Download the white paper and see how design and engineering can build together from day one. The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. Building Is Designing The gap between design and engineering is where product quality gets negotiated, and often lost. We developed an AI-assisted process for designers to work directly in the codebase alongside engineers, and are sharing our results. Download These true stories of Next Gen trail lovers is only the beginning. In the months to come, we'll be exploring activations that actually help people discover their trail. In the meantime, thanks for listening and see you out there.

Download the white paper "The Business of Belonging" and explore how fandom can drive real brand growth. The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. Inside the Business of Belonging Download the white paper and explore how fandom can drive real brand growth. Download These true stories of Next Gen trail lovers is only the beginning. In the months to come, we'll be exploring activations that actually help people discover their trail. In the meantime, thanks for listening and see you out there.

Two Things | The North Face | Discover Your Trail | Developing a strategy to get the next generation to [start to] Never Stop Exploring. Client // The North Face: Discover Your Trail Assignment: Research & Insights · Marketing Strategy · Integrated Campaign Architecture · Creative Process · Production Oversight · Roster Building A reframing of who the outdoors is for—and the definition of a trail athlete Next Gen's love of trail differed greatly from past motivations. There was very little talk of testing limits or overcoming adversity. Instead, it was more about the trail making them feel whole and human. With the work, we wanted to tell real stories about real athletes. But, in the process, broaden the definition of what it means to be an outdoor athlete. So we focused our narrative lens on trail lovers that advertisers typically ignore: hike clubs, people of color, underrepresented communities, and people with different body types. What We Did We built Discover Your Trail —a brand platform and integrated campaign that reframed who belongs on the trail and expanded the definition of what it means to be an outdoor athlete. Established the marketing strategy and foundational insight Built cross-functional briefs linking campaign, experiential, partnerships, and sponsorships Evolved the creative process to give internal teams permission to challenge norms Directed production and established a diverse new creative roster Focused storytelling on communities advertisers often ignore: hike clubs people of color underrepresented groups broader body types everyday trail lovers Just as importantly, we built the internal scaffolding—systems, workflows, and processes—that made this reframing operational and repeatable. RESULTS Discover Your Trail became a turning point in how TNF speaks to the world—and how the world sees in TNF. 15% In the first half of FY23, The North Face revenue grew 15% Combined with Vectiv, these efforts contributed to a continued upward trajectory from 2022 through 2023 TNF expanded its audience, its cultural relevance, and its internal marketing maturity Discover Your Trail became a turning point in how TNF speaks to the world—and how the world sees in TNF. 15% In the first half of FY23, The North Face revenue grew 15% Combined with Vectiv, these efforts contributed to a continued upward trajectory from 2022 through 2023 TNF expanded its audience, its cultural relevance, and its internal marketing maturity Following the Vectiv Launch, TNF gave us a much more profound challenge. The brief was simple and cut to the heart of their business: Their core buying customer was at least a decade older than their marketing target and not very diverse. The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. We set out to speak to the next generation to understand why. RESULTS What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. The Challenge After Vectiv’s success, TNF brought us a far deeper challenge: The core customer was aging out—and their audience no longer reflected their ambition or the diversity of the world they serve. The North Face is a legend in outdoor culture, but the athlete-hero storytelling they pioneered had become less ownable, less relevant, and less representative of the next generation’s relationship to the outdoors. TNF needed a way to speak to this new audience authentically—not performatively. The Insight Through research and direct engagement with Next Gen consumers, we uncovered a new truth about trail culture: There is a trail for everyone. And the next generation experiences trail not as conquest, but as connection—to themselves, their communities, and the outdoors. Their motivations were emotional, not extreme. Wholeness over hardship. Humanity over heroics. This unlocked a seismic shift in how TNF could define “athlete,” “trail,” and “adventure.”

