https://www.irenekaoru.com/writing daily 0.75 2026-03-25 https://www.irenekaoru.com/writing/design-art-culture-hn2hx monthly 0.5 2025-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/aff08ec3-5c89-48c9-9826-d56c9d41c2c6/739047cc-c466-4e1f-a7d6-47ba14ad5b5a_3000x1996.jpg Writing - How We Became a Family - Make it stand out Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash https://www.irenekaoru.com/writing/design-art-culture monthly 0.5 2025-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/f9bd6866-4292-4a94-9d29-e3e8cd25d832/Artwork+wip+pov.png Writing - Design, Art, and Culture - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.irenekaoru.com/writing/business-finance-gender monthly 0.5 2025-05-19 https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes daily 0.75 2026-03-27 https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/soft-opening-ruby monthly 0.5 2026-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/1774472671210-ZQ85TQY56Z1CNHV7RGJM/Soft-Opening+Ruby+poster.webp Notes - Soft Opening at the Ruby https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/pissed-off-moms monthly 0.5 2026-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/1753041933288-MFME9D7NUPIBVTKDWRSW/POMAS+July+2025.jpg Notes - Pissed Off Moms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/1752002078285-WV9X6I51L2VZP1FZRXHZ/irene+POM.jpg Notes - Pissed Off Moms https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/1752002201547-5AMZLCRCJTPCDEA2L0AJ/POM+Screenshot+2025-07-08+at+12.15.40+PM.png Notes - Pissed Off Moms https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/the-search-abyss-stop-renting-customers monthly 0.5 2026-03-27 https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/why-brand-is-the-only-long-term-strategy monthly 0.5 2026-03-27 https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/category/news monthly 0.5 https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/category/art monthly 0.5 https://www.irenekaoru.com/notes/category/perspectives monthly 0.5 https://www.irenekaoru.com/home daily 1.0 2025-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/3528c144-e9ff-4383-815b-1e07accc7a8d/Mountain+moons+%281000+x+800+px%29.png https://www.irenekaoru.com/about daily 0.75 2026-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/a8f737a0-cb2b-4abc-b7b7-8187cfdd77d3/DSCF4738.jpg About - About Irene I’m a writer, strategist, and artist based in San Francisco. Most of my work is about how we build the stories we live in…whether that’s a brand identity for a global tech company or the way we define "family" in the modern world. I’m currently working on a nonfiction book about polyamorous parenting. It’s a mix of personal narrative, social research, and interviews, exploring how families can thrive outside the traditional playbook. My writing is grounded in feminist values, bodily autonomy, and my interest in the messy, beautiful complexities of care. As a strategist, I’ve spent 15 years helping brands like Adobe and eBay find their voice and build systems that actually work. Through my consulting practice, I help leadership teams nail key launches and navigate big shifts without losing their soul. I like the challenge of taking a complex idea and making it feel human and clear. When I’m not writing or consulting, I’m usually working on something tactile like a painting, collage, or a tabletop game. I’m the Art Director for Night Crew Games. I also co-founded Cinema For Good to help independent theaters stay vibrant through themed, community-driven film festivals. Whether I’m collaborating with a C-suite executive or a local artist, I’m always looking for the thread that makes a story worth telling. I hold degrees from Columbia University and Parsons School of Design, and live in San Francisco with my awesome kid and co-parents. https://www.irenekaoru.com/contact daily 0.75 2024-05-23 https://www.irenekaoru.com/strategy daily 0.75 2026-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511387030-5LI1E5QMVTQ2RY9S00A4/20140228_Trade+151_0046+1.jpg Strategy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/1770964768863-K5RZM1J7C5BPXOWS1TT7/advocates%252Bheadshots.webp Strategy Adobe Stock Advocates: The stock content industry has long faced challenges regarding brand perception, including within Adobe Stock. Buyers often held a negative view of stock imagery, raising concerns about the diversity, accuracy, and depth of the visual content available. To address this crucial business challenge, Adobe launched the Adobe Stock Advocates program, a multi-faceted initiative aimed at attracting and empowering both emerging and established creators, and shifting buyer perception of the stock marketplace. The Advocates program specifically prioritized content from self-identifying artists and allies, ensuring that the stories