“Stripes Don’t Come Easy” – Super Bowl LII Pop-Up for Cincinnati Bengals
Client: BlaCk OWned Outerwear
Project: Stripes Don’t Come Easy – Super Bowl 52 Pop-Up
Location: Los Angeles
Services Provided: Retail brand activation, experiential event production, site design, digital promotion, onsite operations, graphic direction, merchandise sales strategy, corporate partnership deck.
Overview
In partnership with the NFL and the Cincinnati Bengals, BlaCk OWned Outerwear hosted a three-day pop-up experience in Los Angeles titled “Welcome to the Jungle” during Super Bowl LII weekend. As the only licensed Cincinnati Bengals merchandise retailer on the West Coast, and with all major outlets sold out, BlaCk OWned became the primary destination for fans seeking official gear.
What began as a completely empty retail space in the heart of Hollywood was transformed into a full jungle-themed brand experience, activating a dedicated fanbase in a high-visibility, high-demand environment.
Strategy
The goal was to create a Bengals-centric retail and fan experience that captured the spirit of the team while driving limited-edition merchandise sales and generating national visibility. The activation needed to:
Serve as a hub for out-of-town Bengals fans
Drive scarcity-based merchandise demand
Reinforce BlaCk OWned’s positioning as an NFL partner and culture-forward streetwear brand
The jungle theme (“Welcome to the Jungle”) was designed to reflect the Bengals’ identity while standing out from typical fan retail spaces. Key strategies included experiential design, integrated digital campaigns, and premium merchandising.
Execution
Retail & Visual Experience
Transformed a vacant storefront into a full jungle-themed experience with foliage, custom signage, and team branding
Managed installation, layout, and traffic flow for customer experience
Curated exclusive merchandise collections that could only be purchased onsite
Digital & Promotional Assets
Directed and styled a full brand photoshoot leading up to launch
Oversaw graphic design for print flyers, banners, and digital ads
Designed a dedicated Shopify homepage for the event with curated photography and limited-release messaging
Built and launched email campaigns to generate RSVPs and drive traffic
Onsite Operations
Managed a team of 4–5 staff and coordinated with corporate sponsors
Handled all retail logistics, security, and customer experience across the 3-day event
Maintained high energy and engagement throughout, including opening with a line of fans waiting before doors opened
Results
Sold out of multiple merchandise pieces during the event
Successfully activated over 500+ Bengals fans and customers during Super Bowl weekend
Hosted a standing-line crowd upon opening, with consistent foot traffic across all three days.
Became a central fan hub for Bengals supporters from across the countryGenerated high engagement both onsite and online through email and social campaigns
Key Insights
Scarcity plus experience sells. With major retailers out of stock, exclusivity plus atmosphere gave the event cultural capital and sales momentum.
Branding matters. The jungle theme created an immersive and photo-worthy experience that amplified social sharing and made the event feel premium.
Digital + physical alignment drives turnout. Campaign emails, curated imagery, and site UX led to a strong online-to-offline funnel.