Two Things | Brookfield | The Wishing Forest | Developed a strategy to transform a B2B business into a B2C consumer experience. Experience our modern solution. Our challenge was to help transform a typically B2B business into a B2C consumer experience, attracting quality visitors from a variety of demographic cohorts: adults, young families, teenagers. Success was measured by a variety of metrics using the interactive elements as the playing field, including but not limited to: time spent at each activation, repeat visits, and dollars spent across activations. Regardless of holiday traditions, there are universal emotions that come with the season: Magic, Connection, Tradition, and Peace. Strategically, we took these and shepherded them into a simple, user experience brief: make moments of magic. Brookfield Properties, a behemoth of asset management, real estate, and infrastructure, primarily focused on B2B relationships and clientele in their shopping malls. The problem? Malls don’t exist to just serve the businesses and food courts, but rather the busy and excited shoppers stepping through their doors. And, malls at holidays? Overrun with decor and crowds only there to see Santa. A non-denominational, inclusive, and modern solution was needed. Client // Brookfield Properties Assignment // Innovation Strategy, Experiential Design, Digital Production, Retail Experience Design, Measurement Strategy A strategy to engage all ages during the busiest season. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. The interactive experience piloted in Holiday 2019 in two premium locations—Sono Collection outside NYC and Natick Mall in MA. Of the six installations proposed, four were used for the pilot with plans for national scaling in subsequent years. While the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately slowed the rollout, the rollout began again in 2022 across the US. Both the pilot and future installations included unique “groves” full of AR experiences, animatronic games, and interactive soundscapes. Though the experience and installations looked analog and nostalgic at first first glance, their embedded tech created organic moments of joy, laughter, and play. Highlights included the “Wishing Tree” for visitors to place wishes inside pinecone ornaments and have them whisked away to a huge LED chandelier; the “Holiday Bells Grove,” a 24 foot central bell where movement unlocks a symphony; and the “Whispering Wishes Grove” where dreams and hopes are whispered to the forest and transformed into sound and light. The interactive experience piloted in Holiday 2019 in two premium locations—Sono Collection outside NYC and Natick Mall in MA. Of the six installations proposed, four were used for the pilot with plans for national scaling in subsequent years. While the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately slowed the rollout, the rollout began again in 2022 across the US. Both the pilot and future installations included unique “groves” full of AR experiences, animatronic games, and interactive soundscapes. Though the experience and installations looked analog and nostalgic at first first glance, their embedded tech created organic moments of joy, laughter, and play. More than aesthetics, the Wishing Forest transformed how Brookfield could shift their lens toward their consumers rather than wholesale businesses, and arm their vast marketing team with the tools to drive quality, long-lasting engagement and impressions.

Two Things | Plenty | Positioned a vertical farm brand in a commodity category and developed the product and launch strategy from trial to membership. The Insight Vertical farming is a complex idea. Sustainability, yield, and controlled-environment agriculture are compelling—but too conceptual to drive adoption alone. Our research uncovered a simple but transformative truth: The fastest path to belief was taste. Consumers didn’t need a lecture on agricultural disruption—they needed a bite of the product itself. If Plenty could put greens directly into people’s hands, in unexpected, joyful environments, the product would tell the story more powerfully than any ad ever could. Trial—real, sensory, delicious trial—would be Plenty’s tipping point. The Challenge Plenty set out with one of the most audacious missions in modern food: to reinvent agriculture through AI-powered indoor vertical farming. Their technology promised fresher food, grown closer to consumers, using a fraction of the land and water of traditional farming. But despite extraordinary engineering, the brand faced a fundamental challenge: How do you introduce a world-changing technology to everyday consumers in a way that builds trust, drives trial, and sparks loyalty—long before mass distribution catches up to ambition? Plenty needed more than awareness. They needed a brand, a voice, and a go-to-market strategy built for behavior change—not just belief change. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as own-able or relevant as it once was. Client // Plenty Assignment: Brand Strategy · Mobile App Design & Development · Event & Campaign Development · UX Design · Chat Interface · Product Marketing Building a brand from the ground up - roots and all What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. What We Did 1. Built the Brand From Strategy to Identity We developed the brand strategy rooted in culture, consumer behavior, and Plenty’s bold technological mission. From this we defined the identity, the voice, and the brand architecture needed to connect an advanced technology to everyday people. 