of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled individuals, women (cis and trans inclusive), veterans, and people of all religions, ages, body types, and skin tones were authentically represented — and positioning Adobe as a leader in diverse and inclusive stock visuals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/ae9cde23-355b-41b8-8736-cc390f5eaca7/Advocates%2B4.webp Strategy Adobe Stock Advocates: Selected artists awarded the Artists Development Fund by Adobe Stock. "Each of these artists has been selected for their demonstrated ability to authentically portray visual cultures through the lens of their own regional, ethnic, and lifestyle communities. As we take steps towards a truly inclusive stock collection that accurately reflects the diversity of the real world, we are thrilled to partner with them and support their projects." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/b300b12a-7bca-4ddf-b4c2-d3864d0afeb3/Advocates%2Bscreenshot.webp Strategy The Adobe Stock Advocates program set out to elevate new voices and visuals that resonate with honesty and impact. By issuing eight unique intersectional creative briefs, the program inspired diverse creators to produce compelling photography, video, illustrations, and vector artwork. Artists who responded to these briefs were featured across Adobe's media channels, and many received support from the Artist Development Fund to further their projects. In just two years, the Advocates program successfully funded new work from 80 artists, generating a robust pipeline of exclusive visual content for Adobe Stock. Year one alone saw the upload of 20,000 assets, leading to measurable improvements in brand perception and awareness of diverse and culturally accurate content among buyers. Ultimately, the Advocates program not only enriched the Adobe Stock content collection but also positioned Adobe as a credible and essential player in the cultural conversation surrounding representation in stock imagery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/dc8e8a06-b064-4c1a-bf18-a4690a444a6a/ebay+design-1.png Strategy A glimpse of the new organizational home for eBay Design. (2026) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/8bd0c8c0-c422-4cd0-b18e-94c4f68e1afe/ebay+design-4.png Strategy A glimpse of the new organizational home for eBay Design. (2026) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/2eb3876e-dec0-40e1-9bb8-328a71f2c408/NCG%2Bcollage.webp Strategy Night Crew Games: An indie tabletop game design studio with a punk rock soul. Alongside the founder/CEO, we built the brand from the ground up, logo, identity, website, art direction, and launch, drawing from the raw, DIY energy of vintage punk flyers. The brand aesthetic embraces imperfection: rough edges, cut-and-paste compositions, and a DIY spirit carried through every touchpoint, from the gritty textures to the handcrafted launch site. The result is a memorable, distinctive visual identity that stands out in the crowded gaming landscape and a brand presence as bold and offbeat as the games Night Crew creates. -- Assets: Logo, Identity, Promotional materials | Social posts and creative | Paid ad creative | Original digital and analog collage graphics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/aedf20ce-2b14-4e5e-bbe3-d079c6566180/Z%2Bbrothers%2Bscreenshot.webp Strategy Adobe Artist Spotlight: The Adobe Stock team aimed to raise awareness among artists about licensing their original work on Adobe Stock, fostering a positive perception of the stock business among professionals. The Artist Spotlight campaign achieved these goals through an engaging documentary video series, feature articles, visual collections, and social content. The campaign provides an intimate behind-the-scenes look at diverse Adobe artists' lives through interviews, creative process footage, and showcases of their finished work. -- The Zamurovic Brothers are two of the most popular creators on Adobe Stock. Colorful, whimsical, and rich in textures, their work transforms everyday objects into fun thought pieces. Unexpected juxtapositions bring a feeling of freshness and discovery to their photos. Picture a bottle of champagne overflowing with bubbly Christmas ornaments, or an ice cream cone exploding with confetti. “When you connect things that are not ordinarily connected, you can produce some really stunning inspirations and images,” says Ivan. “Making these connections is a skill that you can develop, even if you think that you aren’t creative.