Marketing
The North Face worked with Mood Media to design an in-store experience providing an escape from urban bustle and providing an environment of exploration and adventure. A highlight is a LED wall that serves as a storytelling canvas.
Photo: The North Face
March 10, 2025 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
Two years ago The North Face, a 59-year-old outdoor apparel and gear retailer, kicked off a journey to connect with consumers in a new way and provide an in-store hub focused on discovery and immersive technology.
The brand aimed to provide a space encouraging connection with customers while at the same time inspiring adventure, said Martina Cerletti, director of retail marketing for The North Face EMEA.
«We asked ourselves what the role was for the store as The North Face, which opened up solutions for the spaces and the experiences. Our store was not just a point of sale and service but a hub to equip our customers for the next exploration,» Cerletti said in an email interview.
The answer to the question led to the reopening of the brand’s Regent Street flagship in London on March 29, 2024, boasting a true basecamp experience that goes way beyond traditional retail.
«Through immersive experiences and innovative technology, we’re helping our customers discover both the perfect gear and their next adventure destination,» said Cerletti.
Founded in 1966 with one store in California, The North Face is one of four brands owned by the VF Corporation and has more than 3,500 stores and partner locations worldwide.
The project strategy
The brand’s concept was simple to describe: design an in-store experience offering an escape from the urban bustle while providing an environment of exploration and adventure in the flagship location.
But that is where the simplicity ended. Designing a store that inspires exploration and adventure takes creativity, resources, technology and a partner committed to the same vision.
The brand tapped Mood Media as its partner. Mood Media is a multi-dimensional integrated media company providing a seamless customer journey by connecting physical and digital.
«We selected Mood Media for its expertise in creating integrated sensory experiences and innovative approaches to digital technology,» said Cerletti.
The Mood Media solution at the flagship store combines synchronized projection systems, dynamic LED displays, custom soundtracks and unique scenting. And all that is managed through sophisticated remote controls that let The North Face adapt the environment throughout the year.
«This flexibility allows us to tell different stories and create fresh experiences that keep our base camp concept dynamic and engaging,» said Cerletti.
While Mood Media played the leading role, internal brand resources were also tapped to develop the immersive experience.
«This store is the result of detailed planning and a creative process from the retail marketing department,» said Cerletti, adding that store design, creative environment and visual merchandising worked closely with retail operations and construction teams to bring the vision to life.
«Together, we ensured that every element of the experience authentically represents The North Face’s heritage while pushing boundaries in retail innovation.»
Immersive experience elements
The discovery/immersive experience involved several distinct elements.
The star feature is a 360-degree dome tent transformed into a digital canvas providing a 30-minute visual journey. It has five synchronized Optoma projectors utilizing advanced Vioso projection technology to create an immersive experience through AI-generated content that flows through day-to-night transitions and seasonal changes.
The «outdoors» zone features a striking 12.75-square-meter LED wall that serves as the dynamic canvas for brand storytelling. With high-precision 2.5-pixel pitch display technology, the wall delivers sharp, vivid imagery that complements the store’s atmosphere.
«Dynamic visual experiences transform our stores into gateways for exploration, bringing the outdoors into the heart of urban environments like London. Our customers seek more than just products — they want to feel connected to the spirit of adventure that defines The North Face,» said Cerletti. «The 360-degree projection dome and LED displays in our Regent Street flagship respond to this desire, creating an emotional connection that inspires their next journey while helping them discover the right gear for their adventures.»
Enhancing the experience is an olfactory, scent-based, experience featuring a custom-designed fragrance. There is also a corner display educating shoppers about The North Face’s initiatives in recyclable product design and wilderness preservation. Interactive elements encourage customers to engage with the brand’s reuse, refill and repair programs, making sustainability tangible and actionable.
And when it comes to auditory experience The North Face has curated playlists associated with nature-based activities — indie rock and energetic electronic music — with metropolitan styles like nu-soul, nu-funk, and contemporary forward-thinking pop.
Another product discovery element is a footwear finder. The tool simplified the decision-making process by focusing on how customers actually shop — through their intended use rather than technical specifications, according to Cerletti.
«Using an intuitive touchscreen interface, customers select their activity, terrain and desired benefits, and the system guides them to their perfect match. This digital tool also enables side-by-side comparisons, helping customers understand the specific technologies and innovations that make each shoe unique,» she said, adding that it is a phygital experience, using adaptations of the mobile e-commerce experience live on The North Face website.
Lessons for success
The immersive experience has provided what The North Face calls «remarkable» results form customer engagement to increasing dwell time in the store as well as repeat visits.
The project’s success, according to Cerletti, is tied to focusing on an authentic brand story and using technology to enhance and not overshadow.
«For The North Face, every digital element in our Regent Street flagship serves a clear purpose: bringing the outdoors inside and helping customers prepare for their next adventure,» she said. «We’ve learned that success comes from carefully integrating these experiences into the customer journey, using shopper feedback to refine and adapt the space. Be authentic, always ask yourself what values each of your store experiences will deliver and if it’s one your brand stands for.»
Another reason for the project’s success is that the immersive experience in the flagship store is what customers want today, according to Jaime Bettencourt, SVP of global account management and marketing at Mood Media.
«Brands recognize that physical stores must deliver experiences customers can’t find online. Through technologies like our 360-degree award-winning projection dome at The North Face, retailers can transform spaces into true destinations that build emotional connections with their audience,» Bettencourt said in an email interview. «We’re seeing this strategy drive tangible results — increased dwell time, repeat visits and organic social media sharing all point to customers seeking out these distinctive physical experiences.»
Success in experiential retail requires careful planning and vision across multiple dimensions, according to Bettencourt. First, retailers need robust infrastructure to support advanced digital installations — from reliable power systems to proper ventilation for projection technology.
«Second, they need dedicated staff training programs to ensure teams can confidently operate and maintain these systems,» said Bettencourt, adding that brands must establish clear metrics for success beyond traditional sales data, tracking elements like customer satisfaction scores, foot traffic patterns and conversion rates among customers who engage with the immersive elements.
«The North Face project demonstrates how these elements work together to create a cohesive experience that delivers measurable business value.»
Bettencourt’s top advice tip to retailers striving to replicate The North Face experience is to dream big and design a vision with a partner that can truly bring it to life.
«Start with what matters to your customers and build from there. We’ve found the most successful projects, like The North Face flagship, succeed because they make technology feel natural and purposeful,» said Bettencourt. «You’ll also want to think long-term and plan a content strategy to keep the design fresh and engaging over time. One often-overlooked tip is to build your cross-functional team early. Getting design, operations and technology experts together from the start helps avoid headaches down the road.»
About Judy Mottl
Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Customer Experience and Digital Signage Today. She has decades of experience as a reporter, writer and editor covering technology and business for top media including AOL, InformationWeek, InternetNews and Food Truck Operator.
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