• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 10, 2020

Experiential Agency Second Story is filling the slowdown in traditional marketing orders with innovative projects that are helping companies prepare for reopening after the COVID-19 lockdown. 

Just about every business sector that has regular physical contact with the public will need to make adjustments — from retail stores to cruise ships to museums. Not to mention places like universities and entertainment and sports venues. 

The company’s new “Adaptive Spaces” unit is working with clients on a number projects to help ease reopening that deploy zero-touch technology, new delivery models and experience and spatial design. 

Joel Krieger, Second Story’s Chief Creative Officer, says the shop has been “consulting many clients across QSR, CPG, and retail on adaptive spaces,” in recent weeks, but that none are fully baked enough to disclose.

“We are still in the early phases of this work and our initial adapted spaces projects will launch in the coming months,” he says.

With operations in Portland, Oregon, Atlanta and New York, the firm has worked with well-known brands like Porsche, Nokia and Epson. 

But not all pre-pandemic work has dried up.

“It is a mix,” says Krieger. “Some projects that represent our portfolio of work from before the quarantine are still in progress, but a significant number are still on hold. With the full remainder of available time, we are leaning heavily into adaptive spaces work.” 

While the firm has had its share of layoffs, pivoting to the new practice has saved jobs.

“Like many experience-design studios, we were heavily affected by the pandemic. While we were significantly impacted by layoffs, we were able to save a critical mass of our team, due to the pivot to Adaptive Spaces.”