FIELD JOURNAL 37: Wellen Summer, The Golf Shop, Birdwell Beach Britches
Highlighting the campaigns I've been working on at my 9-5. Plus, INROADS on Vasco Watches, The Best Bourdain Hotels, and a rare John John Florence interview.
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THE LAST TWO months I’ve been working heads down on a few big marketing campaigns at my 9-5. Today, I’m covering each campaign in the STYLE & GEAR NEWS section.
You’ll get intel on my new favorite technical tee and trail short, the golf moment I’ve been talking to leadership about for months, and the coolest swim collab from one of the original makers of the American surf trunk.
And if you’re looking for even more new style and gear releases, there’s plenty featured throughout the rest of this FIELD JOURNAL. Checkout the OUTFIT on how to wear the new ‘47 Brand x Carhartt collab and the new Garmin Venu X1. Then, go to INROADS to read about the French independent artist who’s making Vasco Watches.
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STYLE & GEAR NEWS
This week’s FIELD JOURNAL is covering the the marketing campaigns I’ve been working that just went live. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Wellen Summer ‘25
Wellen Summer is the biggest campaign I’ve worked on these past couple of month, both in terms of rev opportunity but also message scope.
Wellen positions itself on going beyond just workout essentials. It’s core identity is similar to the Austin, TX lifestyle, where it’s common to go for a morning run, followed by coffee, and then a cool down at the springs—all with the same apparel you’ve been wearing since the day’s start.
The tagline I came up with for the campaign aims to play on that identity: The All-Day Adventure Kit. The writeup I created below was used as a jumping off point for email, socials, and other content pieces:
“At Huckberry, we roll with a simple rule: never let a summer day go to waste. That’s the spirit behind our new performance collection by Wellen. Think quick-drying adventure shorts, breathable technical tees, lightweight workout tanks—all cut for comfort and designed to wear from 7 AM to 7 PM. This isn’t just workout gear, it’s an all-day adventure kit. Built to move how you move, and go where you go.”
As far as pieces to go after in Wellen Summer, I raved about the PatinaTech T-Shirt in my recent 23 Best Style & Gear Releases in June. That’s the first piece I’d recommend. Second is the new Tech Mesh Adventure Short. It looks similar to the Sevens Short, but there’s a unique preforated mesh body material on the Adventure Short that’s not on the Sevens. The Tech Mesh has some much better cooling because of it.
The Golf Shop
When I was at Men’s Health, I got close with many golf brands. With the sport’s growing popularity post-COVID, I realized there was an angle MH could position itself to talk about golf and recommend golf products. This is the idea of the “casual golfer.” The guy who is playing a couple times a month. Who enjoys the nature and zen of the sport.
At work, I’ve been pitching golf in a similar vain. I’m not the only one in the room saying we should find a way to talk about golf, but I like to think my opinion helped in The Golf Shop becoming a real campaign.
The basis of The Golf Shop lies within the 72 Hour Challenge the content team just released. Ben, Alex, Dean, and Benjamin all played at the highest local course in the country as part of their challenge, Copper Creek Golf Club in Frisco, CO. While there, the creative team captured imagery that could also be used for The Golf Shop.
The Golf Shop consists of a handful of apparel, but the core brand we shot is PROOF. The PROOF 72- Hour Merino UPF Hoodie and 72-Hour Merino Polo both have high UPF+ protection from the sun, and they’re extremely thin and flexible (not to mention, odor-resistant and sweat-wicking). The same goes for the 72-Hour Merino Pant and the Equator Short.
I focused really hard on the messaging for this campaign, mostly out of respect for the golf community in understanding that we aren’t trying to go full golf mode and be something we’re not. The Golf Shop is my interpretation of how Huckberry does golf. That’s how one of my taglines came to be: “Tee to Green, The Huckberry Way.”
I’ll end on my writeup here:
“Scratch play is not our forte, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like trading the trail for the tee box. Our go-to gear? Nothing but the versatile performance staples we rely on for traveling and hiking—now field-proven for playing 18. We’re talking technical merino-wool polos, breezy short sleeve buttondowns, and moisture-wicking pants and shorts (with plenty of pocket space). Consider this your sign to call the guys and get a round booked. Welcome to The Golf Shop.”
Birdwell Beach Britches
One of my favorite brand collaborations this summer is the one with did with Birdwell, the iconic Santa Ana surf brand that’s been making boardshorts in the U.S. since 1961. We onboarded a mix of Birdwell products recently, but the core piece of the drop is the Huckberry x Birdwell 808 Boardshort.
Here’s the writeup I helped put together that my mailer copy will be based on:
Surf culture wouldn’t be what it is today without Birdwell, so when it came time to collaborate on a boardshort for summer 2025, we went straight to the source—the OGs of American surf trunks. Enter the Huckberry x Birdwell 808 Boardshort: a made-in-California trunk crafted with 4Way Surfstretch™️ that wears at home on land or in the water. Inspired by the racing-striped styles of the 1960s and offered in an exclusive Light Blue and Bone colorway, it’s our tribute to sun-soaked coastlines and alpine trails alike. Proudly American. Backed by the brand’s legendary tagline, “Quality is our gimmick.”
Although this brand moment wasn’t as big as Wellen Summer or The Golf Shop, I spent a ton of time on it and had a lot of fun. Birdwell has an exciting history. Their commitment to making still their shorts in the USA over 60 years later is pretty damn special.
OUTFIT
Garmin Venu X1 ($799)
INROADS
The Guide to Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite Hotels
This past week, Hotel Oloffson, the aging, beautiful Port-Au-Prince hotel Bourdain stayed in during his Haiti episode burned to the ground. I caught this news here on Substack from
. From what I remember, Bourdain noted how the hotel was already falling apart when he visited (which is like, well over a decade ago). This news prompted me to do some more searching of Bourdain hotels, which is how I found this guide from the Australian publication Boss Hunting on some of Bourdain’s favorite stays. It’s a more positive read to counter this news. Worth a bookmark. [Boss Hunting]The French Independent Watchmaker - WM Brown Weekly: Bulletin Board 51
Matt Hranek’s Bulletin Board from WM Brown is one of my favorite weekly Substack reads. His latest issue includes a Wrist Check on Vasco Watch, a French microbrand ran by watchmaker Benjamin Chamfeuil that specializes in utility and sport watches. Matt’s Vasco All Terrain/Off Road GMT (pictured above) is wicked cool. This Surf Club / Santa Monica watch here is another favorite of mine. I’ll be keeping my eye on more Vasco Watches in the future! [Wm Brown]
Inside the Mind of John John Florence
In FIELD JOURNAL 35, I talked about my introduction to Florence, the technical performance apparel brand that’s being led by pro surfer John John Florence. Last week, John John made a rare interview appearance on Rich Roll’s podcast. In the episode, John John talks about his views on fame and winning, the mental playbook he uses to perform his best, and the overall philosophy he has in life now that he’s been away from the pro circuit for a few years. It’s an hour-and-a-half long. Well worth a listen while driving or at work. [Rich Roll]
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Love the peek behind the scenes on the campaign copy, great stuff!