Crush Studio x Lacey Hoff: Creating Magical Marketing Experiences

Sometimes we just have to trust that all the dots in our life will connect. And for English major turned experiential marketer and founder/creative director of Crush Studio, Lacey Hoff, they definitely did. In this episode, Lacey shares how working as a technical editor who got in trouble for talking too much led first to a production assistant job at a museum-design firm and then a magical gig helping Universal Studios bring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to life. Since then, Lacey has had an exciting and rewarding career crafting moments and creating spaces that allow corporate brands to emotionally connect with consumers and people to open up and enjoy themselves. From finding ways to marry real-life and digital inspiration to moving quickly when the universe gifts you a brilliant idea, Lacey offers insight into creating marketing experiences that surprise, delight and transport audiences. Buckle up for this educational yet highly entertaining episode!

Key Takeaways: 

• Have you ever wondered how brands like Zappos or Mike’s Hard Lemonade create “Instagrammable” moments? Lacy tells us how! 
• Lacey shares why simply asking team members “what’s new?” can lead to big and bold creative ideas.
• We discuss why the best things in life are messy.
• Lacey reveals her predictions for the future of experiential design, including the roles that she expects AI and the metaverse to play.

Guest Bio:

Lacey Hoff is the Owner and Creative Director of Crush Studio, a design and production company that creates unique events and hospitality experiences for world-class brands. Crush brings brands to life by combining immersive spaces with engaging programming —all while making sure that content captured by guests or photographers is camera worthy. 

Lacey fell in love with the idea of transporting guests into other worlds during her first job as a production assistant with a museum-design firm. After gaining international marketing and branding experience through stints with both Universal Studios’ Creative and Warner Bros., Lacey combined her skillsets in Experiential Design. She went on to spend six years as the Design Director for an event agency in LA and NYC, executing events for brands such as Harry Potter, Zappos and DC Comics. With an intense desire to be more hands-on and “in the studio,” Lacey founded Crush Studio in 2016 so that she could build a team focused on the design & production process.   

After a major setback with the rest of the world in 2020, Crush has now rebuilt itself to a team of 12. Their brand client list includes Netflix, Disney, Chase Sapphire, Dropbox and Shutterstock. 

When Lacey isn’t on an event site using coded walkie-talkie speak or working on a home remodeling project, you can find her practicing Spanish south of the border, preferably somewhere with salty air and big waves.