Reebok

Challenge

To celebrate Reebok’s launch of the Aztrek Collection – the iconic ’93 sneaker that was reborn in a physical, bold and disruptive way – we needed to create brand heat and love for the Aztrek, making it relevant to modern consumers, draw in visitors by delivering a true experience, and ultimately increase sales.

How’d we do it? By designing a touring pop-up store in Dubai and KSA that captured the music, color, fashion and technology of the ’90’s. Acting as the front face of the product in the region, the pop-up created a platform to not only sell the shoe, but to also create hype and build conversations around the new Aztrek and its heritage as an icon in ‘90’s fashion and fitness.

Insight

There’s a fine line between ‘old’ and ‘classic’. If done poorly, a spotlight on the past can make a brand seem irrelevant. So while visitors who knew the ’90’s may still cherish their memories of the decade, it’s not a given that everyone under age 30 will view a space inspired by the ‘90’s in the same way.

To that end, a key feature of the Aztrek is its ability to bring nostalgia to those who remember it as a classic in the ’90’s, while also positioning itself as a ‘modern shoe’ with a Gen Z / Millennial crowd who follows the pop culture and influencers of today.

Idea

The Aztrek pop-up store, joining the dots between ‘then’ and ‘now’ in a way that establishes the Aztrek as a relevant maker and gatekeeper of culture. A driver of moments in time that continues to shape our world, and live on in new products and collaborations.

Experience

Rather than expecting consumers to come to us, we wanted to make the Aztrek experience accessible to them – in a fully mobile and modular environment that would mold to its audience and environment.

The experience kicked-off with a launch event hosted at Dubai Design District. Working in collaboration with a local artist “Moh Flow” we developed a “Pimp My Ride” style story and created hype around him deconstructing an old 1990’s postal truck and turning it into a 2019 Aztrek truck. This space became our pop-up store that toured across Dubai and KSA.

At the exclusive launch event, the Aztrek took over the space, which hosted a number of ’90’s style games and activations, including a performance from a local artist and DJ. Influencers and media were invited to the event, which was also open to the public. The Aztrek truck was revealed during the event, allowing attendees to explore and shop on the spot.

Following the launch, the truck toured different locations, uniquely positioned to fit within each venue:

• First: La Mer hosted a beach party with a DJ playing sunset vibes, and featuring basketball tournaments in the sand and branded beach towels given to customers.
• Second: We headed back to Dubai Design District where a Spotify partnership allowed visitors to choose their own music or play retro game tournaments against each other while shopping.
• Third: The final Dubai location on The Beach (Jumeirah Beach Residence) included the truck bringing together a number of local artists for a collaboration of live music, offering a free gig in a popular family area.
• Lastly: The Aztrek truck ended the roadshow in Riyadh. It featured a live music performance along with a photo opportunity for guests to share their experience across social media. The truck was one of the first activations to ever be present in Riyadh inside a mall, and one of the first in the country to play live music in a public area.