VITA HILL SOCIAL CLUB
VITA HILL SOCIAL CLUB
When Sony needed to launch its next-gen handheld console with real-world impact, they didn’t open a showroom—they opened a secret society. The Vita Hill Social Club was a retro-future brand experience dressed as a velvet-roped lounge, designed to let gamers feel like insiders while testing the PlayStation Vita before its release. Equal parts product trial, art installation, and cultural happening, the club became an immersive campaign that turned curiosity into pre-orders and players into evangelists.
Research
Research
Launching a new console into a crowded gaming ecosystem meant Sony had to rethink more than just specs and software — it needed a cultural moment. Enter the Vita Hill Social Club. Tasked with concepting and pitching eight fully branded pop-up spaces across the country, we began with a behavioral audit of the target audience: gamers, yes, but also tastemakers. This wasn't just about specs — it was about belonging. We identified four experiential touchpoints that aligned with the console’s UX: Connect, Explore, Play, and Share. These pillars became the soul of the campaign — and ultimately, the language PlayStation adopted across its retail packaging and global messaging.
Launching a new console into a crowded gaming ecosystem meant Sony had to rethink more than just specs and software — it needed a cultural moment. Enter the Vita Hill Social Club. Tasked with concepting and pitching eight fully branded pop-up spaces across the country, we began with a behavioral audit of the target audience: gamers, yes, but also tastemakers. This wasn't just about specs — it was about belonging. We identified four experiential touchpoints that aligned with the console’s UX: Connect, Explore, Play, and Share. These pillars became the soul of the campaign — and ultimately, the language PlayStation adopted across its retail packaging and global messaging.
Research
Launching a new console into a crowded gaming ecosystem meant Sony had to rethink more than just specs and software — it needed a cultural moment. Enter the Vita Hill Social Club. Tasked with concepting and pitching eight fully branded pop-up spaces across the country, we began with a behavioral audit of the target audience: gamers, yes, but also tastemakers. This wasn't just about specs — it was about belonging. We identified four experiential touchpoints that aligned with the console’s UX: Connect, Explore, Play, and Share. These pillars became the soul of the campaign — and ultimately, the language PlayStation adopted across its retail packaging and global messaging.
Design
Design
Imagine an Edwardian lounge crash-landing into an industrial art loft. That was the mood. Each Social Club channeled old-world gentleman’s club aesthetics — tufted leather, vintage signage, Persian rugs — clashing brilliantly with PlayStation’s digital future. We developed custom assets including logos, textures, signage, type treatments, color palettes, and even coasters and napkins. Furniture curation and prop styling were obsessive. From prize forms to wall graphics, every surface told the same story: “You belong here.” Each city had its own flavor, but the brand DNA stayed locked-in.
Imagine an Edwardian lounge crash-landing into an industrial art loft. That was the mood. Each Social Club channeled old-world gentleman’s club aesthetics — tufted leather, vintage signage, Persian rugs — clashing brilliantly with PlayStation’s digital future. We developed custom assets including logos, textures, signage, type treatments, color palettes, and even coasters and napkins. Furniture curation and prop styling were obsessive. From prize forms to wall graphics, every surface told the same story: “You belong here.” Each city had its own flavor, but the brand DNA stayed locked-in.
Design
Imagine an Edwardian lounge crash-landing into an industrial art loft. That was the mood. Each Social Club channeled old-world gentleman’s club aesthetics — tufted leather, vintage signage, Persian rugs — clashing brilliantly with PlayStation’s digital future. We developed custom assets including logos, textures, signage, type treatments, color palettes, and even coasters and napkins. Furniture curation and prop styling were obsessive. From prize forms to wall graphics, every surface told the same story: “You belong here.” Each city had its own flavor, but the brand DNA stayed locked-in.
Development
Development
Every club was a stage. Working with a.d.d. marketing, we scripted out user flows, from the first touchpoint to data capture and preorder conversions. Events ranged from Mortal Kombat tournaments to “Little Deviants” battles, all facilitated in spaces that felt less like showrooms and more like secret societies. Materials were locally fabricated, floors plans were modular and scalable, and the lounges lived on social media long after the consoles powered off. ROI? Massive. Gamers stayed for hours. Media coverage was glowing. And the whole thing felt... fun. Like a revolution disguised as a night out.
Every club was a stage. Working with a.d.d. marketing, we scripted out user flows, from the first touchpoint to data capture and preorder conversions. Events ranged from Mortal Kombat tournaments to “Little Deviants” battles, all facilitated in spaces that felt less like showrooms and more like secret societies. Materials were locally fabricated, floors plans were modular and scalable, and the lounges lived on social media long after the consoles powered off. ROI? Massive. Gamers stayed for hours. Media coverage was glowing. And the whole thing felt... fun. Like a revolution disguised as a night out.
Development
Every club was a stage. Working with a.d.d. marketing, we scripted out user flows, from the first touchpoint to data capture and preorder conversions. Events ranged from Mortal Kombat tournaments to “Little Deviants” battles, all facilitated in spaces that felt less like showrooms and more like secret societies. Materials were locally fabricated, floors plans were modular and scalable, and the lounges lived on social media long after the consoles powered off. ROI? Massive. Gamers stayed for hours. Media coverage was glowing. And the whole thing felt... fun. Like a revolution disguised as a night out.
Concept
Concept
What if the future of gaming wasn’t neon and tech, but leather-bound and lived-in? Vita Hill Social Club reimagined what brand activations could be — not just product demos, but full-on environments of cultural hospitality. This was hospitality with a download button. By designing spaces that felt more like curated salons than corporate promos, PlayStation won attention, affinity, and pre-orders — before the product was even available. The concept proved that design-led thinking could redefine how people experience a brand. And yes, they kept the furniture.
What if the future of gaming wasn’t neon and tech, but leather-bound and lived-in? Vita Hill Social Club reimagined what brand activations could be — not just product demos, but full-on environments of cultural hospitality. This was hospitality with a download button. By designing spaces that felt more like curated salons than corporate promos, PlayStation won attention, affinity, and pre-orders — before the product was even available. The concept proved that design-led thinking could redefine how people experience a brand. And yes, they kept the furniture.
Concept
What if the future of gaming wasn’t neon and tech, but leather-bound and lived-in? Vita Hill Social Club reimagined what brand activations could be — not just product demos, but full-on environments of cultural hospitality. This was hospitality with a download button. By designing spaces that felt more like curated salons than corporate promos, PlayStation won attention, affinity, and pre-orders — before the product was even available. The concept proved that design-led thinking could redefine how people experience a brand. And yes, they kept the furniture.
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More Works More Works
