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The biggest opportunity for outdoor brands is to create bridges to the outdoors and to start with what is at hand. The Urban/Rural Boundary is the Opportunity By Paulo Ribeiro Cities hold a key to unlock the outdoors. Why is this massive opportunity so often ignored? So many of the brands we work with have a desire to be more inclusive. More and more frequently they have a stated mission to share the outdoors (and sport and breathing fresh air) with a wider group of people than those that have historically have had access. Corporate social responsibility is often behind this. Just as often it's straight up business that motivates: growing the size of the market a brand serves. This post isn’t going to get into litigating values. For the record we are supportive of both of those motivations. This post is focused on an opportunity the size of the Empire State building that is constantly missed. We’ve been asked to think a lot about how we might grow the audience and user base for multiple brands, in multiple categories with different brand histories, challenges and capabilities. All of this against a backdrop of the massive population growth of cities. For decades cities have been growing as a rebound from the growth of suburbs that the Boomers drove. While there has been a lot of noise recently about cities like NYC, SF and Chicago losing population in 2022 that is already starting to reverse with people coming back to offices (slowly). Los Angeles, San Jose, and Washington, DC all experienced migration gains in 2022. TL;DR, cities keep growing. The Gen Z and even Millennials are much more likely to be renters as compared to their parents and grandparents at the same age. They are less likely to own a car, or even have a driver’s license. Their work often involves staring at a screen for hours on end. The pitch to move their bodies during their downtime shouldn’t be that hard as evidenced by the radical growth in almost every sector of outdoor activity since the pandemic. If we really want to encourage movement and be inclusive in the outdoors. The most powerful tool we have is to rethink what the outdoors can be. What are the easy local “onramps” to the sports that are best done on massive fields or above 10,000 feet? So many heritage outdoor brands are stuck showcasing the most remote, world class edge of the world environments. Those spaces can inspire the hell out of many, but they are often disconnected from someone who hasn’t grown up in a culture of mountaineering (or skiing or insert any pursuit that requires travel and piles of expensive gear). When a brand exclusively leans into that world, the door is closed to starting a relationship with someone new to the space. Why are brands missing this? There is such a lack of creativity by active lifestyle brands in the places that have the biggest concentration of human beings: Cities! Most cities sprouted up because of their proximity to some amazing natural feature: The ocean, a river, a lush valley. And just because it started to fill up with buildings those features are still there if you know where to look. The biggest opportunity for outdoor brands is to create bridges to the outdoors and to start with what is at hand. [Mont Royal, Montreal] [Willamette River, Portland, Oregon] [The Hudson River Valley which leads to Manhattan Island] Creativity is the art of combining two things in an unexpected way: If your brand history is in climbing - what could you climb downtown? If you have retail outposts in cities - how can they become knowledge centers for what is within a few miles and accessible by public transportation? If you have a rugged brand what could you build in an urban area that lasts? How might you spend your brand dollars on improvement projects that last for decades rather than ads that last for days? When we talk about inclusion in the outdoor category the most potent way to think about it is by relooking at what we include as outdoor exploration. If we want people to move their bodies on a progression of challenges that might end up in the backcountry…then might we use our platforms physical (stores) and digital to help them start? EVO hotels are a rare example of experience innovation for active lifestyle brands as an urban outpost of trial and community. Please share examples of doing something (anything) innovative and we’ll be sure to compile and share. The city of LA set the bar really low with La Sombrita . If the bar is this low then what are you waiting for? Physical Retail locations might be the single most underutilized marketing tool. They are a literal toe-hold in the largest markets. 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. back to insights →

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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 | Visit Sun Valley | Stay Sunny | Evolving an organization from brand awareness to lifecycle marketing. Discover how we shaped tourism and engagement. Client // Visit Sun Valley Assignment: Brand Strategy · Board Advisory · Go-To-Market Definition · Campaign Production & Staffing · Measurement Strategy & Metrics Evolving a destination brand to meet the demands of a new era The Challenge Sun Valley, Idaho is one of the most breathtaking places in the world—but for decades, it flew under the radar. Then the pandemic hit. Almost overnight, the quiet mountain town became a magnet for travelers, second-home seekers, and remote workers. Tourism surged far faster than infrastructure, local businesses, or municipal systems could keep pace. The Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) faced a fundamental identity crisis. Their long-standing mission of awareness and demand generation was suddenly at odds with the community’s reality. They needed a new mandate—one focused on balance, sustainability, visitor