“After 25 years, we launched our shoes into a new home”.
As the world begins to look back on a pandemic era in which much of the way we live and work has changed, it’s easy to feel like a new era is dawning. For Nice Shoes, the legendary studio with more than two and a half decades of creative experience, this sentiment is particularly prevalent. For the first time in the company’s history, staff have moved to a new headquarters that promises to bridge the gaps between the pre-Covid era, the remote revolution and the hybrid future.
“It’s a symbolic step into the next 25 years,” says general manager Justin Pandolfino. “We had the opportunity to build a new home, a blank canvas that we could build for the next 25 years. Now that the world is embracing a new hybrid way of working, we have redesigned our model to meet the changing needs and desires of our customers.”
At the heart of the company’s philosophy, Justin tells LBB, is the key principle: “to stimulate progress and preserve the essential”. In other words, this is a new era for Nice Shoes – but the company still maintains the same drive to deliver the beautiful moving imagery it has always been known for.
The company’s big move came at a time of much debate and conversation about the future of work. In our industry and beyond, the pandemic has triggered changes that look set to last for the long haul. What’s interesting about the evolution of Nice Shoes is that their new headquarters are, at least in part, a response to these systemic changes.
“Coming out of the pandemic, we reimagined what work life looks like,” says Justin. “While our artists can work from home, our studio has become fundamentally customer-oriented. What’s been great about our rebranding campaign is how it’s highlighted all the services we offer that people may not be aware of, and how they can either do it themselves, or partner up to create a better and more universal offer and experience. for the customers “.
In truth, this focus on customer experience was a big driver of the company’s decision to move. Having redefined the quality of customer service early in its life, Nice Shoes now seeks to build on this in a modern context.
As Justin says, “Our studio and the new technology we have to offer our clients all add up to a comfortable, cutting-edge studio backed by state-of-the-art technology. High-quality creative work is a guarantee of from our staff wherever they are in the world, but our new office can also provide an experience you won’t find anywhere else. And it’s not just our home – it’s also a great place We know that our guests are sociable by nature and enjoy spending time together. On that note, I’m happy to announce that our monthly whiskey tastings are back!
Combining this ultra-client offering is a suite of new technologies that would be the envy of anyone working in the industry today. “When it came time to move, we threw away all our technology and rebuilt from scratch,” Justin recalls. “Our equipment is brand new, and frankly, there’s no better setup in the city at this point.”
In an example of the diversity of Nice Shoes’ offerings, the centerpiece of the new toys on offer is a state-of-the-art DI theater. “That means we have access to a Barco DP4K digital projector with masking for amazing visuals, and a Dolby Atmos home audio system for immersive sound,” Justin explains. “The cinema can also be set up for mixing at Atmos in the future. Oh, and it’s a great place to watch all the big games when you’re not working too hard!
For Justin, the move had the potential to be bittersweet given his experience working with the company for more than a decade. “I grew up in the old space,” he notes. “But having to be away for two years has made it less bitter, and having a whole new home is something fundamentally exciting. The new studio in combination with the new technology, as well as the refresh of the brand, everything it all adds up to a business moving forward. Whatever great memories we’ve built so far, the future is always the most exciting place to be.”