Kale was once a stiff, curly garnish left behind on dinner plates. Then creative strategist Oberon Sinclair decided to see if she could make a rough, bitter leaf irresistible...all on her own.

Around 2006, while running her boutique agency My Young Auntie in Manhattan, she quietly tested the idea. She persuaded chefs at restaurants such as The Fat Radish and The Butcher’s Daughter to feature kale on specials and smoothies, and she asked cafés to write "Eat More Kale" on sidewalk chalkboards. To add a wink of authority, she invented the “American Kale Association,” where she was the only member.

Getting people excited about a vegetable that can feel like swallowing Velcro was no small feat. But Sinclair’s mix of humor, persistence, and clever placement flipped kale from buffet filler to cultural star. It helped that the leafy green is packed with nutrients, including vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, and fiber, a powerhouse hiding behind a scratchy texture.

Kale is only one chapter in Sinclair’s career. Through My Young Auntie and work with other creative agencies, she has helped craft buzz for Hermès, Vivienne Westwood, Jack Spade, Anya Hindmarch, artists like Banksy, and restaurants including Mission Chinese Food.

She made kale cool. With that kind of power, someone should see if she’s free to give world peace a similar makeover.