Into Outerwear Brand Mammut's Urban Takeover
When sportswear company Mammut sought to break free from the ‘Gorpcore’ aesthetic dominating outdoor brands, they partnered with creative agency DEPT to create an experience that would stand in stark contrast to city life. The result was an audacious, immersive event taking place in Granary Square, with 3D mountain projections bringing the spirit of mountaineering to central London.
Against the backdrop of urban architecture, the campaign presented a ‘basecamp’ installation and 3D projection show that underscored Mammut’s commitment to its outdoor roots while challenging how such a brand could – and should – interact with a city.
Here, DEPT creative director Bel Moretti, senior lead creative Lewis Williams, and senior lead producer Zakiya Petty Moretti speak to LBB’s Olivia Atkins about the creative and logistical feats required to transform a bustling city plaza into a climber’s domain.
LBB> What was the brief from Mammut on this campaign? And how did you land on creating the 3D projections in Granary Square?
Lewis> The brief was simple. There wasn't one. It all started with a conversation between Mammut and us about how the industry has lost its way a little. We considered following trends like Gorpcore, which involves wearing outdoor clothing in a cosmopolitan setting, or trying to bed them into streetwear culture but that felt alien for a brand like Mammut.
This sense of not belonging in cities as a brand then presented itself as an interesting opportunity for us. How would a brand that doesn't belong in the city show up in a city? And how could we do it in a big way that made a statement about the inauthenticity that the brand wanted to push up against?
LBB> Can you describe the process behind creating the projections and making sure they accurately captured the mountains and blended into the urban setting?
Zakiya> We knew authenticity was of utmost importance to the brand and the campaign. Our climber's movements needed to be true to life, and the rock face had to feel authentic. Our projection collaborators, Pixel Artworks, were on it.
Despite having only three weeks to bring this to life, we had to hit the ground running with rock face and climber research. We took cues from hours of footage to create believable and authentic clime sequences for our two chosen terrains, while also considering the topography of the Central St Martins building we were projecting onto.
LBB> How did the production team manage the logistical challenges of transforming a busy city space into an immersive outdoor experience?
Zakiya> Granary Square was the perfect location – it’s got high visibility, it’s self-contained, and it’s a stunning building for us to use as our canvas. Plus it’s got high footfall.
We worked closely with the landowners at Kings Cross Estates and our projection partners, Pixel Artworks, to establish exactly what zones of the square would have the best flow for passersby.
The projection tower constructed by Pixel Artworks was the first key piece in our granary square takeover. With projection mapping, there is a fairly limited field in which you can work to get the lighting, projection, and sound just right, which created the field from which we would set Basecamp.
Our set design partners, Tandem Set and Scenery fabricated the Basecamp within their workshop. We had to make sure it would create the desired impact within our allotted space, but doing it in studio meant that the complex part of the build could be handled away from the install site. On-site, this modular design could be assembled quickly, so the structure seems to appear from nowhere.
We also had a team of genuine mountain experts from the Mammut Mountain School, dotted throughout the experience. Dressed head to toe in climbing and mountaineering gear to generate interest, they engaged with the public and helped drive the campaign’s comms.
LBB> From a craft perspective, how did you approach the transition from cityscape to mountain terrain in the projection so it was realistic for passers-by?
Bel> We wanted something that looked outlandish but believable while feeling representative of the stunt world of advertising. It had to be shocking enough to grab people's attention, though it had to feel opposed to what Mammut stands for in order to maximise impact at the reveal.
We embraced a sense of inauthenticity, using match cuts and glitch transitions to seamlessly blend reality with the digital world. Leveraging 3D projection mapping techniques, we brought this concept to life.
LBB> Why was an immersive experience the preferred approach?
Bel> We wanted to make a statement, to push up against parts of the industry that have lost their way a little, by showing up in a place that we don't belong in. By offering people an escape from the city’s streets and providing them with mountain peaks, we could give Londoners hands-on experience with the brand.
LBB> What role did sound design play in the overall experience?
Lewis> Sound was essential to the experience, contributing to the sense of tension building during the reveal and contrasting the city’s noise with the calm isolation of the mountains. This sonic layer deepened immersion, allowing participants to feel the shift from the bustling city to the serenity of white noise, the clinking of carabiners, and the climber’s heartbeat.
LBB> In terms of production design, how did you ensure the authenticity of the basecamp experience? What specific details or materials were used to transport the public to the mountains and create a tactile, immersive experience?
Zakiya> During the design phase of the activation, DEPT, along with Tandem Set and Scenery, examined various Basecamp setups. We decided to feature a central ‘dining tent’ surrounded by smaller tents, creating a gathering spot for passersby to collect free Mammut merchandise. To enhance authenticity, we incorporated rocks around the activation site, used battery-operated lighting within the smaller tents to simulate a realistic mountain environment, and added directional signposts to different mountain ranges around the world. This approach aimed to inspire a sense of exploration and provide a small taste of what a basecamp experience could feel like. We wanted to invite people into the Basecamp, allowing them to wander the campsite and immerse themselves in the Mammut brand story.
LBB> What kind of production planning went into ensuring that the content created on-site translated the physical activation's impact into social media storytelling and why was that so core?
Zakiya> With anything like this, the social experience is as important as the real-life activation... In some cases, more so. It also helps the brand reach a much wider audience by enticing them into the event. To achieve this, we wanted to create numerous opportunities for people to engage with the brand’s activities. This included free gear giveaways, expert Q&As, immersive experiences, social competitions, shareable content, ‘Not a Cityguide’ Instagram guides, and amplification through athletes and influencers.
LBB> What were the main challenges in balancing the technical demands of the 3D projection with the interactive elements and making it align with Mammut’s commitment to stay true to its mountain roots?
Lewis> The trickiest part was authentically-capturing the mountaineering aspects of the brand. We focused on ensuring that the climber’s movements, and the terrain they traversed were as realistic as possible. By sourcing reliable reference points from archive footage of actual climbers, we were able to incorporate a dynamic mix of exciting moves while also considering the building’s topography.
In real life, we aimed to transport people into the world of Mammut, creating multiple opportunities for on-the-ground engagement. While we made sure the 3D projections were visually impactful and encouraged social sharing, it was equally important to maintain a sense of realism with our climber on the building. This interplay created a captivating blend of authenticity and inauthenticity, sparking intrigue and curiosity among the audience.
