Climate action should be part of every business plan.
As the climate crisis grows, businesses are quickly realizing that their future is indeed reliant on a healthy planet. They’re being called upon to act by shareholders, employees, and customers, and those that listen are taking advantage of an opportunity to be a powerful part of the solution while also strengthening their long-term brand value.
But how you do it most effectively depends on using the existing brand levers and resources that you probably already have, paired with the systemic solutions of greatest influence. I help businesses of any size develop achievable, impactful and brand-building approaches to climate action.
Climate Advocacy, Meet Brand Marketing
Telling accurate and authentic stories about your climate leadership is what your customers (and employees) want to hear more of. Not only do they want to know more about your genuine leadership, but they also want to be part of your climate journey. Calling on over a decade of climate expertise rooted in valuable insights, current events, and most importantly, impact, I build insightful, accurate and stand-out advocacy campaigns that demonstrate corporate leadership, drive change and provide opportunities for consumers and employees to participate as agents of change. I am the link between your advocacy and brand marketing teams.
About Me
I’ve had the opportunity to spend my career at some of the world’s most respected advertising and marketing agencies, developing national advertising campaigns for global brands. Working within this creative environment has given me a front-row seat to the power of an insightful strategy and how a creative idea can change popular culture and build movements.
Follow that up with over a decade of experience in the climate space, running climate nonprofits and advising businesses, I have deep roots in the climate conversation and a keen understanding of the systemic solutions that will actually move the needle.
For businesses that want to demonstrate corporate leadership on climate and effectively communicate it to their customers and employees, I have a valuable perspective and expertise to share.
Contact me at chris@baselayergroup.com.
Chris Steinkamp
Principal
Some Recent Work
Topp Fruits (WRA/Colorado Climate Action Network)
Developed an online advocacy, letter-writing campaign for the Colorado Climate Action Network to help pass HB-1266, driven by a series of short videos illustrating the impacts of climate change on front line businesses across Colorado. This video tells the story of the impacts that the drought is having on the iconic family farms on Colorado’s western slope.
Watch The Video
Defiance Rafting (WRA/Colorado Climate Action Network)
Developed an online advocacy, letter-writing campaign for the Colorado Climate Action Network to help pass HB-1266, driven by a series of short videos illustrating the impacts of climate change on front line businesses across Colorado. This video tells the story of the long-term impacts that the 2020’s Grizzly Creek Fire is having on Colorado’s legendary rafting companies.
Watch The Video
Climate United (Snowsports Industries America)
Climate United is SIA’s platform to engage the winter outdoor industry around meaningful climate action. The platform provides valuable tools, resources and a climate action playbook that enables every business of any size to build and execute an achievable climate action plan.
Visit The Page
The MT2030 Climate Solutions Summit
I am the Executive Director of Mountain Towns 2030, a climate accelerator that’s empowering mountain and outdoor communities to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030. The MT2030 Climate Solutions Summit is the annual gathering of key stakeholders from our mountain and outdoor communities: local government elected officials, staff and sustainability teams, ski resorts, business and community leaders, working together to implement bold ideas to meet the zero-carbon commitment.
Visit The Page
Merrell Presents: Bringing It Home
“Bringing It Home” follows Tyrhee Moore, mountaineer, outdoor education advocate, and founder of Soul Trak, as he tells the story of his connection to the outdoors that was fostered at a young age. Born and raised in one of the toughest neighborhoods in South East Washington, D.C., Moore still resides in the area today and passionately dedicates his time to inspire and educate urban youth about the power and accessibility of the outdoors. Directors: Scott Briscoe and James ‘Q’ Martin.
Watch The Video
Protect The West (Western Resource Advocates)
For Boulder-based nonprofit Western Resource Advocates, I created the Protect The West campaign to harness the influence of the outdoor industry’s most respected brands to take on the environmental issues that impact the future of the West.
Merrell Presents: Mi Mamá
My work with Merrell was focused on helping them normalize the conversation and celebrate diversity in the outdoors. Mi Mamá is the first of five “origin stories,” stories about powerful individuals and their unique journeys towards a love of the outdoors. Produced by James Q Martin. Directed by Jade Begay, produced by Jayme Dittmar.
Watch The Video
Dear Mr. President (Protect Our Winters)
This advocacy campaign was directed to the Trump administration, urging them to keep the US in the Paris Climate Agreement. The integrated campaign included co-branded beer with a call to action placed on the label, on-premise events, thousands of sign-on letters and a video created by filmmaker James Q Martin, distributed by professional athletes and corporate partners. We also invited the POW community to message President Trump via Twitter, for one day with the #KeepParis tag. In 24 hours, we reached over ten million people on social media.
Watch The Video
SIA's Climate United Academy
Developed a library of 40+ masterclass-style videos; approachable conversations with outdoor industry peers who are leading the way on various aspects of climate action, sharing their expertise to help get every winter outdoor business started on their climate journey. This platform will accelerate learning, quickly bringing anyone from climate novice to climate professional.
Watch One Of The Videos
Brand Video (Western Resource Advocates)
A short piece about the talented people and their work at Western Resource Advocates, a group of some of the smartest and most dedicated environmentalists I know. For many in the organization, protecting the West is their life’s work. This is glimpse of just a few of the people behind that work and their unique and incredibly successful approach to it.
Watch The Video
Drop In & Vote (Protect Our Winters)
Developed the national “Drop In & Vote” campaign for Protect Our Winters for the 2016 US elections, leveraging the reach of professional athletes and outdoor brands to drive the greater outdoor community to vote. Athletes and brands shared video-driven content and a call-to-action on their indvidual social channels, while paid/targeted social media and PR increased reach.
``United By Winter`` (Snowsports Industries America)
Led re-brand for Snowsports Industries America (SIA) around a new tagline, “United By Winter.” Set new creative look to include a re-designed website, new trade show booth, digital headers, social images, templates and business cards.
See The Assets
SIA's ClimateUnited Lab
The most powerful way we can accelerate our action on climate is to open the dialogue across our industry, addressing challenges, sharing ideas, and learning from colleagues that are tackling the same issues. SIA’s ClimateUnited Lab is an online platform focused on building collaboration amongst winter outdoor industry colleagues, and delivering the tools, resources and guidance for every winter outdoor business to effectively build and execute their climate action plan. Built on an online collaboration platform, the Lab enables industry colleagues to collaborate with each other, while accessing the resources, tools and video content they need.
Partners
"Merrell and Baselayer partnered closely together for almost two years. Working with Baselayer felt like a natural extension of our team versus working with a typical agency partner. Chris’ passion for our brand and the work we were trying to accomplish showed up every day and we truly enjoyed working with him. Chris’ background knowledge did a lot of the heavy lifting for us. His follow up and communication was outstanding and we look forward to partnering with Chris and his team again!"- Manager, Social Responsibility, Merrell
Travis Rummel