education, and long-term value, not simply volume. We started with a simple call-to-action (STAY SUNNY) that reflected the optimistic spirit of the Valley. But we also needed a voice that, like the locals, felt honest and to the point. Conceptually, we thought of it as a secret society that anyone could be a part of (assuming they were kind and respectful). The Insight Sun Valley didn’t just need more visitors; it needed the right visitors—those who would respect the community, stay longer, return often, and contribute meaningfully to the local economy. This required a shift from traditional tourism marketing to lifecycle marketing: engaging audiences before, during, and after their visit, aligning resident and visitor needs, and creating a brand voice that could flex between demand generation and destination management. But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as own-able or relevant as it once was. RESULTS RESULTS While the work was less about immediate performance metrics and more about long-term sustainability, the results were transformative: 360° Sun Valley’s DMO evolved from a traditional tourism bureau into a 360° destination management and marketing organization Stakeholders across municipalities, businesses, and the state aligned under a shared mission and shared language The new measurement model gave leaders unprecedented clarity into value, cost, and impact The organization gained the systems, partners, and strategic guidance necessary to adapt in real time to fluctuating tourism patterns While the work was less about immediate performance metrics and more about long-term sustainability, the results were transformative: 360° Sun Valley’s DMO evolved from a traditional tourism bureau into a 360° destination management and marketing organization Stakeholders across municipalities, businesses, and the state aligned under a shared mission and shared language The new measurement model gave leaders unprecedented clarity into value, cost, and impact The organization gained the systems, partners, and strategic guidance necessary to adapt in real time to fluctuating tourism patterns What We Did Two Things partnered with the DMO’s Board of Directors, Executive Team, and regional stakeholders to redefine the purpose, structure, and strategy of the organization. 1. Reframed the Mission & Go-To-Market Strategy Shifted the DMO from demand-only marketing to a holistic lifecycle model Engaged five municipalities, the State of Idaho, Sun Valley Resort, and local businesses to align on a unified strategy Built a flexible go-to-market approach capable of toggling between destination management and demand generation based on seasonal and economic needs 2. Created a New Brand Platform We developed Stay Sunny —a brand voice, mobile applications and activation strategy that worked in two directions: Locally: addressing pain points, educating visitors, and supporting community needs Externally: driving awareness and demand when appropriate 3. Designed the Operating System Behind the Brand Built a new roster of creative and production partners to execute ongoing campaigns Developed a CAC/LTV model to quantify the full value of visitors, improve budgeting, and increase transparency with stakeholders Established measurement systems and reporting frameworks to continually optimize marketing investment 4. Provided Ongoing Strategic Advisory As Sun Valley navigated rapid and ongoing change, we advised the Board and leadership to continually refine tactics, rebalance priorities, and evolve the campaign as real-world conditions shifted Each creative piece was informed by what we call a pain point, i.e., specific time or place where tourists were being insufferable. We wrote lines (or messages) encouraging them to stop. But took care not to castigate them. That just felt mean. Humor, we learned, was the most effective way of connecting with others (whether they're locals or not). Around town our voice shifted depending on where you were and what offense (if any) was being committed. So, for example, as people entered town, we welcomed them with a wave and a smile. Alternatively, when people were being jerks on the bike trail, we gave them the business. To date, virtually every piece of communication has been delivered through non-traditional media, i.e., chalked sidewalks, construction site plywood, murals, bumper stickers, viewfinders. The medium truly has been the message. The money saved from not doing a traditional media buy has freed us up to do more local collabs and to execute all production locally. Every execution supports the local community in some way.

Generating smart ideas is *not* the hardest part of developing effective work. How it will be made determines the outcome. The Terrain is Unsettled and Varied By Paulo Ribeiro Generating smart ideas is *not* the hardest part of developing effective work. BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS AREN'T THE HARD PART Less than 20 years ago the line between the responsibilities of an outside agency and a client’s marketing organization were crystal clear. Client-side marketing handled marketing strategy, brief development, high-level budget allocation and often measurement. Their products were sold through very established channels (dealerships for cars, wholesale and to a lesser extent owned retail for apparel and shoes, Sports speciality and wholesale retail for equipment etc…). Even as e-commerce was starting to become the force it is today, channels were generally added one at a time. What a client paid agencies to do vs. what was executed in house was very consistent. Agencies handled all brand strategy, all varieties of creative development from identity to Super Bowl Spots, Event production, and agencies handled PR strategy and media planning and buying. Anything that fell under the umbrella of creative strategy, ideation or production was