Kaplow Communications – Right On Target
Kaplow was founded in 1991 by Liz Kaplow. The headquarters is in midtown Manhattan, with additional offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The agency is full-service, offering their global array of clients marketing, communications, and PR services in the usual traditional, new media, and digital arenas. They help strategize and create content, social media efforts, community work, and form alliances to move the work forward.
According to Kaplow.com, the “essential elements of our culture are expressed by the acronym T.R.E.E – Trust, Respect, Energy, and Enthusiasm. These values are the sun, air, and water that nourish us. They encourage collaboration and creativity, helping both us and our clients grow.” They specialize in social media consultation, event planning, brand building, media relations, and video production.
The agency has had many opportunities to help their clients shine, but some of the most notable campaigns have been with Target. In 2002, they presented Target at the Chelsea Piers on a boat engaging consumers and media in NYC – where Target had no stores. In 2008, they created the Target Bullseye Bodega at New York’s Fashion Week.
Leadership, Clients, and Accolades
Liz Kaplow is a co-founder of the agency as well as the President and CEO. She says, “The joy of finding and sharing a great story from a stellar brand has inspired [her] from the day [they] opened.”
Liz graduated from Vassar in 1981 and then went on to get her graduate degree in advertising and communications from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Before starting the agency, she worked at Human Relations Media Company. She donates her time and energy as a consultant to Cancer and Careers and Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW)’s charitable foundation; she also is on the Girl Scouts Honor Roll Committee, where she mentors young women. The Girl Scouts of America honored her in 2009 as a Woman of Distinction.
Evan Jacobs is a co-founder and the CFO and COO. In the early days, he worked as legal counsel, but came on full-time in 1998. He has a long-time history as Legal Advisor and Principal on various real estate developments, but he has also worked with corporate law extensively. He attended Vassar and then Hofstra University School of Law, where he received his J.D.
Some of their clients include Microsoft (Skype), Avon Foundation, Target, Conair, The Vitamin Shoppe, and Shiseido. A few of the awards they’ve won in recent years are The Holmes Report’s Best Agency to Work For, the Global SABRE Award, Branded Journalism, and PRWeek Global Campaign of the Year.
Perks and Problems
Employee reviews at glassdoor.com are mixed, but almost all of them mention the perks they enjoyed which include top-tier clients, great work-life balance and schedule flexibility, and a good stepping stone starting job in PR. Several reviews, even the positive ones, mentioned that pay is lower than the industry standard and that they are top-heavy when it comes to management, making it difficult to complete projects.
Getting a Job There
They generally have a few positions open – usually in their New York office. Current openings can be found at kaplow.com/jobs.
In an interview with The Muse, Liz Kaplow explained that she looks for people who can tell a good but streamlined story about themselves. She advises applicants to focus on things they’ve accomplished, especially leadership experience, what the details were, and how much time and energy was spent to create the best results and keep people focused and energized.