2. Designed a Trial-First Go-To-Market Strategy Instead of a traditional advertising launch, we created a taste-led, city-by-city introduction plan designed to meet consumers where they gather: music festivals art fairs outdoor cultural events community experiences These weren’t sampling moments—they were immersive, emotionally resonant first encounters with a brand redefining what fresh food could be. 3. Built the End-to-End Customer Journey We mapped the path from trial to loyalty, designing: event experiences a frictionless mobile and SMS chat interface a DTC pipeline that converted real-world tastings into ongoing subscriptions 4. Moved Fast, Iterated Constantly, and Built With Real-Time Feedback This nimble, startup-style process allowed Plenty to adapt quickly as the category evolved and the company scaled.Working in tight sprints with Plenty’s team, we: tested messaging in live markets validated acquisition funnels refined the city-launch playbook optimized the tech-powered brand experience in real time The Result In a space shaped by complexity, capital intensity, and shifting expectations, Plenty gained what technology alone couldn’t provide: a brand consumers could touch, taste, and trust. Plenty emerged not just as an agricultural innovator, but as a consumer brand with a clear story, a differentiated identity, and a scalable go-to-market engine. Our work created: A brand rooted in experience, not explanation A trial-first strategy that turned taste into belief A mobile + chat experience that lowered friction and increased retention A playbook for city-by-city rollout and future scale A modern storytelling and experience-driven foundation for a category-defining technology Moving quickly, pivoting often, and staying nimble, our collaboration with the Plenty team used quick sprints to ideate and validate in markets in real time, yielding lasting results for the company.

Two Things | Arc’teryx | No Wasted Days | Guiding the Arc’teryx strategy, investment and operations for their first global, integrated marketing effort. Client // Arc'Teryx Assignment: Brand Strategy · GTM Strategy · Global Campaign · Marketing Systems · Campaign Architecture · Budgeting · Insights & Measurement Fuel to power the brand over $1B and beyond The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. The Challenge In 2022, Arc’teryx was preparing to launch its footwear category—a pivotal moment for any outdoor brand. Despite elite products and a devoted fan base, the brand remained niche. Premium pricing was justified by performance, but not widely understood. The internal marketing team, built around product storytelling, needed a new playbook to grow globally without losing credibility with the insiders who made Arc’teryx iconic. The Insight Consumers didn’t see the difference—“Gore-Tex is Gore-Tex, right?”—revealing a gap between technical superiority and perceived value. We uncovered a deeper truth fueling the brand’s most passionate users: Arc’teryx isn’t just gear. It’s a belief in living with no wasted days. This emotional platform unlocked a broader audience while strengthening the brand’s core. What We Did Two Things partnered across strategy, creative, and organizational design to build Arc’teryx’s first global brand and marketing engine. Developed a global brand platform and positioning Built the campaign architecture, messaging system, and channel strategy Designed membership experiences to be realized through app ecosystem and physical stores Designed measurement and analytics frameworks and KPI’s Delivered budgeting strategy and production planning Advised on marketing organization structure and onboarded new hires as the team scaled The work established not just a campaign, but a repeatable, scalable marketing system for ongoing global growth. RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS No Wasted Days launched in October 2023 and reintroduced Arc’teryx to the world with a message that was both expansive and deeply authentic. Reintroduced Arc’teryx to the world with No Wasted Days (Oct 2023), delivering a message that was expansive, culturally resonant, and unmistakably authentic. Fueled historic growth, helping propel the brand from $941.2M at launch past $1B for the first time , and on to $1.2B+ by the end of 2024. Built the engine for scale, establishing the strategic and operational foundation that continues to power Arc’teryx’s global marketing today. No Wasted Days launched in October 2023 and reintroduced Arc’teryx to the world with a message that was both expansive and deeply authentic. Reintroduced Arc’teryx to the world with No Wasted Days (Oct 2023), delivering a message that was expansive, culturally resonant, and unmistakably authentic. Fueled historic growth, helping propel the brand from $941.2M at launch past $1B for the first time , and on to $1.2B+ by the end of 2024. Built the engine for scale, establishing the strategic and operational foundation that continues to power Arc’teryx’s global marketing today. These true stories of Next Gen trail lovers is only the beginning. In the months to come, we'll be exploring activations that actually help people discover their trail. In the meantime, thanks for listening and see you out there.