handled by an agency. And now? All of those agency formats continue to exist in some iteration, and there has been an explosion of additional specializations in e-Commerce, measurement, social, performance marketing, UX and IxD and on and on. While at the same time clients have brought many of the same disciplines in house to some degree. But there is no consistency to how and why. Internal creative capabilities on the client side are driven by the nuances of their individual industry, the inclinations of their leadership or sometimes for random legacy reasons. And then the vast majority also employ agencies to finish, up-level or supplement the work that they do in house. The Terrain is varied, uneven, and often difficult to map out. This has serious implications for how to make effective work. Generating smart ideas, as difficult as that is, is not the hardest part of developing effective work. The hardest part today is understanding the landscape of how that work might be made - outside, inside or shared - and developing customized work and Go To Market plans with that in mind upfront. Too often this upfront step is skipped which wastes everyone’s time (and client’s money). To be clear there is a huge difference between being an order taker and asking the client what solution they would like and giving them what they asked for and taking the time to really understand the landscape and come back with an innovative solution. The former isn’t strategic and is a watchout for any client who wants to do effective work. The first job today should be canvassing the playing field of capabilities, needs and expectations and mapping that overtly to the team setup on both the in-house client side and the outside partners. The moment is going to happen one way or another. Make that moment happen earlier and there is a greater chance for success overall. Wait to figure out what the playing field is, and one side of the equation is going to look irresponsible. I’ll let you guess which one. It starts with a messy playing field… Agencies are used to sharing creds and case studies. And clients, with the seniority to hire, are generally well-trained marketers but the truth of the matter is that they are slammed with an ever growing list of responsibilities. They don’t usually have the time to dig into whether or not the exact setup of an agency is a good key for the lock that is their specific needs. So they look at finished work, think to themselves “I want something like that’ and hope that their team’s can sort it out on the same timeline that the ideas are generated and produced. …Unclear responsibilities hurt the work quality… With creatives and strategists on the agency side and client side and a shared desire for everyone to ‘partner’ the line between idea generator and editor of ideas moves around. The client team’s bounce between being creatives and clients sometimes in the same meeting which is unfair to them and everyone involved. Both teams can lose motivation, while the work becomes a slog for all involved. Too bad. With clarity on process upfront: 1+1=3+, without it...well 1-1=0. …and ends with all that money spent on strategy and ideas being wasted. How often have you been in a meeting where good ideas from pages 20 through 87 of a presentation are completely ignored? Assuming the agency is solid and isn’t throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks, this is usually because the client’s are thinking: “That’s ambitious. We don’t have time to figure out how to make that thing with everything else we have on our plates. So we’ll compliment their clever thinking and just hope they don’t follow up.” The client is paying the agency to painstakingly develop new work but rarely do the teams talk about process in creative meetings because it's ‘not creative’, we’ll handle that in ‘production’. Marketing capabilities vary tremendously across client organizations. There is absolutely no consistency between what is in-house vs. outsourced in large companies. Developing breakthrough ideas is the easy part. Tailoring ideas to the unique shape of a client’s organization is where the real work is done. back to insights → The problem is that without that discussion upfront the vast majority of that work will ‘make a great meeting’ and never see the light of day. How creative is that?

Paulo Ribeiro's (Wieden&Kennedy, Redscout, West) expertise is helping brands like Nike, TNF and Venmo develop new strategies to earn more attention and revenue. Photograph by Chloe Aftel Paulo began his career in brand advertising first in NYC and then in SF at Hal Riney+Partners, the first creatively led agency, during the dot com boom. At Wieden + Kennedy he was head of global brand strategy for Nike and Electronic Arts through the era of digital transformation. He led the evolution of innovation agency Redscout to better serve Silicon Valley, working with Reid Hoffman on LinkedIn’s positioning and expanding Gatorade’s portfolio from beverages to food and digital products. He was the Managing Director of one of the first Venture Studios-West SF, which was founded by Jack Dorsey to accelerate the growth for many of the world’s most disruptive startups. His portfolio included Venmo, Jawbone, Twitter, Braintree, Anki, Tumblr and many others. More recently he led the creation of the Wieden+Kennedy Lodge the innovation agency, within the W+K Network, with Nike's secretive innovation Kitchen, Samsung and Verizon as clients. The fruits of that labor contributed significantly to W+K earning Global Agency of the Year two years in a row. He is the founder of Two Things, a brand transformation agency that focuses on the active lifestyle category. Two Things serves clients such as The North Face, Timberland, Visit Sun Valley, Mad Hippie, Converse and Arc’teryx. Paulo Ribeiro's expertise is in building strategies to evolve brands. ↗ 2017 