So...is it real or not?
After weeks of tremendous worldwide buzz and speculation last year, global outdoor and sports brand Hi-Tec finally revealed themselves as the masterminds behind the Liquid Mountaineering viral phenomenon. With the vision and quirky sense of humor of Passion RAW director Willem Gerritsen, the documentary-style film features three men running on water thanks to the water repellent qualities of their Hi-Tec shoes. It even left us scratching our heads.
The result of Liquid Mountaineering is a tremendous success story driving both awareness and engagement on the Web. Reaction to the viral campaign surpassed all expectations, with YouTube views exceeding 10 million views to date. The initial buzz had people all over the world debating whether this new sport was real, with a number of entertaining attempts even appearing on the Web. Hi-Tec Head of Marketing Simon Bonham jokes that while the shoes have some amazing liquid repellency features, "even we still can't walk on water...it was all a well intended hoax."
The Art Directors Club recently bestowed Willem with prestigious Young Guns honors--read the glowing review here. He also recently picked up two Cannes Lions and D&AD Pencil and accolades from the One Show, ADC, Ad Age and Spin for Hi-Tec and other work.
The Infamous Viral Video