Internal Agency + External Agency and the work still needs work. Paying 2X and Getting Less Than ½ By Paulo Ribeiro Internal Agency + External Agency and the work still needs work. Why do many clients literally pay TWICE for creative marketing that should be provocative and effective but is often uninspired and category-generic? It is rare to find a client side marketing team that doesn’t have internal creative staffing. At the same time most of those companies ALSO pay for new ideas or execution from an outside agency. Bean counters would expect that double the resources should create at least double the benefit. But the opposite is more often true. 3 REASONS YOUR CREATIVE ISN'T THAT CREATIVE A Tired Brief A business goal is a business goal. An inspiring creative brief that is going to lead to interesting, novel ideas that deliver on that business goal is a totally different thing. So many internal creative teams are briefed on business goals like: “We need people to understand our new technology. So let’s tell them about it.” And that habit extends to the brief that they deliver to the outside agency. This kind of brief hampers thinking right from the jump. A powerful creative brief is built on TENSIONS. Unresolved and contrasting issues give creative people space to play. Things like: The disconnect between a brand that is all about travel and exploration but constantly showcases its home turf. Or a brand built on the notion of innovation when the bulk of its sales come from a single product. Or the desire to build community while bots are plucking up all the limited edition drops. Yes these are real examples which is why they are so specific. Unpacking a very specific problem and then asking creative teams to solve for them is guaranteed to deliver ideas that at the very least don’t look, feel and sound like what your competitor is doing. An uncomfortable truth: your marketing challenges almost exactly match your competitors’. Every footwear company is working on the same problems: fit, traction, cushioning… This consistency of marketing challenge is true in most established consumer categories. It just is. To break through, you’ve got to solve for those challenges in a differentiated way. Leaning into unresolved tension is the best starting point to unlock a breakthrough. Not Enough Contrast in the Team Internal agencies don’t cut costs, but they institutionalize critical product expertise and this tradeoff is worth it. BUT, these internal teams are often made up of the brand’s hardcore fans. And this leads to organizations filled with people that have the same deep, but narrow worldviews values and ideas. They are too close to the thing to have unique or divergent ideas. The formula for interesting ideas in terms of staffing is that you need contrasts in all the ways. Different backgrounds, skill sets, interests and then you mash these people up because they will challenge one another and build different kinds of ideas, tools and stories. Blurred Lines This is the big one. Great creative talent is great creative talent. It’s real and let’s just call that a given. Some people are significantly better at creative ideas than others. But this is also true. The way to get to breakthrough creative ideas isn’t by having a single expert develop the one idea. It is…. By having many ideas. Great ideas are developed by generating tons of ideas and throwing away most of them. Every great creative director, inventor or storyteller will explain this in their own way. Ok, so what does this have to do with this post? back to insights → There is a proven setup that enables this to happen. A team of idea generators and a smaller group (sometimes just a single Creative Director) to edit and shape the best work from the options on the table. And when there are no good ideas on the table to redirect the idea generators. This is a solved problem! It has been solved for literally hundreds of years. Renaissance masters used this setup in their workshops, The editorial department of every great magazine did. Film studios have always sourced script ideas this way. From Pixar to Wieden+Kennedy to Lego the organizations that consistently spit out novel ideas use a version of this system. But a funny thing can happen when agency teams and client-side creatives mix and no one addresses the question. Who is generating and who is shaping? This shouldn’t be a controversy or uncomfortable discussion but if it doesn’t happen early it ends up being uncomfortable and often political. And the work suffers. It can work to mix teams from the agency and client side or have them each play a specific role. But it is critical that the person or team doing the creative directing is assigned and that it