The Merrell Get Outside activation took over one of the busiest locations in New York -- Union Square in Manhattan -- to encourage costumers to get outside in the city. The campaign includes a block party experience with an oversized chess set, refreshments and music to help remind passersby that getting outside doesn't have to mean escaping the city.
The activation comes as part of a larger campaign from the activewear brand entitled Outside in the City that includes New York, London and Paris. The Union Square activation also debuted the Get Outside mural by Brooklyn-based artist Shantell Martin that covers 7,500-square-feet and has been hand-painted by Colossal.
The Merrell Get Outside activation is one of several initiatives to come as the brand continues its larger campaign through spring.
Urban Activewear Activations
The Merrell Get Outside Activation Took Over Union Square
Trend Themes
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Urban Activewear Activations — Major apparel brands staging immersive street-level activations are redefining storefronts as high-value experiential touchpoints that blend commerce, branding and community data capture.
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Experiential Urban Art Murals — Large-scale artist-painted murals integrated into campaigns are transforming public art into measurable marketing platforms and sponsorship assets with social media virality.
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City-native Outdoor Programming — Programming that frames urban parks and plazas as micro-outdoor destinations is shifting consumer perceptions of outdoor gear use and opening possibilities for location-specific product lines and partnerships.
Industry Implications
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Retail Footwear — Footwear companies leveraging live urban activations are positioned to capture direct consumer feedback, accelerate localized product iterations and monetize pop-up retail experiences.
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Outdoor Event Production — Producers of branded urban events are becoming hubs for cross-sector collaborations, turning experiential logistics into scalable offerings for nontraditional outdoor audiences.
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Urban Tourism — City tourism operators incorporating branded cultural activations are expanding itineraries with monetizable, brand-driven experiences that increase dwell time and local spend.