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?

Two Things | Brookfield Properties | The Wishing Forest 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 work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. A single overarching concept was built with multiple modular experiences (“groves”), enabling Brookfield to test and optimize for national scalability. 85% 85% of guests rated the experience as “unique”. 90% 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year. Despite being a pilot, the experience generated industry attention and organic consumer buzz.
Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB—celebrating both the pilot and the nationwide rollout. Despite being a pilot, the experience generated industry attention and organic consumer buzz.
Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB—celebrating both the pilot and the nationwide rollout. 90% 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year The work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. RESULTS 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. The work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. A single overarching concept was built with multiple modular experiences (“groves”), enabling Brookfield to test and optimize for national scalability. 85% 85% of guests rated the experience as “unique”. 90% 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year. Despite being a pilot, the experience generated industry attention and organic consumer buzz.
Coverage spanned trade and marketing outlets—including Communication Arts, Clios, AdAge, and LBB—celebrating both the pilot and the nationwide rollout. The work reframed how Pernod Ricard’s teams think about consumer connection—proving that meaningful engagement is possible even without DTC. Key outcomes included: The work transformed Brookfield’s approach to customer engagement—shifting from seasonal entertainment to a relationship-driven model with measurable business impact. A single overarching concept was built with multiple modular experiences (“groves”), enabling Brookfield to test and optimize for national scalability. 85% A single overarching concept was built with multiple modular experiences (“groves”), enabling Brookfield to test and optimize for national scalability. 90% 90% indicated they were highly likely to return the following year 85% of guests rated the experience as “unique” 85% RESULTS But the approach they pioneered—sponsoring the exploits of extreme outdoor athletes—is no longer as ownable or relevant as it once was. 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. 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. 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. Press 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. 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.

We've focused our agency to deliver fresh, creative strategy and effective go-to-market plans for the outdoors and active lifestyle markets. Two Things is Doubling Down By Paulo Ribeiro Our approach to brand transformation has worked in multiple categories but, we are choosing to focus primarily on the active lifestyle space and audience. Two Things Inc started up in 2018. The agency was founded as a vehicle to combine a deep strategy process with a creative culture to help clients evolve how they go to market. We’ve operated as a creative consultancy with a goal of breaking down the wall between product experience and marketing experience. Along the way we’ve worked with clients in the entertainment, sports, outdoor, transportation, gaming, food, and retail industries. We’ve been trusted to develop strategies to transform how those brands go to market. To bring those strategies to life we’ve helped our clients reimagine advertising campaigns, mobile UX, created new to the world 3D creation tools, conversational interfaces, tik-tok campaigns, reimagined media plans, built websites and designed research methodologies to measure effectiveness. In two instances we’ve breathed life into entirely new businesses. We are proud of the work we’ve created together with our clients. We’ve learned and grown with each engagement. But TBH, too often we’ve had to learn on the job. There is a significant difference between the assignments we’ve explored with our clients and the assignments where our expertise led the way. Going forward, we are going to focus all of our energy on what we know inside and out. 1. We are experts at designing new ways for our clients to Go To Market. We shine when helping our clients evolve how they Go To Market whether the need is driven by launching a new product, a desire to connect with new audiences or markets, or for any reason that requires building new creative muscles. We are at our best when designing the strategy and creative concepts to evolve how a brand is experienced. We think hard about the business context, and also how the work will be made. We develop creative ideas to stand out from the noise in terms of their format AND their message. The fact that we consider the execution in our strategy work does NOT mean we need to be the ones making all the work. In many cases there are teams that are better at the craft of producing work (even if our clients are more comfortable working with us). So we are going to focus our attention on the moment of change and the systems to bring that work to life over time. 2. We are creative people which means we can get distracted or curious about many different categories, but expertise comes from deep experience. We’ve had the honor of working with brands like The North Face, arc’teryx, Converse, Timberland, Visit Sun Valley, Nike and others on some of their most mission critical projects. This has given us depth of experience with the active lifestyle consumer that they target. So we are choosing to focus our work in the active lifestyle category. Going forward Brand Transformation for Active Lifestyle Brands will be the agency's focus. This is a mission for us. Too many brands in this space have marketing that is stuck in the past. Sure, there are players like Nike that are constantly re-writing the brand playbook. But brand’s that are innovating in this space are the exception, not the rule. So much of the work is sleepy and backward looking, reinforcing historical brand equity but not doing a great job of reaching out to wider audiences. This may not be a popular opinion but it's true. It is a shame because us humans are at our best when we are connecting with other humans IRL. We need to shake up the category that is all about movement, outdoors and human connection. We’ll use all the modern tools of creativity to make this happen. Stay tuned for more from insights@twothings.co . back to insights →