La Mer and School House bring immersive exhibition to Shanghai

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Oct 23, 2019

New York-based creative agency School House has partnered with La Mer for an immersive campaign at Shanghai's Power Station of Art. 

Named the ‘Edge of the Sea,’ the multi-sensory campaign opened on October 9 and will run through October 23. ‘Edge of the Sea’ celebrates La Mer’s luxurious Crème de la Mer moisturizing cream by exploring the idea of two forces coming together, particularly the sea and shore. 

The highlight of the activation is a collaboration by father and daughter photographers Mario and Gray Sorrenti. The two artists’ sea-going memories are shown through a 360-degree suspended projection ring of Sorrenti content, the brand said, which consumers can pass through and sit within as supporting audio plays. 

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Additional immersive elements include what the brand called an ‘immersive digital experience of a kelp forest in continual turbulent motion and growth’ and an interactive tactile sea wave made of silk. 

School House was the design lead on the project from concept through to execution, the company said, working with lighting partner Luciforma, production partner APAX Group and the technical leads at Patten Studio to create the campaign. 

"This was the first international exhibition that School House has had the opportunity to conceptualize and produce," said Christopher Skinner, founder and principal of School House. "It required us to bridge strategic thinking, retail experience and brand storytelling in a new way, for a new market."

La Mer has been a star brand for parent company Estee Lauder, as demand for luxury skincare, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, has continued to grow. In August, Estee Lauder forecast full-year revenue and profit above Wall Street expectations after beating estimates for quarterly earnings, reporting a 15% increase in its skincare business to $1.59 billion (£1.31 billion) in the fourth quarter, while sales in Asia-Pacific region, which includes China, grew 18%.