ABOUT

Adidas approached Somewhere Else because they wanted a VR experience that captures the thrill of extreme outdoor climbing. To showcase TERREX, Adidas’ line of outdoor sports gear, we created a product that is synonymous with adventure. Whether you run, bike or climb - only the right pair of shoes, most adaptable apparel and best-suited accessories can help push you beyond your limits.

Together with Adidas, Somewhere Else challenged customers to push the limits of their imagination, and propelled them into the shoes of extreme athletes Ben and Delaney, which we delivered in an experiential setting.

Ben Rueck and Delaney Miller, two accomplished climbers who are different in their styles and experiences with rock climbing, share the passion for challenge and for pushing themselves to the limit. Delaney is an exceptionally graceful climber recognized for her success on the competition circuit, while Ben is a multi-disciplined expedition climber known for first ascents around the world.

With our production partner BYO, we were able to use Google’s next-generation Jump VR camera rig to film the Bavellas in 360 degrees. We collaborated renowned climber and photographer, Jeff Rueppel, on the multi-pitch climb.

We complemented the 360 stereoscopic footage with 3DAR's interactive CG. Users could appreciate the scenery from a bird’s eye view and observe the entire climbing route. This kind of active witness added a unique layer of storytelling, where the characters and the landscape shape the user experience together.

In capturing the adventure, we wanted to inject the same adrenaline rush felt by most outdoor climbers, and extreme sports junkies. At the end of the experience, audiences are given the chance to virtually step into the shoes of Adidas athletes and take on the granite mammoth that is Delicatessen.

Today, we mostly do extreme sports in controlled environments. The aim was to capture the expedition to Corsica, led by Ben and Delaney. We used VR to capture their personal journey and bring it all to life in an experiential setting. Visitors of the TERREX retail store can feel the strain of being up against the climbing wall and the ecstatic rush of reaching the mountaintop - from the safety and comfort of an Adidas store.

The experience was launched in Harbin on the 15th September and is part of a retail roadshow that will tour ten key cities in China until the end of November. China was chosen to debut the experience as it is a key market for Adidas TERREX. The brand has opened over 50 TERREX-specific stores in 2017, to meet the growing market trend and satisfy the Chinese consumer's search for inspired innovation.

Our experience was also showcased at the ‘2017 GMM’: the international Global Marketing Meeting of 800 Adidas executives in Germany.