AICP Innovation Award ↗ 2016 Adweek Creative 100 ↗ 2012 One Show Pencil - BulletStorm ↗ 2011 Effie - Dante’s Inferno ↗ 2011 4A’s Jay Chiat Award-New Product: Gatorade G-Series ↗ 2010 Clio - Nike Livestrong ‘Chalkbot’ ↗ 2010 - D+D Yellow Pencil - Integrated Campaign ‘Its’ About You’ Select Awards Featured in publications such as: ↗ Creative Boom—Coverage of Novella Launch ↗ Ad Age: Brookfield ↗ Muse by Clio—Brookfield ↗ Communication Arts—Brookfield ↗ Egotist—Stay Sunny ↗ Little Black Book—The North Face: Discover Your Trail ↗ Graphic Design USA—Stay Sunny ↗ ↗ The Drum—Two Things Launch ↗ Adweek—Paulo Leaving W+K Scoop ↗ Fast Company—Paulo leaving W+K Scoop ↗ Adweek—Two Things Launch ↗ Fast Company—Two Things Launch ↗ ↗ Shots Magazine—Lodge Profile ↗ Fast Company—Lodge Principle Profile ↗ Fast Company—Nike Live Design ↗ Fast Company—Anki Lost In Reddit Profile ↗ Monocle—NeedyBot ↗ Meta/Oculus—KFC The Hard Way ↗ TechCrunch—Anki Lost in Reddit ↗ Business Insider—Soylent + WK Lodge ↗ Creative—Soylent ↗ Retail Dive—Soylent ↗ Portland Monthly—NeedyBot ↗ Adweek—100 Creatives Whose Brilliant Ideas will make you jealous ↗ ↗ NYT—Paulo to MD Redscout ↗ The Guardian—Nike Chalkbot ↗ Campaign Live - Nike Livestrong 2010 Integrated Titanium Cannes Lion ↗ Adage - Nike Livestrong 2010 Integrated Titanium Cannes Lion ↗ WSJ—EA Dante’s Inferno ↗ Blog—Dante’s Campaign Profile ↗ Kotaku—Greed (Dante’s) ↗ Joystiq—Greed (Dante’s) Selected Press Speaking Engagements Paulo has spoken at many festivals including Fast Company Innovation Festival, Samsung Galaxy Media Days and Electronic Arts Sales Meetings. He has been asked to speak at leadership retreats for Electronic Arts, Gatorade, Pernod-Ricard, Nike and Target among others. He is frequently asked to present insights and perspectives to boards and investors. Speaker fees vary depending on the length of the presentation, whether preparation is necessary and the amount of time necessary onsite. Travel and expenses will be covered separately. Pro-Bono can be discussed for non-profits or other worthy causes. For Speaking Engagements: talk@twothings.co For Advising: hello@twothings.co Images from the Archives He's earned many accolades' including being listed as one of the Adweek Global Creative 100, he is a Cyber Lion Winner, has won Clios, D+AD Pencils, Effies, AICP Innovation Awards and more. Awards Press He's earned many accolades' including being listed as one of the Adweek Global Creative 100, he is a Cyber Lion Winner, has won Clios, D+AD Pencils, Effies, AICP Innovation Awards and more.

We develop creative Go-To-Market strategies for companies to enter new markets, attract new audiences and develop new ways to serve their customers. Strategy We develop strategies for companies to expand their market. + Execution We build teams, culture and processes to operationalize that strategy over time. The Brand Transformation Agency We work with brands who need to build a new product, connect with a new audience or because their Go-To-Market approach needs an overhaul. Sample Engagements include: Designing innovation strategy and teams Internal creative teams Creative marketing for startups Brand experience and product design We’ve been responsible for some of the leading innovation and creative cultures in the US and have learned that the most impressive ROI is realized when a brand owns the work itself. Our engagements are designed with the goal of building a new capability within our client’s organization and we work towards that end in mind. Strategy We develop strategies for companies to expand their market. + Execution We build teams, culture and processes to operationalize that strategy over time. The Brand Transformation Agency We work with brands who need to build a new product, connect with a new audience or because their Go-To-Market approach needs an overhaul. Sample Engagements include: Designing innovation strategy and teams Internal creative teams Creative marketing for startups Brand experience and product design We’ve been responsible for some of the leading innovation and creative cultures in the US and have learned that the most impressive ROI is realized when a brand owns the work itself. Our engagements are designed with the goal of building a new capability within our client’s organization and we work towards that end in mind. start a conversation → working with us →

As an alternative to a traditional advertising agency, we take on brand transformation with the goal of improving marketing impact through robust strategy. What it’s like to work with us What it’s like to work with us One We use creativity as a growth engine. We bring creativity back upstream —where it belongs—as a catalyst for change. It’s how we create strategy with soul, and products that feel both inevitable and new. What it’s like to work with us Foundational Creative Strategy Strategy Sprint 4 Weeks Opportunity Mapping Deliverable: Brand Audit, Product/Category/Cultural Research Core Team: Brand Strategist, Design Lead and Creative Director with support from Producer and Studio Design Team. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. I. Insights + Creative Territories Deliverable: Presentation with findings and recommendations Creative Territory Refinement Deliverable: Revisions to Creative Territories based on feedback, Design Challenge Briefs to guide work, Recommended path forward II. III. Creative Strategy, Concepts + Rollout Comprehensive Project 12–14 Weeks Creative Strategy Development Deliverable: Brand Audit, Research + Insights Presentation, Creative Territory Presentation 1 + 2 (if needed), Design Challenge Briefs Core Team: Strategy Lead, Design Lead, Brand Manager/Producer. Creative Concept Teams (selected based on brief). Studio Design Team: Graphic Design, Part-time Researcher. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. Concept Development Deliverable: Two Rounds of Creative Development, Brand and Product Marketing Concepts combined, Concepts fleshed out to match production considerations Comms Strategy and Pre-Production Deliverable: GTM Rollout Calendar, Production Recommendations and Budgets, Recommended Channel Prioritization and Measurement Recommendations III. II. I. Strategy + Creative Partnership Custom Retainer 6–12 Months Opportunity Mapping Core Team: Brand Strategist, Design Lead and Creative Director with support from Producer and Studio Design Team. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. Insights + Creative Territories Creative Territory Refinement III. II. I. Timelines can be customized to clients needs and additional workload can be absorbed by dedicated team assigned to client’s business. Monthly Work-Plan Alignment with senior stakeholders to calibrate work to client's business. Custom Retainer option for more complex assignments. Two Things will generally follow its process working systematically through: Executional Advisory Strategy Sprint 4+ Month Commitment Two Things can oversee execution of the work if needed from guidance to establishing long-term plan. Includes: Production Oversight Strategy +Creative Consistency Budget Management Strategy Implementation Measurement + Research Methodology Analysis and Recommendations Future Proofing Identifying long-term partners Training and Handoff to client team Strategic Advisory Two things can engage as a strategic advisor to the board and/or leadership team on long-term strategy evolution. Includes: Performance Benchmarking Analysis and Recommendations Guidance on Org Design and/or AgencyRoster Customized options available Month-to-Month or Quarterly Advisory Formats Executional Advisory Two Things can oversee execution of the work if needed from guidance to establishing long-term plan. Includes: Production Oversight Strategy +Creative Consistency Budget Management Strategy Implementation Measurement + Research Methodology Analysis and Recommendations Future Proofing Identifying long-term partners Training and Handoff to client team Strategic Advisory Two things can engage as a strategic advisor to the board and/or leadership team on long-term strategy evolution. Includes: Performance Benchmarking Analysis and Recommendations Guidance on Org Design and/or AgencyRoster Customized options available Custom Retainer Strategy + Creative Partnership 6–12 Months ↗ Creative Strategy Development Deliverable: Brand Audit, Research + Insights Presentation, Creative Territory Presentation 1 + 2 (if needed), Design Challenge Briefs ↗ Concept Development Deliverable: Two Rounds of Creative Development, Brand and Product Marketing Concepts combined, Concepts fleshed out to match production considerations ↗ Comms Strategy and Pre-Production Deliverable: GTM Rollout Calendar, Production Recommendations and Budgets, Recommended Channel Prioritization and Measurement Recommendations Core Team: Strategy Lead, Design Lead, Brand Manager/Producer. Creative Concept Teams (selected based on brief). Studio Design Team: Graphic Design, Part-time Researcher. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. Strategy Sprint Foundational Creative Strategy 4 Weeks ↗ Opportunity Mapping Deliverable: Brand Audit, Product/Category/Cultural Research ↗ Insights + Creative Territories Deliverable: Presentation with findings and recommendations ↗ Creative Territory Refinement Deliverable: Revisions to Creative Territories based on feedback, Design Challenge Briefs to guide work, Recommended path forward Core Team: Brand Strategist, Design Lead and Creative Director with support from Producer and Studio Design Team. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. Comprehensive Project Creative Strategy, Concepts + Rollout 12–14 Weeks ↗ Creative Strategy Development Deliverable: Brand Audit, Research + Insights Presentation, Creative Territory Presentation 1 + 2 (if needed), Design Challenge Briefs ↗ Concept Development Deliverable: Two Rounds of Creative Development, Brand and Product Marketing Concepts combined, Concepts fleshed out to match production considerations ↗ Comms Strategy and Pre-Production Deliverable: GTM Rollout Calendar, Production Recommendations and Budgets, Recommended Channel Prioritization and Measurement Recommendations Core Team: Strategy Lead, Design Lead, Brand Manager/Producer. Creative Concept Teams (selected based on brief). Studio Design Team: Graphic Design, Part-time Researcher. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. Two We collide perspectives to create new ones. We work at the powerful intersection of strategy and design, business and brand, internal knowledge and external perspective. This is where insights collide, disciplines blend, and new possibilities emerge. Three We hunt for the roadblocks. Organizations don’t set out to hinder progress, but culture, structure, and process often do. We surface the obstacles unique to each company early and design around them—so bold opportunities launch in market, not die in decks. Four We build from the inside out. We roll up our sleeves to build alongside you—operating like an early-stage strike team to prototype, pressure-test, and launch new products. Five We make ourselves obsolete. We're in the evolution business, not the maintenance business. Our job is to set the conditions for success, strengthen your team through lived experience, and then hand your team the baton to the future. Ways we can work together Ways we can work together Strategic Discovery Innovation Roadmap 1 month Strategy
 Internal Audit Ambitions + Hypotheses
 Brand + Product Research (existing) External Audit Category Research (secondary) Culture Research (secondary) Opportunity Assessment
