VANS OFF THE WALL
CLIENT
VANS
AGENCY
ENPLAY
MARKET
NEW YORK CITY
SAN FRANCISCO
LOS ANGELES
BOSTON
AUSTIN
Peanut butter and jelly. Caballero and hand plants. Checkered slip-ons and seven plies of glued maple. Some things are just better together. Dating back to 2009, Colossal’s seven-year partnership with Vans is an ideal example of what two like minded brands can achieve when they get together.
Vans, a company known for a rich history rooted in Southern California surf and skate culture, was looking for an authentic way to spread their brand message. Hand paint’s old school, artistic application was an ideal fit. The medium resonates with the same creative, free-thinking crowd the company strives to reach. Colossal’s key inventory in young, upcoming neighborhoods was a perfect match for speaking to the brand’s audience in a hyper-targeted way.
“The best compliment I can pay the Colossal team is the way we came to work with them. We saw some amazing wall paintings in New York and I said, ‘We have to work with those guys.’”
SCHOOL OF SKATE
Colossal’s deep roots in the local community earned Vans an unprecedented opportunity to transform a media buy into a meaningful neighborhood contribution.
When one of our team members caught wind of East Side Community High School’s fledgeling skate program, Colossal reached out to the program’s founder. We opened up a dialogue on how the initiative could get the funding it needed by partnering with a dedicated client who would see the immediate value in the unique opportunity. The relationship culminated in a full-fledged skate program for the students and a brand new Vans mural overlooking the school’s courtyard.
RIGHT / IMAGES COURTESY OF DQM’S CLIP “DQM / GIRL / LAKAI NYC DEMO”
“Vans gained an iconic location facing New York’s East Village, overlooking the very skatepark they helped to build.”
Proceeds from the wall went towards gear and equipment for the skate program, as well as the buildout of a full skatepark in the schoolyard. East Side High’s volunteer-run, after-school skate program transformed into the city’s only fully-loaded skateboarding gym class for credit, with the park staying open after class for free skate sessions.
CORNER CONTROL
Vans took control of the conversation by setting up shop at key locations — permanently. Select walls throughout downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles were repainted with new creative every quarter. The most noteworthy was a cornerstone wall on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, where Vans dominated for four years, transforming their ongoing ad campaign into a well-known neighborhood landmark.
HOUSE OF VANS
Located right in Colossal’s backyard, the House of Vans has quickly become a staple in the Williamsburg music scene. To welcome our new neighbors to the area, Colossal painted Vans’ landmark location to promote their opening night, which featured performances by Public Enemy and Mos Def.
VANS DQM GENERAL
In 2011, Vans partnered with NYC’s streetwear legend DQM to launch their first official retail space in SoHo. Naturally, Colossal was there to spread the word. Murals drove foot traffic to the 1,600-square-foot flagship boutique while promoting The Vans DQM General at 93 Grand Street, a new co-branded line of shoes and apparel.
ON THE WALL
Throughout a partnership spanning the better part of a decade, Colossal has painted dozens of murals for the iconic apparel giant. From Williamsburg to Echo Park, we look forward to our continued relationship with Vans.
