Bewilderment
A founder gave me an hour. It became a brand.
Helping the founder of an online boutique translate his vision into a brand that could recruit customers, not just describe itself to them.
We make shopping during the apocalypse more fun
☺︎
We make shopping during the apocalypse more fun ☺︎
THE PROJECT
In 2021, Brandon Love, founder of Crumble Co., asked me to help distill his vision for his newest venture, an online boutique called Bewilderment, into foundational copy that would carry the brand through its launch and beyond.
One of his biggest priorities for Bewilderment was to translate the feel of a brick-and-mortar retail store into the online shopping experience. In other words, it should feel like the antithesis of Amazon: not a soulless online marketplace, but a destination that felt curated, considered, and human.
THE CHALLENGE
THE CODA
Despite a successful launch, the pandemic took a toll on Bewilderment’s sales, and Brandon ultimately wound down that part of the business in order to focus on his flagship brand. But Bewilderment’s foundations were solid — so much so that Brandon borrowed the name when he rebranded Crumble Co. in 2023, and its influence is clearly evident in the design of the new Bewilderment’s retail locations in Ohio.
THE APPROACH
Since Brandon comes into new projects with a very strong sense of the brand from the get-go, I knew the best way to get on the same wavelength would be to interview him: what would Bewilderment look like if it were a physical space? Who works there? How is the store arranged? How does it make guests feel?
The conversation that followed became Bewilderment’s brand manifesto, a document that guided the creation of subsequent launch copy, including aisle (category page) descriptions, postcards for the brand’s loyalty program, and blog posts. The interview format also allowed me to capture Brandon’s POV in his own words — including gems like “we make shopping during the apocalypse more fun” — the kinds of delightfully specific insights that typically get buffed out when a founder tries to polish their ideas into a creative brief.
“Writing copy that sells is a MAJOR part of a brand launch... Getting to hand that off completely to someone I could trust to really helped us speed the launch process.”
MANIFESTO
The manifesto that came out of our conversation.
Picture the coolest shop in your college town. You know the one—run by a bunch of former art students. Impeccably curated but never snobby. It’s the kind of place that rewards curiosity. Wall-to-wall color. Always something new to look at. Really great music. The type of shop where you want to touch everything.
That’s us.
We're Bewilderment, a Gen Z curated collection of mission-focused brands, art and online experiences. We make shopping during the apocalypse more fun.
We’re all about the analog, the lo-fi, the tactile. About layering your everyday world with expressions of your personality. We’re equal parts nostalgia and knowing winks.
Here on bewilderment.com, we’re putting the joy back into online shopping. We want to recreate the experience of wandering the aisles of your fave store, where you find too-great-to-pass-up goodies around every corner, at a price point that encourages you to spoil yourself (and your friends too).
Surprises are tucked everywhere here. Get bewildered and have a look around—you’re gonna love it.
—Brandon Love & friends
AISLE DESCRIPTIONS
Two of nine aisles on the site.
EASY GIFTS
It’s the thought that counts (luckily, we’re hella thoughtful).
Does the idea of picking out the perfect gift make your palms sweat? We’ve got you covered. Get curated, “I thought deeply about you” gifts in just one click. Each limited-edition bundle includes a card and comes at a discount compared to buying items separately. We change out the selection regularly, so there’s always something new and surprising to get your momma, your bestie, your roommate, or that guy from your drum circle.
You have a secret obsession with journals. The Container Store is your happy place. You send old-school thank you notes. Your heart goes pitter patter when office supply stores advertise back-to-school specials. Welcome home, paper nerd. We’ve been waiting for you.
PAPERLAND
More about Brandon
Brandon chatted with me about what it’s like to run a mouthy fragrance studio in deep-red Ohio for my newsletter, Most Likely to Succeed.