 Findings + Indications Opportunity Thesis Opportunity Territories Comprehensive Project Foundational Design 4–6 months Strategy Research Culture + Category + Product Findings + Indications Design Strategy Opportunity Thesis Design Territories Design Challenge Briefs Design Product Exploration Product Concepts Product Prototyping Product Design Product Vision + Roadmap Implementation Operations Organizational Design Recommendation Production Recommendation Go-To-Market Planning Rollout Recommendation Channel Recommendation Iterative Retainer Incubation Program 6–12 month cycles Strategy
 Research Culture + Category + Product Findings + Indications Design Strategy Opportunity Thesis Design Territories Design Challenge Briefs Design
 Product Exploration Product Concepts Iterative Co-Creation Product Design Product Vision + Roadmap Prototype(s) Iterative Co-Creation Validation Implementation Operations New Teams + Capabilities Go-To-Market Strategy Launch Vision + Roadmap Advisory Strategic
Advisory Monthly or quarterly Two Things can engage as a strategic advisor to leaders and/or leadership teams such as BoD or Steering Committee. In this capacity Two Things provides strategic expertise on a focused set of innovation topics over time. Two Things can guide implementation and optimization of growth strategies to leaders tasked with driving innovation. Sample Advisory engagements include: Innovation Strategies Team Evaluations and Recommendations Organizational Design Curation of Vendor Rosters Performance Benchmarking Audits and Analysis Ways we can work together Strategic Discovery Innovation Roadmap 1 month Strategy
 Internal Audit Ambitions + Hypotheses
 Brand + Product Research (existing) External Audit Category Research (secondary) Culture Research (secondary) Opportunity Assessment
 Findings + Indications Opportunity Thesis Opportunity Territories Comprehensive Project Foundational Design 4–6 months Strategy Research Culture + Category + Product Findings + Indications Design Strategy Opportunity Thesis Design Territories Design Challenge Briefs Design Product Exploration Product Concepts Product Prototyping Product Design Product Vision + Roadmap Implementation Operations Organizational Design Recommendation Production Recommendation Go-To-Market Planning Rollout Recommendation Channel Recommendation Iterative Retainer Incubation Program 6–12 month cycles Strategy
 Research Culture + Category + Product Findings + Indications Design Strategy Opportunity Thesis Design Territories Design Challenge Briefs Design
 Product Exploration Product Concepts Iterative Co-Creation Product Design Product Vision + Roadmap Prototype(s) Iterative Co-Creation Validation Implementation Operations New Teams + Capabilities Go-To-Market Strategy Launch Vision + Roadmap Advisory Strategic
 Advisory Monthly or quarterly Two Things can engage as a strategic advisor to leaders and/or leadership teams such as BoD or Steering Committee. In this capacity Two Things provides strategic expertise on a focused set of innovation topics over time. Two Things can guide implementation and optimization of growth strategies to leaders tasked with driving innovation. Sample Advisory engagements include: Innovation Strategies Team Evaluations and Recommendations Organizational Design Curation of Vendor Rosters Performance Benchmarking Audits and Analysis Looking to partner with us? start a conversation → Opportunity Assessment Findings + Indications Opportunity Thesis Opportunity Territories 3. External Audit Category Research (secondary) Culture Research (secondary) 2. Internal Audit Ambitions + Hypotheses Brand + Product Research 1. 1 month Innovation Roadmap Strategic Discovery Core Team: Strategy Lead, Design Lead, Brand Manager/Producer. Creative Concept Teams (selected based on brief). Studio Design Team: Graphic Design, Part-time Researcher. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership Team. I. Comms Strategy and Pre-Production Deliverable: GTM Rollout Calendar, Production Recommendations and Budgets, Recommended Channel Prioritization and Measurement Recommendations III. Concept Development Deliverable: Two Rounds of Creative Development, Brand and Product Marketing Concepts combined, Concepts fleshed out to match production considerations II. Creative Strategy Development Deliverable: Brand Audit, Research + Insights Presentation, Creative Territory Presentation 1 + 2 (if needed), Design Challenge Briefs 4–6 months Foundational Design Comprehensive Project Dedicated Team: Strategy Lead, Design Lead, Brand Manager/Producer. Creative Concept Teams (assigned based on brief). Studio Design Team: Graphic Design, Part-time Researcher. Creative and Strategy oversight by Leadership team. I. III. II. Comms Strategy and Pre-Production Concept Development Creative Strategy Development Custom Retainer option for more complex assignments. Two Things will generally follow its process working systematically through: Timelines can be customized to clients needs and additional workload can be absorbed by dedicated team assigned to client’s business. Monthly Work-Plan Alignment with senior stakeholders to calibrate work to client's business. 6–12 Months Strategy + Creative Partnership Custom Retainer Two things can engage as a strategic advisor to the board and/or leadership team on long-term strategy evolution. Includes: Performance Benchmarking Analysis and Recommendations Guidance on Org Design and/or AgencyRoster Customized options available Two Things can oversee execution of the work if needed from guidance to establishing long-term plan. Includes: Production Oversight Strategy +Creative Consistency Budget Management Strategy Implementation Measurement + Research Methodology Analysis and Recommendations Future Proofing Identifying long-term partners Training and Handoff to client team 4+ Month Commitment Executional Advisory Advisory Formats Monthly or Quarterly Strategic Advisory

