In 2021, Vistaprint embarked on a major pivot, going from a print promotional-materials maker (Vistaprint) to a marketing partner that helps small businesses grow (Vista) focusing on digital innovation and design through its acquiring of the graphic design platform, 99 Designs. But no one knows Vistaprint in design circles, which are tight-knit and we needed a fast way to build credibility.

Luckily, small businesses were rising to pandemic challenges, pivoting for a new online reality dominated by ecommerce social-media innovation, which Vista could help with.

Our Way In? Exemplify Design in every form. We had 3 core categories - Design in Action, Design by Association, Design by recommendation.

We needed to collaborate with tastemakers that influenced entrepreneurs and culture to deliver outsized returns on an undersized budget.

We partnered with Complex to create 99th Street at ComplexLand, the virtual shopping festival drawing 500,000 people each year.

99th Street was an ode to mainstreets everywhere — and the first-ever neighborhood for shopping small in the metaverse. We selected five small BIPOC owned businesses for the big moment, providing them support to develop, launch and sell new products exclusively at ComplexLand.

We tapped into 99designs by Vista’s global network of designers for logos, branding and package designs for each business.

Next, we offered community support and mentorship from designer Melody Ehsani, rapper and activist Killer Mike and artist Louis De Guzman to personally consult each business and drive hype for 99th Street.

Every business supported sold out of product, and drove outsized returns and brand mentions among SMBs and Entrepreneurs, as well as winning an Anthem Award.