Merrell
CLIENT
Merrell
Market
New York City
Partners
Union Square partnership
NYC DOT Art
Talon
Most New Yorkers pass through Union Square at least once a week, but very few get to paint it. Merrell, in partnership with Shantell Martin, was 2026’s Union Square Busway Mural to brighten the city block and encourage communities to Get Outside. This unprecedented partnership marks the first time the Union Square Partnership BID has collaborated with a brand to fund this public artwork. Colossal joined on the ground — literally — to make this mural happen.
The Union Square mural served as the launch of Merrell’s Outside in the City, a global program of community experiences, public art, and creative partnerships designed to redefine what “going outside” looks like today — reframing the outdoors not as a distant destination, but as something woven into everyday life, from city streets and parks to waterfronts and neighborhood blocks.
The art-only design featured unbranded illustrations created by Martin — a clear and appreciated investment in community. Merrell’s brand and Get Outside campaign were celebrated in the surrounding area and events, along with an additional Colossal wall in SoHo. Subway station wraps, lamp post banners, and more invited passersby into an immersive experience anchored by the Busway Mural.
Images courtesy of Pivot Media
Merrell, with Shantell Martin and project partners Union Square Partnership and NYC DOT Art, hosted the mural unveiling on April 30th, followed by a brand activation on May 7th. The mural unveiling included a choreographed dance reveal booked by Marlon Taylor-Wile’s Flying Under the Radar (creative agency) with choreography by Maleek Washington and the cast. All together, this will be a mural to remember.
+1.6M
Social impressions
+24%
lift in engagement rate
above industry benchmark
“I’ve worked with Colossal a few times now, and for me, I love working with them because the work that I create is very spontaneous and intuitive, and if it’s something that’s being recreated, I want to work with a company that I trust that can recreate it in a way that’s to a high standard and to a high quality. So that’s what we have here with Colossal.”
SPRING PROGRESS
April 30 Reveal
May 7 Brand Activation
