Navigate with REI Co-op
Addressing the diversity gap in the outdoor industry head on
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Diverse founders represent less than 1% of all the brands in the outdoor industry. As the leading retailer in the space, REI Co-op wanted to address this challenge directly and invest in emerging founders of Black, Indigenous, Latin, and Asian American & Pacific Islander heritage.
R/GA Ventures partnered with REI’s Path Ahead Ventures to build the program, recruit the companies, and support each of them with strategic and creative services customized to match their needs.
I led the creative work with the studio startups.
MY ROLE
Creative Director
COLLABORATORSVidur Raswant
Kate Seward
Ren Hom
Elana Hutter-Davey
and many more
STARTUP
COBA
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COBA is a one-of-a-kind product that has the texture and mouthfeel of a high-end chocolate bar but the taste and energy derived from real espresso beans. Eating a cup of espresso is a strange but wonderful feeling — once you try it, you want more. Our team helped the founder lean in to this uniqueness.
The updated packaging was designed to explain the product in a simple and compelling way, voice the experience of eating it, and encourage people to give it a try. The model was used for COBA’s three tea-based bars as well.
STARTUP
Hootie Hoo
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Hootie Hoo creates advanced outdoor gear made specifically for children 13 and younger. Our team helped the founders realize the potential that more playful messaging and fresh design could have on their brand .
In a matter of weeks, we helped them reinvent the brand, update and relaunch their website, and develop a new pitch.
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