SCAD AND ROUTE 1

SCAD’s illustration and sequential arts students could help create a cohesive visual system for Route 1, ensuring the brand has an adaptable style library that spans characters, maps, and product design. This includes AI-assisted templates for cartography, illustration variations, and product adaptation — giving Route 1 both immediate assets and long-term scalability.

Students in fashion and accessory design could develop Route 1’s first wave of apparel, travel gear, and lifestyle merchandise, helping the brand launch its digital storefront with a strong and consistent look. These first-round products will not only generate early revenue but also create visibility among RV travelers and destination visitors.

SCAD students in interior design and architecture could shape the physical environments that bring Route 1 to life, from early store-in-store displays to eventual standalone retail locations. Their involvement would extend to designing experiential retail spaces, pop-up environments, and ultimately the Route 1 Motor Lodge concept, which blends lodging, dining, and retail into one destination.

Building awareness and cultural impact will require strong content playbooks. SCAD students in animation, film, and advertising could produce short-form animations, brand films, and campaign assets that establish the Route 1 voice and connect emotionally with audiences. These outputs could double as templates for future campaigns, ensuring consistency across platforms.

SCAD’s programs in creative business leadership and design management could play a pivotal role in helping Route 1 protect and scale its IP. Students could research and propose systems for copyright, licensing, and intellectual property protection, while also exploring sustainable business models that allow the brand to grow without losing its creative integrity.

  Finally, students in interactive and experiential design could take Route 1 into the physical world through immersive activations — whether AR-enhanced products, interactive maps, or pop-up experiences at festivals, campgrounds, or destination launches. This bridges the gap between merchandise, storytelling, and lived experiences.

To launch successfully, Route 1 will need a digital foundation that goes beyond a simple storefront. SCAD students in interactive design, UX, and service design could create a streamlined e-commerce site and companion app, ensuring a polished consumer-facing presence from day one. These platforms would be built with modular systems—easy to scale, update, and evolve—so the brand is never locked into a one-off solution.
 

Importantly, Route 1’s digital presence won’t stop at online shopping. By drawing on SCAD expertise in augmented reality (AR) and interactive storytelling, students could integrate AR-enhanced products and experiences into the digital ecosystem, allowing consumers to engage with Route 1 maps, characters, and destinations in ways that blur the line between physical and digital. This creates both an immediate “wow” factor for launch and a future-ready framework that can expand into geolocation, experiential activations, and beyond.