Branded Cultural

Fossil x Diesel

Born Virtually - Shaped by You

Worldwide

Diesel Metamorph Experience - Trailer

Diesel Metamorph Experience

A global campaign for the launch of Diesel's Metamorph collection powered by the unique combination of a digital experience and a physical retail experience.

Diesel Metamorph Experience Landscape

“This campaign will be the first of its kind, an 360 campaign, entirely realised in unreal 5, where AI-based retail installations interact with a global virtual audience, therefore truly merging the virtual and the real world.”

Patrik de Jong, Founder Artificial Rome

A VR-Designed Watch for the Digitally Born Generation.

In 2023, Diesel`s creative director Glenn Martens introduced a VR-designed watch called VERT - specifically designed for those shifting between the virtual and real world. Staying true to this vision, the launch of the VERT was embedded in a breathtaking Web3 release event. Watch Buyers received an exclusive NFT which evolved over time to an Avatar. This slowly revealed the main characters of the experience. The campaign culminated with a virtual concert by artist Lil Dre.

Unveiling of the VERT watch

Pictures from the VERT watch campaign

"Is it from the Metaverse? Is it an alien? Is it a human? It’s the concept of the centre point, the backbone of something or somebody. How we designed Metamorph is linked to the new generation. It’s virtual reality-made. It’s a sexy watch.”

Glenn Martens, Creative Director of Diesel

A Limited Edition Metamorphing NFT for Early Buyers of the VERT Watch

With the early purchase of a VERT watch, buyers gained access to a limited edition NFT which evolved in three phases. The NFT changed visually during this “metamorphosis” - growing into an avatar which was then minted. The last metamorphosis revealed a character, the A:VERT:AR, which owners were able to use in the Diesel metaverse platform. With their special skin and enhanced gameplay, they joined the exploration of Tempus - with the rest of the players participating worldwide from their devices or Diesel retail stores.

Progressive NFT transformation from watch to avatar

NFT holder's exclusive avatar

A Global Narrative-Driven Metaverse Quest to Restore Time

On the 2nd of November, the land of Tempus opened its gates and the audience was invited to continue their journey in a multi-layered, interactive experience inspired by the VERT watch collection. Visitors from around the globe gathered in a metaverse environment - collaborating in a series of quests to access the final unveiling of the VERT watch. The virtual world of Tempus was shaped by the VERT’s design details. It featured breathtaking scenery and a sprawling environment where visitors moved through various challenges with their avatars to reactivate time in a fictional land where time has stopped. Online users interacted in real-time with players joining from the interactive retail installations based in selected Diesel stores globally - including Paris, New York, Barcelona, Las Vegas and Tokyo.

Watch Trailer
Multi-platform online experience

VERT Watch Narrative Elevated by Cinematic Visuals

A highly experienced art team was put together to create a visually stunning experience. Taking notes from movie VFX and AAA gaming, we wanted to elevate how the metaverse could look and feel. To craft a captivating narrative designed for discovering the VERT watch, we created an empty dry land representing a world where time has long been stopped. Accompanied by a dusty red atmosphere and music evolving along the map, the players moved their avatars across the remains of an ancient civilisation to the heart of a brutalist pyramid.

Avatar facing the giants
Game field with central pyramid in view
Path to the main stage
  • NFT holder's exclusive avatar
  • Avatars jumping over the void
  • Multiplayer gameplay
  • Players interacting
The retail installation gameplay
Installation in a Diesel store

Diesel's Real-Time Collaboration between Retail Installations and Metaverse

A key aspect of the experience was the collaboration in real time between players joining from selected Diesel stores and the online players. From the physical installations, visitors jumped into the role of the Giants and engaged in mini-games, with their movements - tracked by a sensor camera - turned into real-time animations on-screen. With their unique ability, retail players helped online participants cross areas of the environment by creating bridges as a result of each mini-game. Joining forces together, the players were able to progress along the story and reveal the VERT watch.

Lil Dre's Concert Debut: The Culmination of the Vert Experience

The experience culminates with the revelation of the VERT watch in a cinematic sequence. In the heart of the pyramid, the players were treated to a virtual concert celebration with artist Lil' Dre, which allowed players to interact, get together, dance and listen to a premiere track from the artist. We captured a real-life performance from Li’ Dre using depth cameras, and then translated the 3D data into a stunning giant interpretation of the singer.

Watch Case Movie
Lil' Dre virtual concert

"We are very excited to create the first immersive experience for Diesel based on our own platform Soil. This narrative brand experience takes immersive storytelling for fashion to a whole new level."

Mike John Otto, Chief Creative Officer of Artificial Rome

Reality-Metaverse Fusion Fully Crafted in Unreal Engine 5

We used pixelstreaming technology to provide every participant with the best graphical quality regardless of their personal hardware setup, allowing the experience to run in full AAA gaming quality even on mobile phones. Thousands of players connected via multiplayer servers. In retail, interactive stations were connected to the multiplayer metaverse via the internet. The movements of the user standing in front of a vertical 90” screen were applied to a gesture system driving the interaction of bridge creation. Depth and movement tracking cameras helped to translate the images to 3D-skeleton-data using AI/ML and made the interaction between retail and internet players possible.

A giant holding the VERT watch
Landscape of Tempus
The seeker's avatar

AWARDS

Credits

Lead Agencies

  • Artificial Rome
  • German Wahnsinn GmbH

Partners

  • Liganova GmbH
  • Ligadigital AG
  • Mirage GmbH
  • PureWeb
  • SmartMedia Technologies

Creative Management

  • Patrik de Jong
  • Dirk Hoffmann
  • Torsten Sperling-Ufer

Executive Creative Director

  • Mike John Otto

Creative Director

  • Kuba Bogaczynski

Concept & UX Lead

  • Giulia Pignataro

3D Artists

  • Reini Preißner
  • Andre Haupt
  • Markus Geerts
  • Jens-Eric Peter
  • Nino Bolink

3D Character Artist

  • Katharina Przyborowski

Technical Lead

  • Mark Jawdoszak
  • Will Young
  • Torsten Sperling-Ufer

Development

  • David Pettersson
  • Illia Komsa
  • Mateusz Marchwicki

Technical Artist

  • Christian Rambow

Designers

  • Sophie Hu
  • Flor Orpianesi
  • Athanassios Tohme
  • Marcin Rumierz

Project Management

  • Astrid Schiffel
  • Lina Franke
  • Maja Gawecka

Advisor

  • Kadine James
  • Alex Kunawicz

Sound design & Music

  • Philipp Feit
  • Moritz PG Katz

Sound Producer

  • Rabea Debus

Director Brand Space, Retail

  • Michael Klein (Liganova Group)

Project Manager, Retail

  • Daniel Bradenbrink (Liganova Group)

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