The UpWest Cabin Mobile Tour
Immersive Brand Launch Experience
Columbus, Chicago, Nashville, Austin & Denver
EXPRESS approached Civitas to help launch UpWest, its new DTC lifestyle brand, looking to create a brand experience that brought its mission and values to street-level for consumers.
Born out of the peaceful serenity of Northern California, UpWest is rooted in comfort of body, mind and spirit, acknowledging that people are increasingly stressed. We were tasked with addressing this with a hands-on introduction to an all-digital brand. To do so, we designed The UpWest Cabin mobile tour, an immersive campaign built around a tiny cabin sensory experience.
The UpWest Cabin
We designed the space and its fixtures, front window facade to back. Industrial-inspired materials, wild postings and distressed art installations gave the shop a personality all its own.
The first and only physical representation of the UpWest brand stands ten-feet tall at the highest point of its pitched roof. Wood decking, metal roofing and a firewood wall photo-op compliment the cabin's architectural design.
All elements of the build were designed for modular deconstruction and can be transported through standard doorways for repeated indoor and outdoor set-up. Each piece, rooftop to rug, is stored and shipped in custom-built crates between markets.
Inside the cabin, guests were treated to a free three-minute sensory experience that promoted personal balance and inner peace.
Breathe In, and Out.
Four HD monitors, encased as interior windows, displayed a California sunrise animation that showed coastal and mountain landscapes being transformed by vivid morning colors and light.
We wrote and recorded an audio-guided breathing exercise over ambient natural sound to pair with the visual. Programmable interior lighting was synchronized with the animation's illuminating hues.
Meet the Brand
A pop-up shop was merchandised on one side of the cabin, giving shoppers an exclusive opportunity to get acquainted with UpWest’s new comfort-focused fashion and home products in person.
Retail fixtures were designed and produced to display UpWest's merchandise and further establish the
brand's raw aesthetic.
Around the Cabin
Mindful interactive programming included yoga and macramé classes, succulent potting, live music and puppy play sessions. Giveaways, too, varied in each market. Guests enjoyed free food and coffee, crystals and gems, tote bags, camp mugs and s’mores.
Each partner and venue was chosen as a match to UpWest's values, helping define the new brand's place in the retail space.
Comfort Caravan
With respect to the mobile tour, we set out to bring the brand to life through programming and partnerships, introducing the country to UpWest on a five-city expedition.
The cabin was activated twice in each market, once in a public culture-forward setting and once in a shopping mall or similarly high-traffic commercial space.
The Civitas field marketing team managed location scouting, permitting, staffing, asset transportation, maintenance, set-up and teardown throughout the campaign.
The UpWest Foundation
The UpWest Foundation is committed to donating 1% of gross sales to its partner charities.
To support this effort, each activation of The UpWest Cabin included a giving station where patrons were invited to pack donation boxes—Comfort Cases, with provided items. One-hundred Comfort Cases were filled and donated to a local charity in each city. Guests earned a free UpWest candle for their thoughtful participation.
The impact
The UpWest Cabin mobile tour acted as the brand’s debut to American shoppers, conveying its core values and introducing its cozy merchandise in an interactive and repeatable format. At the conclusion of its planned 5-city tour, The UpWest Cabin's time in Denver was extended for an additional 12 days with an expanded pop-up shop footprint to facilitate on-site product sale and storage.
#
• 1,650 Cabin Participants
• 525 Total Pop-Up Transactions
• 1,210 Giveaways Distributed
• 500 Comfort Cases Packed
• 4,892 Est. Miles Traveled
• 22 Activation Days
Tour stops
Columbus - The North Market & Polaris Fashion Place
Chicago - Big Star Taco & Westfield Old Orchard
Nashville - The Mall at Green Hills & The Pharmacy
Austin - Cosmic Coffee & The Domain
Denver - Improper City & Flatiron Crossing
Designed and Executed for UpWest with
