Welcome to Charles Ave

Charles Ave Marketing is Madison Ave for small businesses and startups.
On Madison Ave, people proclaim to love advertising. Here on Charles Ave, I don’t.
You heard right: I don’t love advertising. After all, no one else does. No audience would say, “I can’t wait to be marketed to.” And let’s face it: they’re the ones you’re really after.
Understanding that dynamic, marketing is something I’ve found I’m rather good at. I have a knack for taking smart insights and communicating them in a way that is meaningful. What I create goes beyond a simple ad or article or brochure. What I create, above all, is a voice.

Content marketing

Be seen by the right people

Long-form blogs are an effective way to earn organic, qualified traffic to your website. Through original writing, thorough research, and search-engine-optimized formatting, I can help your business regularly publish valuable content.

On-brand creative

Keep it consistent, no matter the medium

From your online presence to out-of-home and point-of-sale, I can help you develop a brand voice that’s clear, memorable, and unique.

Email campaigns

Deliver what’s in for the inbox

It’s possible to create emails that your customers look forward to getting. Re-engage past leads or current clients. Set up automations and behavior-based campaigns.

Showing off the goods

Across different verticals and a variety of mediums, Charles Ave brings years of creative and strategic marketing expertise.

Video marketing

Harvard Business School Working Knowledge

MEET KIM

KIM KOHATSU

Kim Kohatsu combines a rare mix of traditional and new media experience. She began her career as a copywriter for several leading ad agencies. While working in advertising, she spearheaded award-winning print, radio, TV, outdoor, and guerrilla campaigns for clients including the California Avocado Commission, AAA, The Orange County Register, The Hilton Family of Hotels, Yamaha, Wienerschnitzel, KFC, and Power Automotive, among others.

After several years, Kim shifted her specialty into online marketing, helping tech B2B startups improve their online presence through blogging, social media, PPC, SEO, email marketing, and reputation management. In 2013, she founded Charles Ave Marketing, where she manages the marketing efforts and grows online engagement for businesses and startups including PickFu, where she was fractional CMO, DentaQuest, MyCorporation, American College of Education, Menuism, the Demi Lovato Fan Club, Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, and the Los Angeles Institute of Architecture and Design.

Kim earned three bachelor’s degrees in advertising, political science, and French from Syracuse University. In 2001, she was named a Syracuse University Scholar, the highest honor the university bestows on only 12 graduates each year. Kim earned a master’s degree in communications from the Adcenter (now Brandcenter) at Virginia Commonwealth University. From 2020-2023, Kim chaired the marketing and PR agencies group within the Forbes Business Council. She is also a member of Mensa. More info

Clients know best

Charles Ave values long-term client relationships

Charles Ave Marketing is a seamless extension of my team at American College of Education. This is the second organization in which I have had the pleasure of working with Kim Kohatsu. Her ability to quickly understand a brand, audience motivations, and provide strategy as well as high-impact, engaging content – both written and visual – is a huge asset.

Melissa Markovsky, senior director of communications and marketing, American College of Education

We were previously using an agency and this approach has been far better for us — giving us the attention and focus on our online campaigns that our company needs. Thanks to Kim, our online ROI continues to improve every month. That's exciting to have that ongoing improvement and growth.

Deborah Sweeney, CEO, MyCorporation

Charles Ave Marketing transformed the way we advertised our business online, more than tripling the number of monthly visitors to our website and making our number of YouTube views the envy of our industry. Kim has been extremely patient explaining this relatively new 'world' to us, giving us guidance and advice, and is a pleasure to work with. Her knowledge and flexibility have been invaluable in the relationship, which has been very successful, despite the many miles between her in the US and us in the UK. We have been very happy with the results and would have no hesitation recommending her services to others.

Darius McDermott, managing director at FundCalibre

Kim is an essential part of our marketing team and contributes heavily to all of our efforts. She possesses the rare ability to market on a wide range of topics and through many mediums. We've trusted her for years and wouldn't hesitate to recommend working with her.

John Li, co-founder, PickFu

Vincent Morales, communications supervisor, AACN

Kim is a consummate professional who stepped into a busy seasonal role and absolutely started crushing her assignments, from quarterly newsletters to social posts to critical event communications. She is a gifted, imaginative copywriter who works seamlessly with the comm team, colleagues and stakeholders. Kim’s exuberance and good humor make her an utter joy to work with.