Download a free workbook to help you design your site with confidence.
The email you entered is invalid.
Thank you for subscribing.
By entering your email, you indicate that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy and agree to receive marketing from Squarespace.
After another year of uncertainty, Squarespace looked to honor the small businesses who persevered. Whether they were just starting out, or working hard to get back on track, Browser History 2021 is a celebration of the entrepreneurs that provided the products, services, and content customers needed the most.
We sat down with Squarespace Art Director Gina Kim who, after starting her career at Squarespace as an intern two years ago, has been working on a variety of campaign and content work with our Brand Team. She spoke with us about the inspiration behind the campaign, the creativity of the customers, and how to experience this Browser History IRL.
SQUARESPACE: What was the inspiration behind this year’s Browser History campaign?
GINA KIM: This year’s Browser History campaign was created with the insight that in 2021, we shopped online more than ever before. We shopped in anticipation of going out. We shopped to stay in. And all of us, at one point or another, shopped because it was one of the few things that made us feel normal.
SQSP: This campaign highlights Squarespace small business owners who have kept their companies thriving during a particularly challenging time. What does it mean to Squarespace to support these entrepreneurs in this way?
GK: I think this past year has shown us the value of a platform like Squarespace for small business owners who are just starting their brands or have been growing their brands. We felt we had a natural platform to highlight all the best places to shop that use our tools. We’re huge fans of our customers and their products and are so proud that we’re able to host their brands and stores on Squarespace.
SQSP: Squarespace partnered with Fotografiska New York to create a window display and AR experience showcasing the number of brands in this campaign. Why was partnering and including an in-person component important for this project?
GK: Squarespace and Fotografiska have a shared value of creativity and we admire the museum’s eclectic programming and beautifully curated retail shop. The partnership with Fotografiska allowed us to bring Browser History to life in the real world. We selected a group of objects used across the four trends that we felt were the best of the best from our online editorial. In a way we were looking at the experiences of online shopping compared to in person shopping and creating an experience that felt like it lived between the two, which feels appropriate for the age we live in.
SQSP: How can visitors to Fotografiska New York take part in the AR experience of Browser History?
GK: Visitors can take part in the AR experience of Browser History by scanning the QR code found on the sidewalk in front of the museum window display!
SQSP: There are a number of different categories in this year’s Browser History campaign. How did your team determine which ones to feature?
GK: We researched and pinpointed four key trends from this past year that became a thing thanks to our Squarespace customers. We wanted to make sure that we were hitting a wide range of industries and types of products our customers were selling on our platform from physical to services to content to feature in each of the shoppable lookbooks.
SQSP: What do you hope visitors to the in-person experience and the microsite take away from the campaign?
GK: We hope that this year’s Browser History campaign will give viewers a chance to reflect on the things we bought this year and what they say about us. And for our customers, a chance to see how they shaped our culture throughout the year.
Be sure to check out the full microsite and the window installation at Fotografiska, a museum experience for the modern world, at 281 Park Avenue South in New York City.