As the global chief marketing officer of Canva, Zach Kitschke embodies a blend of chaos and creativity driven by his passion for storytelling. Beyond his professional life, Kitschke enjoys reading and snowboarding.
In a recent interview, Kitschke shared insights about his role and interests outside the marketing landscape.
When asked what three items he would take to a desert island, Kitschke mentioned his preference for a fully loaded Kindle, a beach umbrella, and matches for fire.
Kitschke has a fondness for the podcast “The Daily” by the New York Times. When it comes to hobbies, he ranks snowboarding highly, a sport he discovered in his twenties and quickly grew to love.
Expressing his alternative career aspirations, he revealed a long-held dream of becoming a journalist, driven by his love for storytelling and understanding the world. In his current position as CMO, he gets to engage in storytelling, albeit in a different context.
He identified Apple’s Mac vs. PC campaign as his favorite advertising effort, praising its role as a disruptive force that effectively showcased Apple’s identity.
Looking ahead, Kitschke emphasized Canva’s commitment to expanding into the enterprise market, a key priority for the upcoming year. With a user base of 190 million, he’s excited about the potential growth in new markets and driving workplace impact.
Kitschke highlighted the importance of public relations and organic social media as essential communication channels for Canva, valuing their authenticity and ability to engage communities without hefty budgets.
Regarding budget allocation, he stated that Canva adopts a long-term perspective aimed at empowering global design. This approach includes a mix of brand-building initiatives and short-term performance marketing strategies.
Kitschke views the challenge of shifting brand perception in B2B efforts as a significant opportunity. He anticipates that Canva can reshape workplace visuals, making design accessible for those lacking formal training.
Proud of the “What Will You Design?” campaign, Kitschke noted its effectiveness in demonstrating Canva’s workplace value and its impact on brand awareness over the past three years.
In five years, Kitschke envisions advanced progress towards Canva’s mission of empowering worldwide design and furthering its educational initiatives, which currently reach over 70 million students and teachers.