The impact of visual sharing platforms like Instagram lies in our perception of reality. Most of the visual stories we aim to tell are explorations of geometry and of new perspectives. To some extent, the logic was rooted on DeviantArt, where the "real life" becomes a raw material to explore our fantasies.
Actually, the deviation is not only aesthetic but also mental: by creating on-going cues, this fantasy progressively becomes very real, as part of a digital routine.
In this new era of creativity, some brick and mortar stores are being specifically designed for Instagram rules.
Pigalle Duperré: an authentic social "object"
The Pigalle Duperré playground, located in the heart of Paris, is a fascinating project.
The playground was almost shut down in 2007, but has since been refurbished by a team lead by Stéphane Ashpool, founder of the brand Pigalle. Every summer, the brand used to arrange a big tournament with the local kids, sponsored by Nike. After a few months of creative development (with the help of Vincent Le Thuy / Ill studio), the new Pigalle Duperré playground was born. A high-end place, with top materials, that respects the local neighborhood; the recycled rubber absorbs the noise of the balls and with just a few activities, it welcomes Parisians to get stuck in.
A social object: people, products, fantasy
Most of the brands we know launch "pop-up" events that are only short-term and only made to market products to a dedicated target audience.
In the case of the Pigalle brand, the events are not only associated to a specific good-looking place, but to a much broader story. The playground is not just a theater of beautiful fashion pictures, but actually the beginning of far more sophisticated stories. In every piece of content, the playground is subtly featured, echoing the fact that each new episode of the brand has something to do with it. As a proper MC, the social object leaves the place to highlight a deep, powerful idea - the trip of the youth team from PIGALLE to Philippines. The place is therefore not a "pop-up" but more a "lift-up" object, a hub of social relationships that make projects possible.
Pigalle - ENSEMBLE / Movie from PIGALLE PARIS on Vimeo.
Products are rooted in this local fantasy to reach global audience - when Nike collaborates with PIGALLE for a new pair of sneakers, they don't just add the logo of a cool designer, they actually tap into the cultural net surrounding the brand. Models are locals. Scenery is local. The impact is global.
Finally what Pigalle Duperré teaches us, is this ability to create a long-lasting shared value between a local community - a global sense of belonging from an international audience -and mutual projects with brands like Nike.
Pigalle - PIGALLE BASKETBALL - S/S 2015 from PIGALLE PARIS on Vimeo.
This magic equation is supported by the grand vision of the founder:
"My dream is to create a school - a sports school, a fashion school, but above all a school of life, which will offer social and creative activities after regular school classes. A school similar to the Steiner Schools, which are basically schools that focus on developing the children's senses and that allow them to realize their very own ideas and dreams."
It's an interesting case study for any brand trying to engage their fans and followers with new facets of their products.