Merger Madness to Digital Magic: Structure Formulations’ Glow-Up
Buckle up, folks. We’re diving into a story that’s less “corporate yawn-fest” and more “how the hell did they pull this off?” It’s the tale of Structure Formulations, a company that emerged from a merger between Structure Health & Wellness and Ampersand CBD, shaking off a broken Shopify site and stepping into a shiny new WordPress world. This isn’t just a redesign—it’s a rebrand with teeth, a user experience glow-up, and a feminine aesthetic so upscale it could sip rosé with the Real Housewives.
The Before: Shopify Blues and a Brand Mash-Up
Picture this: Structure Health & Wellness and Ampersand CBD decide to tie the knot. Great idea, right? Two companies, one obsessed with wellness, the other slinging premium CBD—sounds like a match made in hemp heaven. Except their old website, built on Shopify, was a hot mess. It was their digital storefront. “It never worked right,” they’d groan.
They weren’t wrong. Shopify’s great for some, but for Structure Formulations, it was a straitjacket. The merger meant a rebrand was non-negotiable. They needed a site that could flex with their new identity—something bold, cohesive, and ready to charm the socks off their target audience: educated, middle-to-upper-class women who don’t mess around when it comes to quality.
Enter the dream team: Fat Dog Creatives (that’s me, waving from the design desk), Shannon Communications, and One Dog Solutions. We weren’t just building a website; we were crafting a digital phoenix. Shannon took the reins on the rebrand, One Dog tackled the e-commerce backbone, and I got to play artist and architect, designing the look and building out the static pages, blog, and archives. The result? A WordPress site with WooCommerce magic woven in, plus a 3D mockup tool in the works that’s about to make jaws drop. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—first, the why.
The Why: Marketing Isn’t About Yelling, It’s About Whispering to the Right People
Seth Godin says great marketing isn’t about being the loudest—it’s about being the most relevant. Structure Formulations didn’t need a megaphone; they needed a siren song for a specific crowd.
The old Shopify site? It was yelling at everyone and connecting with no one. The new site had to whisper elegance, clarity, and trust. It had to say, “Hey, you—smart, savvy lady who deserves the best—we’ve got you.” That meant an upscaled, feminine aesthetic that didn’t skimp on polish, paired with a user experience so smooth it’d make butter jealous. And it had to sell CBD tinctures, balms, and tonics like they were the holy grail of relaxation—because to this audience, they kinda are.
The How: WordPress, WooCommerce, and a Dash of Creative Swagger
So, we ditched Shopify like a bad habit and went all-in on WordPress. Why? WordPress is the Swiss Army knife of platforms—flexible, customizable, and tough enough to handle whatever we threw at it. WooCommerce slid in for the e-commerce piece, turning the site into a lean, mean selling machine. This was about flow, baby.
I started with the design. The vibe? Think Anthropologie meets a spa day—soft creams and water-laden earthy blues that whisper sophistication without being snooty. The typography’s clean but curvy. It’s feminine, sure, but not in a “pink glitter explosion” way. This is upscale feminine—confident, timeless, and just a little luxe. The kind of aesthetic that gives you confident the brand knows what it’s doing and makes you feel like you’re treating yourself before you even hit “add to cart.”
Then came the build. Static pages for the about-us story, product philosophy, and FAQs—check. A blog so they can share their CBD wisdom—check. The structure (pun intended) was key: intuitive navigation, full compliance with all industry regulations, and a mobile experience that doesn’t make you want to chuck your phone out the window. Shannon Communications kept the brand voice sharp and consistent—warm but not woo-woo, professional but not stiff. Meanwhile, Ryan Waterbury at One Dog Solutions was cooking up something extra: a white-label 3D mockup tool. More on that later.
The Glow-Up: User Experience That Works
A website’s only as good as the people who can use it. The new one? A straight shot to bliss.
- Navigation: Top bar’s got your essentials—Shop, About, Blog, Contact. No scavenger hunt required. Shop categories like Tinctures, Balms, and Pet Treats.
- Product Pages: Clean layouts, clear images, and descriptions that don’t ramble. You’re not reading a novel; you’re buying CBD. Ingredients, benefits, usage—check, check, check. Add a review section.
- Checkout: Fill in your info, pick your shipping, pay, done. No surprises or endless redirects.
The Secret Sauce: 3D Mockup Tool
Now, let’s talk about Ryan’s awesome contribution—the white-label 3D mockup tool. This isn’t live yet, but it’s coming, and it’s gonna be a game-changer. Imagine this: Structure Formulations works with businesses to white-label their CBD products. Normally, that’s a slow dance—emails, mockups, revisions, tears. Ryan’s tool lets clients see a 3D version of their custom packaging in real-time. Pick your bottle, slap on your logo, tweak the colors—and just like that, there’s your product, spinning on-screen like a digital Barbie doll.
For the user (aka the business owner), it’s instant gratification. For Structure, it’s a faster process, fewer headaches, and a wow factor that screams “we’re ahead of the game.” It’s not just a tool; it’s a statement: We’re not here to mess around. We’re here to innovate.
The Result: A Site That Sells Soul, Not Just Stuff
Seth Godin loves tribes—people who rally around a shared vibe. Structure Formulations’ new site isn’t just a store; it’s a lounge for women who value quality, clarity, and a little self-love. The upscale feminine aesthetic pulls them in—those soft tones and luxe vibes whisper “you belong here.” The user experience keeps them there—fast, friendly, and frustration-free. And the rebrand ties it all together, blending Structure Health & Wellness’s holistic roots with Ampersand CBD’s premium edge into something fresh yet familiar.
The Takeaway: Build It Right, and They’ll Come
The Raw Truth: People don’t buy products; they buy feelings. Structure Formulations’ new website feels like a treat. We didn’t just redesign a website; we redefined an experience. Fat Dog Creatives, Shannon Communications, and One Dog Solutions built a whole new website so that Structure’s not just keeping up; they’re setting the pace.
So, next time you’re scrolling structureformulations.com, pour a glass of something nice and raise it to a team that turned a merger mess into a masterpiece. Then buy some CBD balm—your shoulders deserve it.