive to all brand demographics.
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Showcase ZT’s newest-release knives and their defining product-attributes, creating callouts for key product-features.
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Please multiple high- and mid-level stakeholders at every milestone as part of a high-touch, hands-on, multidisciplinary production effort.
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Create a mood-infused statement that delivered aspirational appeal, while also speaking to a varied audience — one that included legacy loyalists (like military service-members), in addition to outdoor enthusiasts, sportsmen, blue-collar workers, and white-collar style-setters.
Across an accelerated, multi-layered production calendar, our tasks included:
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Give literal voice to a respected brand, while burnishing ZT’s established voice and tone.
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Expand on the brand look and feel, anchoring it to an aspirational yet inclusive style that simultaneously conveyed both utility and class.
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Create a new hero-video that utilized brand-based storytelling, voiceover, and scoring, along with sophisticated 3D product-renders with multiple callouts, dynamic text, and graphics.
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Parlay these assets into cutdowns, stills, and other communication components ready for release across ZT’s principal channels.





ADDITIONAL SAMPLES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
From name brands to small businesses, from cause-based nonprofits to
specialized firms, I serve a wide range of B2C, B2B, and DTC clients
delivering custom content for all channels.
My work spans video, print, radio, OOH / outdoor, in-store, digital, web, and social.
My clients span professional services, consumer goods, food and beverage, spirits, confectionery, beauty, adornment, baby, pet care, outdoor/sporting, insurance, education, science, and technology.
Samples from my full portfolio are always available. Just ask.