A New Series
Tool collaborated with Upwork to launch a new branded content series called the CoLab where Upwork’s independent talent gets a chance to compete to collaborate with business leaders and brands to accomplish a specific mission. Tool developed the format for the series, managed casting, and rendered production services both in the field and during post production.
The series follows as the host meets with a variety of accomplished freelancers from around the world vying for the chance to be selected to join their “dream team”. Once the team is assembled, it’s a race against the clock to accomplish the mission in time for the final presentation.
In this season, Upwork partnered with chef, author, and Top Chef winner, Kristen Kish to help bring her personal passion project to life.
The Mission
Kristen Kish’s mission was a deeply personal one. She was adopted from Korea and raised by a loving Caucasian family in the midwest. Like many adoptees, she struggled with her identity and finding her place in the world. This struggle also found its way into her career as a chef where, early on, she found herself emulating others and it wasn’t until she did the work to identify and embrace what made her unique that things started to take off for her.
With this struggle and growth in mind, Kristen Kish’s mission was to create a guided culinary journal for kids with open-ended cooking experiments, journaling prompts and illustrations to help young ones identify and embrace what makes them unique in the kitchen and beyond.
Project Complete / Social Good
As a real world result of the series, Kristen and her dream team completed the book which is available for sale on Amazon and other online retailers.
Now for the best part! All net proceeds of the book are to be donated to Kristen’s selected charity, WhatsInTheMirror?, an Austin based organization that promotes mental health awareness and suicide prevention to the LGBTQIA+ community and communities of color.
The series was all captured and produced remotely with exception of a small crew who covered Kristen’s interview sessions. We sent each participant an iPhone, a light, along with easy to use lavaliers. All real world collaboration in creation of the book was also done remotely.
Production Approach
The series was all captured and produced remotely with exception of a small crew who covered Kristen’s interview sessions. We sent each participant an iPhone, a light, along with easy to use lavaliers. All real world collaboration in creation of the book was also done remotely.
Amplification
To promote the series and to help launch Upwork’s presence on a new platform, Tool helped with the creation and execution of a TikTok competition challenging creators to use their own creativity to promote the series for a chance to win a cash prize or a first class trip to Austin TX to stay at the Line Hotel and have a complimentary dinner at Kristen Kish’s restaurant. Upwork engaged a diverse group of five influencers to promote the competition and series and found that the TikTok community is eager to see more from the company on the platform.
To promote sales of the book, Upwork launched a Recipe Remix challenge, taking one of the recipes from the book and challenging people to remix it and make it their own with their own unique spin. Participants were encouraged to create something unexpectedly delicious with the winner being a mother and son duo who incorporated applesauce in their grilled cheese sandwich.