is assigned to people with the experience to do that. Too often hierarchy between the buyer and seller gets in the way of the buyer getting what they paid for. It’s ok to let the agency do the creative direction if they are best equipped to do it. It’s also ok for an internal creative director to do it. But have this conversation and have it early. There might be other reasons for stale marketing when there is serious investment being made but these stand out to us. While the playing field has shifted, the rules of the game haven’t. There are ways to make sure you get a solid return on your marketing investment. It's a simple conversation if you have it early. Two things that sum up what we are talking about. “You’ll never stumble upon the unexpected if you stick only to the familiar.” “When it comes to creative endeavors, the concept of zero failures is worse than useless. It’s counterproductive.” Ed Catmull, Creativity Inc

Two Things | Mevo Client // Mevo Assignment: Brand Strategy · Product Positioning · Identity & Design System · Digital Experience · Campaign Development · Program Leadership · Partner Orchestration Transforming a livestream camera into a full, scalable platform The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. The Challenge When Mevo launched in 2017, it was a one-product company: Mevo Plus , a compact, high-quality livestreaming camera designed for simplicity and portability. With the development of a second product at a lower price point, Mevo needed to evolve—shifting from a single hardware SKU to a cohesive brand ecosystem spanning products, app experience, e-commerce, and UX. There was no internal marketing organization and no agency roster. Mevo asked us to lead the entire evolution end-to-end—from strategic foundation to full market expression—while assembling and orchestrating the right partners to build the insights, creative, and digital experience capabilities required. The Insight As we partnered with Mococo Muse on primary consumer research, a critical insight emerged: Good / Better was not a strategy. Price hierarchy alone couldn’t differentiate the products or express the larger brand. Consumers had distinct needs and behaviors around livestreaming—ranging from creators seeking flexibility and professional control to everyday users needing an all-in-one, accessible setup. This unlocked a more powerful framework: Mevo Plus → approachable, all-in-one simplicity Mevo Start → professional-grade flexibility within an integrated ecosystem Mevo wasn’t just evolving its offering—it was becoming a platform brand. What We Did Two Things partnered across research, strategy, identity, digital experience, and creative to build Mevo’s first true multi-product brand and GTM engine. We repositioned Mevo from a camera to a brand system. We developed differentiated product identities. We overhauled the digital ecosystem. We introduced Mevo Start to the world. Throughout, we served as the strategic and operational leader—guiding all partners, aligning workstreams, and ensuring the repositioning carried through every touchpoint. RESULTS The launch marked Mevo’s transformation from a single hardware device into a scalable brand ecosystem—with measurable business momentum. Commercial Impact Following the Mevo Start launch—and accelerated by the rise in remote livestreaming during the pandemic—demand grew “tenfold,” as stated by CEO and Founder Max Hoat.
 Mevo’s success was not momentary; it demonstrated meaningful traction: 90,000+ Reintroduced Arc’teryx to the world with No Wasted Days (Oct 2023), delivering a message that was expansive, culturally resonant, and unmistakably authentic. $5.9M Fueled historic growth, helping propel the brand from $941.2M at launch past $1B for the first time , and on to $1.2B+ by the end of 2024. 30,000+ Built the engine for scale, establishing the strategic and operational foundation that continues to power Arc’teryx’s global marketing today. RESULTS The launch marked Mevo’s transformation from a single hardware device into a scalable brand ecosystem—with measurable business momentum. Commercial Impact Following the Mevo Start launch—and accelerated by the rise in remote livestreaming during the pandemic—demand grew “tenfold,” as stated by CEO and Founder Max Hoat.
 Mevo’s success was not momentary; it demonstrated meaningful traction: 90,000+ By 2019, Mevo reported 90,000+ units sold $5.9M Revenue reached $5.9M USD 30,000+ A robust active user base emerged: 30,000+ monthly streamers
 These true stories of Next Gen trail lovers is only the beginning. In the months to come, we'll be exploring activations that actually help people discover their trail. In the meantime, thanks for listening and see you out there.