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/e515dde8-72db-4d7b-b774-271c7758605f/Artist%2BSpotlight%2Bseries%2B1%2Bintro.webp Strategy Adobe Artist Spotlight: The Adobe Stock team aimed to raise awareness among artists about licensing their original work on Adobe Stock, fostering a positive perception of the stock business among professionals. The Artist Spotlight campaign achieved these goals through an engaging documentary video series, feature articles, visual collections, and social content. The campaign provides an intimate behind-the-scenes look at diverse Adobe artists' lives through interviews, creative process footage, and showcases of their finished work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/2d0e2781-1a5c-4e98-a789-c84277481214/Box+late+pledge+ending.png Strategy Ad campaign for Cyberpunk Legends, for Night Crew Games (2026) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/b7e67813-3b48-43cb-b744-8122bf3c1a4d/Hope+IGN+late+pledge+ending.png Strategy Ad campaign for Cyberpunk Legends, for Night Crew Games (2026) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/7c1db120-0d0e-4e9a-884f-6f4b97d75159/Codame2.webp Strategy CODAME is a globally renowned nonprofit collective of futurists and community builders focused on the intersection of art and technology. CODAME builds immersive, engaging, and creative technology-focused experiences and educational events. As a nonprofit, they rely on sponsorship, donations, and irregular volunteer involvement. They wanted to build awareness and excitement about their biggest event, the art and tech festival, where they present performances, artworks, and community activities centered on an annually selected theme. Editorial content needed to introduce potential attendees to the featured artists and help illuminate the stories, process, and technologies behind the work to expand understanding and enjoyment at the events. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/c5937215-2c84-4216-b780-58270fbdeb0c/Codame4.webp Strategy Installation image from CODAME-featured media artist Refik Anadol. (Click to read article.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/ae0ab71c-07ef-45a6-badd-1a12b207535b/artist-awards.webp Strategy Adobe Stock Artist Awards campagin. From over 340 million assets in the stock content collection, the company recognized some of the best examples of aesthetic, technical, and narrative quality, celebrating their global community of artists. The Artist Awards are a way for Adobe to demonstrate stock content industry leadership while giving recognition to their top tier contributing artists. The campaign expanded buyer awareness across all target audience segments, drove product engagement, and garnered positive artist sentiment, supporting the pipeline for new content. -- Assets: Buyer and Artist-facing campaign landing pages | Media kit | Creative galleries | Paid ad creative | Social creative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/92ada971-1ba1-49f8-9161-a39491a25f32/Artist%2BAwards%2B2.webp Strategy Adobe Stock Artist Awards campaign. From left: Artist Awards landing page; Annual Honors categories; detail from a visual gallery of honoree work on Adobe Stock. -- From over 340 million assets in the stock content collection, the company recognized some of the best examples of aesthetic, technical, and narrative quality, celebrating their global community of artists. The Artist Awards are a way for Adobe to demonstrate stock content industry leadership while giving recognition to their top tier contributing artists. The campaign expanded buyer awareness across all target audience segments, drove product engagement, and garnered positive artist sentiment, supporting the pipeline for new content. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/b7cc39ce-b888-4434-a22e-ac35fc6ae8f5/Screenshot+2026-02-12+at+9.49.26%E2%80%AFPM.png Strategy Adobe Artist Spotlight: British-Nigerian photographer Christina Nwabugo discusses her connection to nature, subverting traditional stock photography, and creating a legacy through her work. -- Artist Spotlight video profiles feature interviews of the artist in their personal environment, creating their work along with their stunning artwork or photographs. We see them sketching, scouting, prepping gear and then finally at their computer or mobile device in an Adobe application in their own workspace. The end result? A unique behind-the-scenes look into the creative process and lives of the artist. They share their story, and how their life and culture shapes their creative perspective. The focus is always on their work, their unique voice, and what inspires them — with Adobe Stock and Creative Cloud as an essential part of their success. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/3f0cadbc-4b09-4324-82e5-a2af9612b514/Artist%2BAwards%2B3.webp Strategy Adobe Stock Artist Awards campaign. Left: Artist of the Year landing page. Right: A few of the Awards jury members. -- From over 340 million assets in the stock content collection, the company recognized some of the best examples of aesthetic, technical, and narrative quality, celebrating their global community of artists. The Artist Awards are a way for Adobe to demonstrate stock content industry leadership while giving recognition to their top tier contributing artists. The campaign expanded buyer awareness across all target audience segments, drove product engagement, and garnered positive artist sentiment, supporting the pipeline for new content. