In 1994 adidas launched the Predator boot and changed football forever. 26 years later, they changed the game again for a new generation of footballers, creating a new breed of Predators powered by revolutionary new technology—Demonskin.

To drive sales of the boot during the launch period, we were asked to create an in-store activation for adidas’ three landmark London stores that would encourage trial, generate online buzz and show the world that the new Demonskin was 100% unfair.

We set out to create an uncontained, visceral experience by building a series of highly interactive, digitally-led installations. Our aim was to turn curiosity into demand and leave our customers with one over-arching sensation: that Demonskin could turn them into the ultimate Predator.

We knew that our target audience of young aspiring and recreational footballers valued interactive experiences with opportunities for co-creation and ‘bragging rights’ on social media.

We also knew that facilitating try-ons of the boot wouldn’t be enough to drive sales— we needed to offer opportunities for the 100% unfair Demonskin to be put to the test.

So every element of the installation was designed with sensory engagement, participation and social share in mind.

We started with the launch zone, where we used cutting-edge magnetic ferrofluid to create a dynamic moving version of Demonskin—mutating the boot to demonstrate its transformative power.

Then we gave our customers the opportunity to hear Demonskin in a multi-sensory booth and feel Demonskin via an interactive installation which used AR technology to mutate the users hands as they touched it.

From co-creator photo booths to ‘mutator’ mirrors, every element of the activation was designed to encourage massive social share.

Meanwhile, throughout the store, large video walls demonstrated the transformative power of Demonskin and floor-graphics directed customers to specially designed areas where they could try out the boot for themselves.

We even created a cage where players could put the 100% unfair Demonskin to the ultimate test in a physical timed trial game.

Consumers tried, tested and played with the boot in their masses, with many live-streaming their in-store experience on social media.

• 1000+ consumers tried the boot in our in-store timed trial game.

• 10k mentions of #predator during the activation period.

• Due to overwhelming demand, the boot sold out within the first week, making the Predator launch the biggest sell-through football boot in the last 5 years in the UK.