Hublot | The Arsham Droplet

Tendril partnered with Hublot to concept and produce a complete 360 campaign for the launch of the Arsham Droplet, a visionary creation born from the collaboration between Hublot and acclaimed contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. Inspired by the organic, fluid forms found in nature, the Arsham Droplet embodies the perfect fusion of antique elegance and futuristic innovation.

To bring the project to life, Tendril brought together an all-star team of global talents, including live action partners Denim, photographer Norman Wong, True Staging, CYPHER for sound & music and more (complete creds below). 

Approach + Aesthetic

In both the films and the immersive launch event we present Arsham’s studio not as a real place, but as an imagined space between dream and reality. A place where past and future works collide and materials shift and change across time. As he voices over his inspiration for the Droplet’s design, using live action footage mixed with CG, we create a story that flirts with the surreal. We wanted to invite art enthusiasts and watch collectors into a world that existed in this in-between.

Surreal Brand Worldbuilding

Experimenting with contrasts and juxtapositions and with an aim to push aesthetic boundaries, we reached beyond our usual process and created a rich library of visual assets to use across all aspects of the campaign: from aerial drone footage of natural landscapes and ice-caves shot on location in Iceland, to solarised and treated footage, still photography, Houdini simulations, photoreal product renders as well as stylized ‘sketch’ looks. [Behance]

The live-action shoot began amidst the stunning glaciers of southern Iceland, capturing breathtaking caves and landscapes. These real-world environments served as the backdrop for Arsham and Hublot’s journey. Following the Iceland shoot, the team returned to Toronto for a studio shoot featuring a water set and a custom-built LED wall. Sophisticated lighting highlighted the intricate details of the design, with turquoise accents and mineral glass enhancing the monochrome titanium and sapphire palette.

An Immersive Launch at the Tate Modern in London

As part of the world-building for this exciting collaboration, we created an immersive experience in the South Tanks at the Tate Modern in London.

The mise-en-scène was designed to juxtapose permanence against the constant, organic transformation of materials and landscapes through time: Ice becomes water, which crystalizes in sapphire and mineral glass. This translated the surrealistic environment of the films into a beautiful, immersive space for guests to explore.