Two Things | Mevo | Evolved from a single product offering into a multi-product brand. See how we used consumer insights to carve out market space. It was clear that there was an appetite for this product, with increasing hunger as new creators arrived on the scene. Mevo approached us to evolve their single product offering into a multi-product, highly realized brand—in 4 months. This included positioning, branding, naming their new product, developing the website, and completing the launch rollout. Beyond the sheer speed of the scope, a new challenge quickly emerged: how do you shift Mevo from a single product offering to a brand with a myriad of offerings, services, software, and—of course—products? Mevo, one of the pioneers and first creators in the livestreaming video space, launched their first product, the Mevo Plus in 2017 and quickly took over the market. High-quality, compact, and relatively affordable, Mevo allowed creators, organizations, and conferences to reach broader audiences. While it seems straightforward, good/better was not enough to define product positioning or distinguish the product in the growing creator market. Instead, through research and insights we dug into the consumer behaviors to carve out adequate space for both product offerings of Mevo: Plus and Start. Identifying new cohorts through our research stages, we turned our positioning to a broader set of audiences that would potentially tap into the emerging category of video streaming. Coupled with this, we developed an identity system for Mevo and their brand. The new product, Mevo Start, rolled out with a minimal, integrated, and friendly identity backed by a complete website overhaul, product intro videos, and extensive social content. We laid the groundwork for a compelling market offering and then, COVID-19 hit. Client // Mevo Assignment // Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Messaging Framework, Product Launch, Advertising From a product into a brand umbrella with many products. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. As shelter-in-place orders swept the globe, video streaming needs rapidly increased as did an urgent need for connecting groups, gatherings, families, offices, houses of worship, and creators. It was a rare opportunity to witness a moment where the core vision of the product (connecting others) met the needs of today. Additionally, Mevo donated 100+ camera bundles to NYC public schools and other organizations at the onset of the pandemic to help teachers and organizers continue their work despite challenging circumstances.

Weekly blog articles about strategy, brand transformation, and creative insights across the outdoors and active lifestyle markets. Sign up to receive today! Insights Insight Two Things is Doubling Down Our approach to brand transformation has worked in multiple categories but, we are choosing to focus primarily on the active lifestyle space and audience. Insight Your Brand's History is NOT Your Brand Strategy Why your brand’s past is not what your customers today care about. Insight What Can the Active Lifestyle Industry Learn from Silicon Valley? What does startup land have to teach brands way over in the active lifestyle space? Not everything. Not even most things, but there are a few really powerful ideas that if applied correctly can help a sleepy brand wake the hell up. Insight Brand X's and O's X marks the unforced error for Twitter. And, what can we learn from it? Insight The Urban/Rural Boundary is the Opportunity Cities hold a key to unlock the outdoors. Why is this massive opportunity so often ignored? Insight Include the Critics, Naysayers, and Roadblocks in the Process Why it never works to build a marketing strategy and get other departments to buy-in later. Insight The Terrain is Unsettled and Varied Generating smart ideas is *not* the hardest part of developing effective work. Subscribe to our newsletter ↗ subscribe ↗ Lessons, Tools, Tips and a few rants on creativity and marketing in the active lifestyle space* *What the hell do we mean by “active lifestyle”? We are talking about brands in the outdoor, sports, sports lifestyle and adventure travel business whether they make equipment, apparel or experiences for people to connect IRL move and explore the world. Brands that serve the active lifestyle market generally have a strong sense of purpose and an engaged community of customers. Their employees are also often a real community of like minded people. They are more likely to balance purpose and corporate social responsibility in the core of their operations than many other business categories. Subscribe to our newsletter ↗ subscribe ↗ Thanks for subscribing! Lessons, Tools, Tips and a few rants on creativity and marketing in the active lifestyle space* *What the hell do we mean by “active lifestyle”? We are talking about brands in the outdoor, sports and sports lifestyle business whether they make equipment, apparel or experiences for people to connect IRL move and explore the world. Brands that serve the active lifestyle market generally have a strong sense of purpose and an engaged community of customers. Their employees are also often a real community of like minded people. They are more likely to balance purpose and corporate social responsibility in the core of their operations than many other business categories. Subscribe to our newsletter ↗ subscribe ↗ Thanks for subscribing! Lessons, Tools, Tips and a few rants on creativity and marketing in the active lifestyle space* *What the hell do we mean by “active lifestyle”? We are talking about brands in the outdoor, sports, sports lifestyle and adventure travel business whether they make equipment, apparel or experiences for people to connect IRL move and explore the world. Brands that serve the active lifestyle market generally have a strong sense of purpose and an engaged community of customers. Their employees are also often a real community of like minded people. They are more likely to balance purpose and corporate social responsibility in the core of their operations than many other business categories.

