Wild and Wacky World of Meow Wolf Takes Over Grapevine Mills Mall in Texas

Meow Wolf, the globally-recognised art collective, has tapped Austin-based creative agency Preacher for the launch of its highly-anticipated fourth permanent exhibition The Real Unreal, opening in an unexpected location: Grapevine Mills mall, located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

To promote the exhibition’s opening, Preacher created an integrated campaign which invites everyone to 'Come Find Yourself At The Mall.' At the centre is a launch film, which enlists the help of an unexpected community of mall walkers in matching neon tracksuits, inviting all walks of life to join in a procession through the mall headed for a transformative Meow Wolf experience with dizzying multi-self-discovery in the multiverse.

The mall walkers offer surreal testimonials and self-affirmations as they traverse a whimsical visual landscape, evoking the unique real-world Meow Wolf experience of inviting guests to explore new depths of their own individual imagination. Eagle-eyed fans will spot some familiar faces from the Meow Wolf universe including cameos by Plotzo the Rat and Meow Wolf founder + mascot Benji Geary.

Cut-down versions of the film will also run across local broadcast TV, social and digital, along with OOH, mobile. experiential, and activations. Mall walkers will also be popping up in performances throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, meeting Meow Wolf’s new neighbours and encouraging them to plan their journey to The Real Unreal. 

The campaign also includes an interactive kiosk featuring 'intra-wellness' brand 'Laërnu' (hint: spell it backwards), in the mall corridor outside Meow Wolf Grapevine, offering consumers a way to find 'A Whole Nü You.' Passers-by can engage with the curiosities offered, such as sound baths offering nonsensical affirmations, digital and mirrored “reflection” stations, and a claw machine filled with wonders that include free tickets for entry. 

“The entire campaign serves as a wonderfully weird and mind bending invitation to join us in this new Meow Wolf Grapevine dimension, one designed to empower us all to explore and discover our various 'selfs.' The growing Meow Wolf Mall Walker community embodies this spirit of discovery and reflection. Plus, you literally have to walk through a mall to get to the portal (aka the exhibit entrance). Meow Wolf is a brain altering, insanely fun and welcoming experience. Our goal was to pay homage to that through the lens of nostalgic mall culture, inspired by Meow Wolf’s philosophies, artists and lovable characters. What lies beyond the portal, however, you’ll have to discover for yourself,” said Marcus Brown, creative director at Preacher. 

Meow Wolf teamed up with Preacher on the project citing the agency’s creative prowess and Texas roots, as well as its long history of support for the arts, such as its Preacher Gallery. The campaign reflects the quirks of two organisations deeply rooted in the creative process, as planning meetings included acapella takes on the campaign’s soundtrack and spirited discussions on the merits of various tracksuit designs. This synergy led to a collaborative campaign that inspires curiosity rather than answers questions–leading those unfamiliar with Meow Wolf down a kaleidoscopic rabbit hole and giving rabid fans new opportunities to speculate on the brand’s ever-expanding multiverse. 

"The detached dimension of Meow Wolf’s The Real Unreal at Grapevine Mills will be a place of beauty and discovery, where you can find answers to questions you haven't even asked yet, and venture through unreal, mind-bending narratives brought to life with never-before-imagined immersive art." said Kelly Schoeffel, who recently joined Meow Wolf as its new CMO, formerly the executive strategy director and partner of 72andSunny. "The detached dimension of Meow Wolf at Grapevine Mills will be a place of beauty and discovery, where you can find answers to questions you haven't even asked yet. Big kudos to Preacher for going on the journey with us to figure out what that even means! They creatively embraced our inherent weird and it shows in the work.”

In addition to offering the transformative experience Meow Wolf is known for, the exhibition will host local vendors, a retail space, and a live performance venue for local and up-and-coming music acts, as well as events for youth and community members. Within the 29,000 square feet of exhibition space, Meow Wolf Grapevine has 30 rooms allocated for Texas-based collaborating artists to formulate their unique visions within the broader experience. 

Grapevine’s 'The Real Unreal' opens in the largest market yet for Meow Wolf on July 14th, joining three renowned permanent exhibitions including the original 'House of Eternal Return' in Santa Fe, 'Convergence Station' in Denver, and 'Omega Mart' in Las Vegas. A fifth exhibition in Houston is planned to open in 2024.