As people around the world adjust to the new reality Covid-19 has given us, many are using this time to broaden their horizons. And the KEYLAY team is doing the same. We’re learning new skills and adding to our creative toolbox.

From exploring new programs to auditing classes, we wanted to share how it’s going and the lessons we’ve learned so far.

“Connection is something that we all need.”

As a copywriter, Patrick Saunders uses his words to explain complex ideas. Now that we’re staying home for the foreseeable future, he sees this as a chance to challenge himself. Patrick decided to pick up Spanish as a second language and has begun taking daily lessons. While learning a new language can be difficult and time-consuming, he’s hoping this will lead to building bridges with more people.

He’s also auditing a class called, ‘The Science of Well Being‘ offered by Yale University. Known as “the happiness class,” it currently has over 3 million registered students.

Joining with a group of friends, Patrick says they meet online weekly to talk about the latest lesson and review their progress. In these uncertain times, this is a way for them to process what’s happening in a healthy and positive way.

“I never knew Play-Doh trademarked their scent.”

Writer and strategist, Teni Hallums always had an interest in the ins and outs of law. Her curiosity was further piqued after interviewing a trademark attorney earlier this year. So when the opportunity came along to take a course on trademark law from the University of Pennsylvania, Teni “jumped on it.”

The class explained the differences between the various protections (trademarks, patents, or copyrights) brands could have. Working with KEYLAY, Teni is used to visual elements such as logos, taglines, and even colors using these protections. But what she didn’t know was how much goes into defining a company’s products to gain a trademark.

For instance, Hasbro’s Play-Doh is the toy that kept us busy as kids making moldable characters and inedible, yet edible desserts. But what Teni found interesting was that the Play-Doh scent is trademarked.

Who knew you could do this with something as subjective as scent?

As explained in the class, it’s described as “a sweet, slightly musky, vanilla-like fragrance, with slight overtones of cherry, and the natural smell of a salted, wheat-based dough.”

Always on the hunt for cool facts and information, Teni’s looking forward to taking even more classes. Next up: food science!

“I wanted to create something that looked cinematic and very natural.”

Wanting to expand his creative horizons and potentially offer a new service to our clients, KEYLAY creative director and owner, Kyle Strahl recently dove into Movavi. Video as an artistic medium has always inspired Kyle. Movavi allowed him to break away from his regular duties as a creative lead and dig into the world of video editing.

As his first project, he created a video using stock footage and felt that the software made “everything come together in a very realistic way.” Kyle added, “it almost looked like we went out and captured the video ourselves for a seamless look and feel.”

He envisions Movavi being used by KEYLAY in the future to give clients a way to produce high-quality, affordable videos.

We hope you enjoyed a sneak peek into what we’re doing while staying in place. Stay safe, everyone, and keep on learning!