Two Things | The North Face | Vectiv | From brand strategy to go-to-market planning see how we oversaw the global launch of TNF’s first footwear platform. Client // The North Face: Vectiv Assignment: Brand Strategy · Brand Architecture & Systems · Digital Experience · Marketing Process · Toolkits and Process, Measurement and Analytics Using a critical product launch to create a community powered playbook For years, The North Face has led the charge of peak athleticism in the outdoors. The Challenge In September 2021, The North Face came to us with a high-stakes proposition: their first-ever premium footwear platform—Vectiv—was ready to launch, but the go-to-market strategy wasn’t. The world was in a shutdown due to the pandemic and TNF needed more than a product story. They needed a brand-defining launch that brought digital to the center, not the sidelines. The internal team had executional horsepower—from elite athletes breaking FKTs in prototype Vectiv shoes to global partners and a budding in-house creative team. But they lacked a unified idea, an integrated playbook, and leadership to coherently connect local markets, global teams, and digital experience into a single, powerful launch. The Insight The proof of performance was clear: elite athletes were shattering records in Vectiv prototypes. While the rest of the world was in lock-down we needed to share this feeling: the explosive, exponential feeling of pushing your limits-with a much wider audience. What We Did We developed a narrative platform: Go Further as with an experiential platform at its center. Further Together—a global, digital-first ecosystem partnership between The North Face and Strava that transformed a product drop into a community-led brand experience. Defined brand architecture, messaging, and campaign system Built a global digital experience Created a consistent global visual language Delivered channel-specific playbooks Designed workflows and processes Orchestrated global teams Documented to form a toolkit for future launches. The Result The launch didn’t just introduce a product—it introduced a new way for TNF to build community, tell stories, and activate digital at scale. Further Together turned the Vectiv launch into a global movement. 523K+ sign-ups in the first month alone 37MM+ miles recorded across the world 80% participation rate 57K+ Strava community growth within first month 136MM+ impressions 24% revenue growth vs the previous period for trail category US playbook exported globally Elite athletes regularly beat FKTs (fastest known times) on a variety of trails using prototypes proving the unique value of the product. Now that we had our wayfinding, the next hurdle was execution. With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging around the globe, how could we drive trial and buzz when all trail races, events, and outdoor gatherings were canceled? Enter Further Together. As a direct reflection to the campaign, our internal work flow emphasizes collaboration and building tools for TNF to use across all of their channels and countries. The collaborative concepts resulted in strong brand messaging, positioning toolkits, photography guidelines, motion graphics, and videography for TNF’s global marketing teams to leverage again and again.

Two Things | Novella | Private Equity investors asked for help in developing a modern footwear brand and we responded by building the company from the ground up. Client // Novella Assignment: Research & Insights · Brand Strategy · Global Advertising Campaign · Photography · Film · Messaging & Campaign Toolkit Designing a footwear business from the ground up Sneakers are a 100 billion dollar market worldwide. In recent years, there has been a tidal wave of Instagram DTC starts trying to tap into this burgeoning market. For most, the story has been exactly the same: high craftsmanship at a lower price. Beautiful but boring. The Challenge The sneaker industry is a $100B global market—and in recent years it has been flooded with DTC upstarts following the same playbook: premium materials, minimalist design, heritage-inspired craftsmanship, all delivered at a slightly better price. Beautiful, yes. But indistinguishable. The category had become saturated with brands that looked different but behaved the same. There was no emotional differentiation. No narrative. No reason to believe beyond the product itself. We saw an opportunity to build a brand that didn’t just enter the market—but reimagined how a sneaker company could connect with people. In recent years, there has been a tidal wave of Instagram DTC starts trying to tap into this burgeoning market. For most, the story has been exactly the same: high craftsmanship at a lower price. Beautiful but boring. Most of the energy in the market today comes from big, iconic sneaker brands doing limited edition drops and generic collaborations with other established brands or artists. It’s an approach badly in need of a refresh. The Insight Every sneaker brand was selling the shoe. None were selling the story. But consumers—especially creators, makers, and cultural tastemakers—crave brands with depth, meaning, and a point of view. We identified a simple but powerful truth: there is a limitless appetite for human stories of craft, purpose, and creativity. What if a sneaker weren’t the end of the story, but the medium for telling it? See more at novella2020.com Novella was born in the depths of the pandemic. Amidst the darkness, we tried to find light. Not just through the creation of our shoes. But through the stories of these uncommon artisans. And all the joy and inspiration they were putting out into the world. At a time when we needed it most. What We Did Investors with a vision asked Two Things to build what became Novella from the ground up. 1. Defined the Brand Strategy & Architecture We positioned Novella around a radical concept: each drop would be a collaboration with an extraordinary creator—barbers, poets, textile artists, comedians—and each sneaker would visually express their story. No celebrity hype. No trend-chasing. Just authentic creators whose craft brings joy. 2. Developed the Footwear Platform Organized the product team - from footwear designers, to product developers, the manufacturing partners and the systems and processes to stitch all of this together. We also designed the systems to identify the creators that would inspire each of the shoes and worked with them to put their fingerprints (literally) on the designs. 