Two Things | Brookfield Properties | The Wishing Forest Client // Brookfield Properties Assignment: Innovation Strategy · Design Strategy · Concept Development · Prototyping · Experience Design · Production Oversight · Measurement Framework · Go-To-Market Strategy Building a B2C framework and platform for a B2B centric marketing team The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. These true stories of Next Gen trail lovers is only the beginning. In the months to come, we'll be exploring activations that actually help people discover their trail. In the meantime, thanks for listening and see you out there. RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS The work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. 85% 85% of guests rated the experience as “unique” 90% 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year Significant industry attention and organic consumer buzz. Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB. The work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. 85% 85% of guests rated the experience as “unique” 90% 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year Significant industry attention and organic consumer buzz. Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. The Challenge Brookfield Properties approached us with a critical mandate: modernize their consumer experience and create an innovative, interactive model that could drive foot traffic, generate buzz, and scale across their national portfolio. The first test would come fast—a holiday-season pilot—while the larger ambition was clear: Design a year-round, nationwide engagement system that strengthens consumer relationships, not just seasonal visitation. The Insight Our process begins with a structured exploration of Category, Culture, and Product. For Brookfield, this lens revealed a key truth: while malls have traditionally focused on transactions, consumers increasingly seek connection, play, and meaningful shared experiences. The design challenge sharpened into a tension: How do we create holiday experiences that feel inclusive and modern—engaging visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities—without alienating holiday traditionalists? The answer lay in the emotional universals that define the season: Magic, Connection, Tradition, and Peace. These territories became the foundation of a scalable design system. What We Did Two Things partnered across strategy, design, prototyping, and production to build a repeatable experience framework for Brookfield’s properties. We established guardrails for scalable, measurable programs. We developed concepts that embodied universal emotional territories. We prototyped analog surfaces enhanced by technology. We launched a real-world pilot and scaled it nationally. Earned Media & Buzz Despite being a pilot, the experience generated industry attention and organic consumer buzz. Reactions ranged from “interactive decorations” to “makes you enjoy the season even more.” Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB—celebrating both the pilot and the nationwide rollout. Press

Two Things | Brookfield Properties | The Wishing Forest Client // Brookfield Properties Assignment: Innovation Strategy · Design Strategy · Concept Development · Prototyping · Experience Design · Production Oversight · Measurement Framework · Go-To-Market Strategy Building a B2C framework and platform for a B2B centric marketing team The North Face is legend in the outdoor adventure space. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. What they need today, is a new chapter in their story. One that is true to their adventurous spirit. But can speak to a broader, wider, more diverse audience. The Challenge Brookfield Properties approached us with a critical mandate: modernize their consumer experience and create an innovative, interactive model that could drive foot traffic, generate buzz, and scale across their national portfolio. The first test would come fast—a holiday-season pilot—while the larger ambition was clear: Design a year-round, nationwide engagement system that strengthens consumer relationships, not just seasonal visitation. The Insight Our process begins with a structured exploration of Category, Culture, and Product. For Brookfield, this lens revealed a key truth: while malls have traditionally focused on transactions, consumers increasingly seek connection, play, and meaningful shared experiences. The design challenge sharpened into a tension: How do we create holiday experiences that feel inclusive and modern—engaging visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities—without alienating holiday traditionalists? The answer lay in the emotional universals that define the season: Magic, Connection, Tradition, and Peace. These territories became the foundation of a scalable design system. What We Did Two Things partnered across strategy, design, prototyping, and production to build a repeatable experience framework for Brookfield’s properties. We established guardrails for scalable, measurable programs. We developed concepts that embodied universal emotional territories. We prototyped analog surfaces enhanced by technology. We launched a real-world pilot and scaled it nationally. The Result The work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. In-Experience Metrics A single overarching concept was built with multiple modular experiences (“groves”), enabling Brookfield to test and optimize for national scalability. Six unique groves were produced, with different configurations deployed per property to evaluate performance in diverse markets. Consumer Sentiment The groves delivered strong emotional resonance.According to Brookfield’s internal survey: 85% of guests rated the experience as “unique” 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year Earned Media & Buzz Despite being a pilot, the experience generated industry attention and organic consumer buzz. Reactions ranged from “interactive decorations” to “makes you enjoy the season even more.” Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB—celebrating both the pilot and the nationwide rollout. Press These true stories of Next Gen trail lovers is only the beginning. In the months to come, we'll be exploring activations that actually help people discover their trail. In the meantime, thanks for listening and see you out there.