Zappos — Barclays Center

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Zappos
Barclays Center, Brooklyn · 2016

MODA Role

Creative Direction · Experiential Design · Custom Lounge Environment
(Developed within an agency-produced context)

Context

As part of Zappos’ yearlong sponsorship of the Barclays Center, the brand sought a permanent-yet-flexible lounge that could live on the arena’s main concourse and engage fans during high-traffic moments.

Timed for Black Friday, the environment needed to stand out within a dense sports venue—offering genuine hospitality and interaction rather than overt promotion.

The goal was to make Zappos feel human, generous, and approachable in the middle of live entertainment.

Scope & Contribution

MODA led the creative direction and experiential design for the Zappos lounge, developed within a producing agency framework.

The work focused on:

• Concepting and designing a branded lounge integrated into the arena concourse

• Creating an eye-catching yet welcoming environment visible from multiple approaches

• Designing custom furniture and interaction points, including a selfie sofa

• Integrating service-oriented moments such as complimentary shoe shines

• Designing light-touch data capture in exchange for real value to fans

• Supporting production and delivery to ensure durability and operational clarity

The lounge was conceived as a pause within the event flow—a place to reset, engage, and participate.

Experience Design

Fans entering the lounge were offered a mix of comfort, interaction, and reward:

• Complimentary shoe shines

• Branded merchandise and giveaways

• A selfie sofa designed for social sharing

• Opportunities to win seat upgrades, VIP lounge access, and other surprises

• Browsing access to Zappos.com to build holiday wish lists while waiting

Brand ambassadors facilitated the experience, keeping the tone friendly and efficient within a live-event environment.

Design Intent

The design emphasized hospitality over hype.

Rather than building a spectacle, the environment focused on approachability, service, and ease—using color, proportion, and layout to create visibility without visual noise.

The result was a lounge that felt like a benefit to fans, not an interruption.

Outcome

The Zappos lounge became a highly active destination on the concourse—driving participation, social sharing, and meaningful engagement during one of the busiest retail moments of the year.

By embedding hospitality into a sports venue, the project demonstrated how brand environments can create goodwill through usefulness and generosity, not just attention.

Attribution

This project was produced in collaboration with Allied Experiential. MODA contributed creative direction and experiential design within that collaboration.