3. Built the Go To Market Strategy and Toolkit Global photography and film systems Messaging structure and storytelling framework A scalable drop architecture (“Chapters” and “Verses”) Guidelines enabling every future release to feel distinct yet unmistakably Novella 4. Designed the Launch & Brand Experience We crafted Novella’s inaugural introduction as both a brand launch and a proof of concept. Each limited edition release (2,020 pairs per story) was individually numbered—turning every pair into a collectible artifact of human creativity. RESULTS RESULTS Novella entered the market not as another DTC sneaker brand, but as a creator-driven storytelling platform. The brand differentiated itself in one of the world’s most crowded categories by offering something no one else was offering: a sneaker brand with a soul. Novella didn’t just launch a sneaker. It launched a new way of thinking about the relationship between creativity, craft, and footwear. The impact is clear: A completely original footwear brand and business model brought to life A narrative-led product architecture now used across releases A creative foundation that established Novella as a distinct, premium, culturally resonant entrant in a saturated space Novella entered the market not as another DTC sneaker brand, but as a creator-driven storytelling platform. The brand differentiated itself in one of the world’s most crowded categories by offering something no one else was offering: a sneaker brand with a soul. Novella didn’t just launch a sneaker. It launched a new way of thinking about the relationship between creativity, craft, and footwear. The impact is clear: A completely original footwear brand and business model brought to life A narrative-led product architecture now used across releases A creative foundation that established Novella as a distinct, premium, culturally resonant entrant in a saturated space

Two Things | Pernod Ricard Evolving How a Spirits Brand Goes to Market Client // Pernod Ricard New Brand Ventures, Plymouth Gin Assignment: Innovation Strategy · Experience Design · Digital Experience · Innovation Program Development · Prototyping & App Design The Challenge Pernod Ricard manages a vast portfolio of beloved spirits brands—but faces a fundamental industry constraint: alcohol cannot be sold direct-to-consumer, therefore brands don’t own the customer relationship. In this environment, marketing has historically meant one thing: traditional brand advertising, with limited avenues for deeper engagement. The New Brand Ventures team came to us with a pivotal question: How can these brands create direct, meaningful consumer connections in a space where DTC is off the table? The re-launch of Plymouth Gin, a 300-year-old heritage brand, raised the stakes even further. This wasn’t just about new tactics—it was about redefining what consumer engagement could look like for an entire category. The Insight Consumers were increasingly eager to explore, learn, and connect—especially in premium spirits. In 2019, curiosity around the category was rising and heritage brands were gaining traction. Through consumer research we uncovered an opportunity hiding in plain sight: Even without DTC, people crave authentic moments of connection—with brands, with stories, and with each other. For Plymouth Gin specifically, relevance wasn’t the problem, access was. The brand needed modern pathways for people to participate in its world—without violating regulatory constraints. What We Did Two Things partnered with New Brand Ventures to build an innovation program that balanced experimentation with business rigor. We developed a series of test-and-learn initiatives designed to rapidly validate new approaches to consumer engagement across the spirits portfolio. We identified cultural territories where Plymouth could authentically show up: Spaces where consumers naturally gather to share stories, discover new experiences, and connect with like-minded people. We created and prototyped concepts ready for market: From lightweight digital touchpoints to more immersive AR and VR experiences—each designed to foster participation, not just passive awareness. We built a measurement framework to compare ROI: A standardized model that tracked how these experiments performed relative to traditional marketing, enabling NBV to evaluate impact with clarity. What emerged surprised even the internal team: Two SMS-based games dramatically outperformed more complex initiatives, driving not just list growth but genuine human connection—through shared experiences, storytelling, and real-world interaction. Across the program, emerging technology was harnessed not as novelty, but as a way to deepen consumer value and expand what engagement can look like in a regulated category. The Result The work reframed how Pernod Ricard’s teams think about consumer connection—proving that meaningful engagement is possible even without DTC. Key outcomes included: A repeatable test-and-learn model for modern consumer engagement Validated concepts that outperformed traditional marketing benchmarks A measurement system enabling cross-initiative comparison and portfolio learning Clear demonstration that lightweight, human-centered experiences can drive disproportionate impact This work laid the foundation for a more modern, participatory relationship with consumers across the Pernod Ricard portfolio.