MARKETING & ECOMMERCE STRATEGY
A Taste of Kentucky
Heritage Brand, Modern Refresh
A Taste of Kentucky is a beloved, locally-owned Kentucky gift brand with over 40 years of history. I served as their marketing and ecommerce strategist for one year, handling essentially every marketing function.
FULL
SHOPIFY MIGRATION
1 yr
TENURE
The challenge
A Taste of Kentucky had been locally owned for over 40 years with a loyal customer base. But the business had been on a downward trajectory before new ownership stepped in. The website was outdated and hosted on WordPress with a clunky ecommerce setup. Traffic had been flat. And the brand's digital presence didn't reflect the quality of the products at all.
What I actually did
7 Complete website migration from WordPress to Shopify, built entirely from scratch
7 Full SEO overhaul: not just copy optimization but the behind-the-scenes technical setup (tagging, meta descriptions, schema markup, site structure, page speed) that most people don't see but Google absolutely does
7 Product collection reorganization and custom product descriptions
7 TikTok content creation: behind-the-scenes videos, trendy product showcases, and Kentucky culture content designed to introduce a heritage brand to a younger audience
7 Email marketing via Klaviyo (campaign setup, automation flows, list management)
7 Print ad campaigns for Stroll Magazine and other local Louisville publications
7 In-store signage and promotional materials
7 Event marketing coordination, including in-store appearances by notable guests and local figures
The creative challenge
The most interesting part of this role was figuring out how to make a 40-year-old heritage brand feel culturally relevant to a younger generation without alienating loyal customers. Kentucky culture is rooted in heritage, tradition, and old-school values. My approach was to create TikTok content that presented that culture in a way that felt fresh, trendy, and genuinely exciting while still honoring the traditions.
The results
The new Shopify site launched with a completely rebuilt product catalog, full SEO infrastructure, and a shopping experience that finally matched the quality of the brand. Site traffic saw a 2x increase after the migration, reversing the flat trajectory. The Klaviyo email program gave them a direct line to their customers for the first time (4% average CTR, 32% average open rate). And the TikTok shop and content started introducing A Taste of Kentucky to an entirely new demographic.
