Newsletter
Events
CNC's Ryan Glick Can Transform Any Space Into a Media Channel
'The future isn't the event, it's the ecosystem around it'
Ryan Glick started Coffee ‘n Clothes in 2014 as a simple hashtag on Instagram. Nearly 13 years later, it has evolved into CNC, a global experiential agency and culture studio with offices in Los Angeles and New York.
CNC transforms the physical presence into “content, commerce, and cultural value that outlasts the moment,” says Glick. “We sit at the intersection of digital hype and physical reality, helping brands build environments where people actually want to spend their time.”
The company’s core philosophy is that any space—whether it is a consumer pop-up, a retail flagship, or an internal corporate workplace—can be transformed into a highly shareable, premium physical media channel.
“The more digital our lives become, the more valuable real-world connection becomes,” says Glick. “People can scroll past thousands of ads a day, but an experience they choose to show up for actually connects. And the best experiential isn’t a one-off event anymore. It can and should be the spark for content, earned media and community. That’s why I think experiential is moving from a marketing tactic to a core part of the strategy.”
We spent a few minutes with Ryan to learn more about his background, inspirations and what is critical to building community.
Was there an “a-ha” moment in your life that made you realize what you wanted to do?
There wasn’t one big a-ha moment. I started #CoffeeNClothes as an Instagram side project in 2014 while I was an intern because I loved coffee and fashion. It grew and became a community, then a cafe, and eventually brands started asking us to create experiences for them. Fashion brands saw our Designer Lattes online and began asking us to bring them into their stores and events. Suddenly, Nike and Bottega Veneta were paying us to create in real life what we’d been building online.
What project are you especially proud of?
I’m proud of the work we did launching Alix Earle’s “Reale Actives.” We built the launch around a single billboard in New York and a puzzle that pulled her community into solving the reveal online. It became a week-long conversation across social media and drove millions in sales. I love it because it shows how one physical moment can become much bigger than the event itself.
How and why did CNC come about?
I started an agency by accident. Coffee ‘n Clothes had already evolved from a hashtag into a community, coffee brand and café, and brands were increasingly asking us to create experiences for them. Then Covid hit. While the world was moving away from physical experiences, I made the bet to go all in on them. Despite social distancing rules, there was a persistent yearning for IRL community. That was the beginning of CNC as it exists today.
What is critical to building community?
Not trying too hard or making it a KPI. Show up when there’s nothing to sell, have a real point of view and give people a reason to participate and keep coming back.
A presentation, planning, or creative tool more people should know?
Wispr Flow. I basically talk my way through Slack and email all day now. It takes what I’m saying and turns it into a typed message.
What’s overrated in marketing right now?
One-off stunts with no strategy behind them. Getting 1 million views or a line around the block is great, but then what? The best marketing should build on itself. If everything disappears the day after the activation, you’re starting from zero every time.
Can you tell us about a project that almost didn’t come to fruition?
We once signed a lease on a venue, designed and built an entire activation around it, then went to pick up the keys and found out the guy who leased it to us had no right to the space. This was less than 24 hours before go-live. We scrambled, found a new location, reworked the build and opened the next day. We somehow pulled it off. And nobody who showed up had any idea.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in advertising?
Playing for the Lakers, obviously. And when that falls through, probably something in hospitality – a coffee shop or restaurant.
You’ve got 2 minutes with the industry. What’s your hot take?
The event agency is dead. For years, the model was simple: a client bought an event, you delivered it, everyone moved on. That’s over. Brands don’t need more one-off events. They need experiences that create content, build community, drive sales and compound over time. The future isn’t the event, it’s the ecosystem around it. Experiential is moving from a marketing tactic to marketing infrastructure, and agencies that don’t evolve with it are going to get left behind.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
