As my family packed our bags in the USA’s Pacific North West (to return to England) I was putting the near-final touches on Columbia Sportswear’s Spring 2021 global retail creative. Hopefully, it’ll help them get back up and running on the shop floor.

The supplied creative from their internal designers was very simple, leaving us with a pretty free rein. Taking into account the financial strains of the year of Covid, I designed comparatively simple displays integrating abstract shapes inspired by each initiative.

Rain drops for their waterproof gear, boat rigging for fishing and so on — plus a few shapes from other elements in the product branding. Each used layering and angles for a dynamic display across the store.

This simple approach makes for a good take-up on the shop floor. Simple materials and setup aren’t such a stretch — installs that will see more floors than just their highest-end doors. With its common direction, the brand gets a more connected story across the season.

I designed seven ‘stories’ across the journey. A selection of renders (by HERENOW’s 3D department) is shown below.

[ For Columbia ]

Ah, the wacky baccy. Ganja. Jazz cabbage. It’s legal in many USA states, including Nevada, where this geometric store-in-store just got Select-ed.

There’s a cannabis superstore in Vegas called Planet 13, where you can shop till you drop for pot. That is, within state regulations for quantities and whatnot.

Inside is an angular, double-sided mini-shop marvel which cannabis companies take over for months at a time. Select is one of the US’s biggest and most trusted brands, and their takeover got my former USA agency, HERENOW, calling me up to design it.

I took their current (quite nice) creative and created an optimum consumer journey. Up front, lifestyle shots attract, with deeper-set product and brand info panels doing the engagement and connection. With a lightning-fast timeline and upcoming product, this is a phased install. More complex elements seen in the renders will soon see added IRL, and some brand panels will be swapped out for panels featuring those new product lines.

(Note this project wasn’t a one-man show — I had support from the lovely HN crew.)

Dear UK: Don’t believe what you’ve heard about cannabis.

1. Unlike alcohol and other drugs, it’s not chemically addictive.

2. It’s healthier than alcohol and it feels much nicer — I partook when living in Oregon.

3. The stores in the US put jewellery stores to shame. They’re super nice and hyper regulated.

4. When it’s regulated, it’s not that horrible resin stuff that’s pretty dangerous because it’s full of god knows what and needs supplementing with addictive tobacco to smoke. Flower, oil, edibles and other regulated delivery methods are extremely safe.

5. It only leads to harder drugs when it’s illegal. That extra-shady street pusher wants to push the hard stuff on you because that’s the stuff that’ll get you hooked.

6. Even our MPs seem convinced. At least, the ones with open minds.

[ For Select Cannabis ]