Use What You’ve Got

The other day, I received a new skincare product in the mail. It all felt standard until I opened the box.

The product box had a pull tab. As I followed it, the packaging unfolded, revealing additional brand messaging tucked inside. What’s typically blank space became part of the experience.

It was unexpected, and, frankly, a fun experience. A boring, standard product box became a storytelling piece. It gave me a deeper understanding of the brand than I would have gotten otherwise. And it did it using space they already had.

That’s what made it so smart. The inside of the box is usually overlooked. But in this case, it became valuable real estate. Where many would have inserted a postcard with the same information (that I probably would have tossed), they used what was already in their hands.

That inside-of-the-box design? That’s outside-of-the-box thinking.

A Mindset Shift: See Opportunity in Every Space

For organizations, especially those working with limited budgets, this is a powerful mindset shift.

You don’t always need new tools, new channels, new campaigns, or more money. Often, you already have what you need. The opportunity is in seeing your existing assets differently.

You likely have a whole ecosystem of underutilized opportunities at your fingertips. These are places where your message can live, grow, and connect with your audience at little to no additional cost.

Another Example in the Wild

Recently, Nintendo created an installation in Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Instead of relying on traditional billboard space, they transformed a building exterior into a stained-glass-style artwork display.

It stopped people in their tracks.

The piece wasn’t just visually striking. It served as a gateway, drawing people into an in-person brand experience featuring a meet-and-greet with Princess Peach, the subject of the artwork.

Nintendo probably paid to utilize that space, but you can apply the same concept to your own building. The takeaway is about pairing creativity with utility. You can reimagine a space you already have and turn it into something unforgettable.

Where Are Your Untapped Opportunities?

If you start looking through this lens, you’ll begin to see opportunities everywhere.

Your Physical Space

• Windows, sidewalks, and entryways can communicate more than just “come in.”

• Bathroom stalls can quietly share stories, events, or impact.

  • Case in point: a recent trip to the restroom in the Schramm Nature Center taught me more about otters than I expected.

• Office walls can reinforce your mission and values in a permanent, visual way.

• Pull-up banners don’t have to live in storage between events. Can they work harder for you day-to-day through strategic placement?

• Counters, waiting areas, and digital screens are all opportunities to inform and engage.

Your Printed Materials

• Envelopes can do more than carry mail. They can carry messages through more custom design.

• Inserts or bookmarks can share information about time-sensitive events and be placed in materials you’re bringing to your next meeting, such as annual reports, origin stories, and brochures.

Out in the World

• Conferences and events often have informal spaces for sharing materials. Plan ahead when you’re packing, and use them.

• Local coffee shops and lunch stops, libraries, and community centers are often open to helping spread the word.

• Partnerships can extend your reach without requiring new infrastructure.

As you move through your day, take a pause. Where are the overlooked surfaces? The unused corners? The missed moments?

They’re there. You just have to use them.