About us
Passion & purpose
We’re Silicon Valley’s first and longest-lasting positioning agency. We’ve defined leading categories such as The Data Cloud (Snowflake), The Lakehouse (Databricks), Smart Data Capture (Scandit), DVR (TiVo) and more. Since 1998, we’ve positioned hundreds of companies and helped create a quarter-of-a-trillion dollars in delta market cap.
We love to challenge the status quo, find breakthroughs and watch our clients soar.
Our Point of View
Marketing
is the process of owning a hill.
Positioning
is determining which hill to own.
The Point That MattersSM
“ZOOM was not only instrumental in helping us uncover a key breakthrough in our messaging, but they got the exec team aligned and invested in our new direction.”
“I don’t think people understand how difficult it is to position a brand. ZOOM knows how to keep people engaged, making it fun and exciting.”
“I love the data-driven process. You know at the end, you’ll get to the best positioning for you. I would recommend ZOOM to any CMO out there.”
Our team
Ellie Victor
Co-CEO
Ellie and Nick founded ZOOM in 1996, inventing the data-driven approach to positioning. Ellie constantly pushes to make our ideas better. Her career began in public relations at Cunningham Communication, where she grew to Director responsible for their software and services clients. Ellie has served as a board member for EPATT and a judge for EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year. She founded the Humane Planet Speaker Series to create a more sustainable, compassionate food system. Ellie is a contributor to the Forbes Agency Council, sharing her insights on positioning. She’s an enthusiastic tennis player, runner, yogi, reader and animal rights advocate.
She loves to exchange great book recommendations, check out hers here.
Nick Copping
Co-CEO
Nick and Ellie have successfully positioned hundreds of tech leaders and continue to be deeply involved in all client projects. As a physicist, Nick was instrumental in designing ZOOM's data-driven process, incorporating the scientific method into a traditionally creative-only process. His deep understanding of tech helps pinpoint innovations and translate them into business value. After graduating Caltech, Nick researched upper atmospheric physics at NASA’s JPL. He was CEO of two companies and an executive at HP and Microsoft. Nick’s a Senior Fellow at the Ponemon Institute, serves as director for Voise, The Stropes Foundation and strategic advisor to many companies, including The Renew Group. He's also a PADI Course Director and former studio musician.
Lori has positioned dozens of clients withing the 12+ years she’s been at ZOOM. She brings a unique blend of creativity, efficiency and leadership, driving the team to deliver amazing outcomes for clients. She applies breakthrough thinking to everything she does—especially when it comes to clients’ positioning. Lori knows the ins and outs of business, go-to-market and integrated campaigns having driven them from the client side at HP, Openwave and beyond. She has also consulted with brands, under her moniker “Agency of One,” a name that evokes her versatility from strategy and creative to execution. Outside of ZOOM, Lori sharpens her storytelling skills as a singer-songwriter and practices leadership as an outrigger canoe captain on the wild and beautiful San Francisco Bay.
Lori Smith
Vice President
Sydnie Switzer
Account Coordinator
Sydnie sees herself as a storyteller, striving to create meaningful connections through each project. Drawing from data and experience, Sydnie applies her authenticity, creativity and eye for detail to help the ZOOM team uncover narratives that move the market and spark action. Beyond that, Sydnie works her magic to refine and elevate the ZOOM brand. When not at the keyboard, you’ll find her hanging with her cats, Suki and Roo, or on the pickleball court.
Claudia Skyehart
Client Director
With superpowers in project management and people skills, Claudia ensures successful outcomes and positive client relationships. Her attention to detail, fresh perspective and can-do attitude inspires the team’s next-level thinking. Claudia also applies her special knack for objective-driven creative to her personal life. She and her husband invented their new family name, Skyehart, to express their approach to life: when you lead with your heart, you can reach the sky.
Elaine Farley
Operations Manager
Elaine is reinvigorated by ZOOM’s creative approach, after a long career in electronics operations. She expertly juggles supporting the client team and the business, delighting in helping good people do good things. She invites our client’s customers and prospects to our research with the ultimate care, ensuring that everyone feels special. A 20+ year Girl Scout veteran, she’s exploring new opportunities to help out. Elaine’s passions include travel, photography and gardening.
Daisy
Chief Barketing Officer
Daisy earned the title Chief Barketing Officer because she often chimes in with her two cents on zoom meetings with Claudia. Full of spunk and cuteness, Daisy loves visiting the beach or park to chase and chew on sticks with her brother Opi. She may be little, but she’s top dog!
Opi
Squeaky Toy Coordinator
Daisy’s brother, Opi, is just as sweet and silly as he looks. Whether providing the best cuddles or showing off his speed playing fetch, Opi is the definition of a good boy. He boosts morale on zoom calls with his high EQ and natural skills in tail waggery and toy squeakery.
Sheba
Head of Mindfulness
Sheba is Ellie’s rescue husky/shepherd mix, but we think she’s part coyote. Before a walk or creative breakthrough, Sheba howls with joy and gratitude. In her free time, Sheba’s an avid tennis fan who meditates courtside while Ellie plays tennis—her reward is endless belly rubs.
Our passion for the planet
At ZOOM Marketing we like to tackle the world’s toughest positioning challenges. Our day job is spent differentiating tech industry leaders as category leaders. After hours, we think about how we can put our craft to work for the planet. We’ve inspired and co-sponsor The Humane Planet Speaker Series.
ZOOM joined forces with Palo Alto Humane Society and the Sweet Farm to create The Humane Planet Speaker Series: Thought Leaders for a Sustainable World. The series features inspirational speakers—entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians and thought leaders—who are exploring new ways to create a more sustainable and compassionate world with positive impacts on animals, plants and the planet.
In 2022, we featured two blockbuster speakers: Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) who announced the Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act last month, and award-winning animal advocate, Daina Bray.
Events are free to the public, held online or in Silicon Valley or New York. Watch past events, read recaps, get involved, or subscribe to hear about future events.