2022
Art Direction, Campaign strategy, Space Activation

UNLESS Collective


OVERVIEW ︎︎︎

UNLESS came to us asking for a unique deliverable: to create an immersive retail pop up event on the PSU campus with the aim of driving sales and spreading awareness about the brand and its cause. 



Project ︎︎︎
Campaign work in collaboration with student ad agency FIR Northwest UNLESS account team members:
 

The Campaign



The premiere of the UNLESS x FIR pop-up was initiated with a chance to design an exclusive, student-designed t-shirt line via integrated Instagram callout.


    ︎︎︎Student T-shirt Contest Promotion ︎

Streetwear built from the elements, to be worn in the elements, to be safely returned to the elements is UNLESS. We launched the call to this misson on Earth Day.

    ︎︎︎Earth Day Promotion ︎


It was pertinent to peak the interest of students post sticker shock.


    ︎︎︎ONE DAY ‘TIL Event Announcement ︎



The Brief


Client ︎︎︎
Founded by the former brand chief of Adidas, UNLESS Collective is a  plant-based streetwear brand that draws on the sustainability initiatives of large corporations and takes them a step further to design fully organic and biodegradable clothing. UNLESS’s collection of cotton-based products are stylish, microplastic free, and, if composted, can decompose back into the earth in as little as three weeks.


Business Challenge ︎︎︎
Generating interest in a new, unknown brand while accurately representing brand values, through creation of an event that is replicable across local universities, during a time of low engagement by the public.
Who we were talking to ︎︎︎
Portland locals and transplants with regional PNW pride consisting of PSU students, Gen Z & Millennials with disposable income.  Those interested in purpose-driven brands with aligned with eco-sustainability and environmental justice. That of an action-oriented people interested in making an impact as an ethical consumer.


OUR OPPORTUNITY ︎︎︎
By hosting a student-facing event aimed to grow brand awareness, build community, and generate sales through an interactive experience in the form of a pop-up event on PSU Campus. utilizing social engagement and interaction to stimulate the sale of unless products: house student-generated art exhibit, hands-on audience activities, and moderate discussions with UNLESS founders in the form of a live podcast discussion.

Formulative brand & consumer insights ︎︎︎
Students have been stuck at home for two years watching the world burn, consequently diffusing feelings of disassociation, disconnect, and defeat.

Meanwhile, it’s inspired others into action, spearheading new ways to enrich their lives and contribute to causes bigger than themselves. Activation was in order to call those withdrawn from optimism through the mission of UNLESS apparel. We are to tell the story of what a zero waste future means to us, from perspectives of the PSU student community.

The day of


To engage and inspire PSU students, our team planned and executed an interactive event, including student-designed t-shirts, installations of moss graffiti art, decomposing shirt displays, and a live podcast recording.


The UNLESS x FIR NW pop-up event, held on May 19th, 2022, proved to be successful: exceeding sales targets and garnering hundreds of attendees from a historically low-involvement campus.



Portland State University’s immersive brand experience pop-up administered community, creativity, and zero plastic.

︎︎︎Day of event Promotion


























︎ The first UNLESS University Collab Pop-up was made possible by the photography by Harry M. Shaw, the intensive ideation & installation by Felix Coffin AND Hannah Jenny, BY elaborate event planning, coordination, & management FROM Amalia Boyles, AND WITH promotional strategy LEAD by Steven Babcock and Ina Palacios — without them, we’d ALSO BE LEFT WITH model-less campaign photos.








I had the pleasure of taking home the student voted, winning t-shirt design limited run UNLESS apparel, and one colorful fertilizer of a shirt.︎︎︎