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/3779046a-f888-4852-9035-a72e58af05db/2023_CreativeTrendsGuide%2Bcover.webp Strategy Adobe Creative Trends. Adobe Stock Creative Trends is an annual program that taps into insights and data from the global Creative Cloud app user network, combined with original trend research spearheaded by the Adobe Stock team. The central pillar of this annual campaign presents the top trends in visuals, design, and motion graphics, giving an in-depth data-supported forecast to help guide creatives and executives throughout the coming year. -- Assets: Ebook trends guide | Artist facing ebook guide | Brand journalism - article series | Creative galleries | Adobe Fonts partnership - Font Packs | Paid ad creative | Social posts and ad creative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/78bb0647-1697-434e-8550-2a24a617b020/Creative%2BTrends%2B2023%2Bfont%2Bpacks.webp Strategy Adobe Creative Trends campaign. Left: Adobe Fonts partnership: Font Packs. Right: Detail from the Psychic Waves creative trend gallery, curated by Adobe Stock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/ea18434e-85b9-417f-b941-d52dfbdff790/adobe%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/cf31060b-9aed-46b2-b5f6-b6a23c730a61/airbnb%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/633d9494-b6ce-4b67-a065-07db483ea591/codame%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/07e6fb7a-a2c8-48f1-8e3f-787d62bc91db/ebay-black-logo.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/c9f65f84-e45e-40df-b4d2-0ca657794f79/score%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/f744968f-6d94-4a89-9108-026edd7f9b37/forbes%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/8d2d9472-b070-4735-b0d5-6a98dbffee49/entrepreneur%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/4a4a906a-5ce2-4a9d-85f7-468f7ccc669d/fundbox%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/063faa9b-7e86-4450-8c1e-13197edeb712/goodyear%2Blogo%2BB.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/26637814-efef-41f1-9baa-0bf55f61dbd5/Irene_4+2.jpg https://www.irenekaoru.com/art daily 0.75 2025-07-25 https://www.irenekaoru.com/art/moon-series monthly 0.5 2025-07-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/ab9566b3-4740-472a-a25f-2ccea398b225/Moon+6.png Art - Moon series Moon 6. Watercolor and ink on paper, 4.5 x 4.25" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/9a78457e-fad9-449f-b92b-85ba57d92c5e/Moon+9+and+10.png Art - Moon series Moon 9 and Moon 10, Watercolor and ink on paper, 4.5 x 4" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/3528c144-e9ff-4383-815b-1e07accc7a8d/Mountain+moons+%281000+x+800+px%29.png Art - Moon series Mountain moon 1 and 2. Watercolor and ink on paper, each 8.5 x 5.5" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/c4be73cd-2bc1-450b-a443-001b2ecf901b/Pink+moon+2.jpeg Art - Moon series Pink moon. Watercolor on paper, 8x8" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/01ec60d7-35f3-4923-aaa5-edfa63b3219b/Moon+11.png Art - Moon series Moon 11. Watercolor and ink on paper, 8x8" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/8abc1b9c-e1ac-4562-b138-1f65f78fec9c/IMG_6143.jpeg Art - Moon series Moon 12. Watercolor and ink on paper, 8x8" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/8be08d3d-982f-45dd-91a7-1c304a034ea4/Moon+5.png Art - Moon series Moon 5. Watercolor and ink on paper, 4.5 x 4" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/d8aafe0f-2ccd-43cb-9d7f-8d517a3cf762/Pink+moon.png Art - Moon series Pink moon. Watercolor on paper, 8x8" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/8d086dd2-0dc9-47c7-9f61-d11e8723ca23/Moon+13.jpeg Art - Moon series Moon 13. Watercolor and ink on paper, 8x8" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/0f0f1d7e-bc92-42f4-abb9-2b62775addea/Twilight+1.png Art - Moon series Twilight. Watercolor on paper, 8x8" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/117b4548-f269-4ee5-b5fd-d1cffbb1406f/Moon+7.png Art - Moon series Moon 7. Watercolor and ink on paper, 4.5 x 4" https://www.irenekaoru.com/art/abstract monthly 0.5 2025-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/68cb6e16-322c-46ab-b514-84ddb0a57b80/A+place+in+the+mind+1+and+2.png Art - Abstract A place in the mind 1 and 2. Each 2x3". Watercolor on paper. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60431dd83bcae94a8d796f41/5cbfd256-25bf-4722-83dd-041613cc3a11/A+place+in+the+mind+3+and+4.png Art - Abstract A place in the mind 3 and 4. Each 2x3". Watercolor on paper.