Morgan Stanley’s Out of This World activation

The new Morgan Stanley Access I space suit was on display; It was conceived with a team of space experts, historians and engineers.Photo: Danny GhitisNEW YORK—In 2019, the first all-female spacewalk had to be postponed due to insufficient space suits for the astronauts.

“That was an eye opener for us,” said Alice Milligan, CMO of Morgan Stanley. “With Morgan Stanley Equities Research forecasting that the global space industry will grow to more than $1 trillion by 2040, we believe we have an opportunity to help break down barriers and give everyone a fair chance to compete.” participate in the growing space economy. ”

To that end, the financial services firm decided to partner with Courageous, CNN’s brand studio, to raise awareness of the topic of integrative space suit design by unveiling a conceptual space suit mockup in Times Square in October.

Dubbed “Creating Space,” the immersive activation allowed visitors to explore the history of spacesuit design with displays showing historical replicas of suits and pose for photos as astronauts via augmented reality (AR) technology. As an engagement-boosting add-on, photos shared on social media were beamed onto signage in front of Morgan Stanley’s Times Square headquarters.

Visitors could also walk through a “galaxy room” with mirrored walls, floors and a ceiling that projected images from the James Webb Space Telescope. And on the way out, the new Morgan Stanley Access I spacesuit was on display; It was conceived with a team of space experts including Vinita Marwaha Madill, founder of Rocket Women, which highlights women in the STEM industry, as well as historians and engineers.

On the International Space Station (ISS), suits known as HUT units are currently only available in Medium, Large, and Extra-Large, which is why the first all-female spacewalk was canceled (there weren’t enough medium-sized units ready). To increase inclusivity, Morgan Stanley’s speculative suit concept includes air bladders in the chest cavity that can be inflated or deflated to accommodate different torso shapes and sizes, as well as enhanced articulating components for better mobility.

The Creating Space activation was “part of a larger partnership with CNN to raise awareness of the need for more inclusive spacesuit design and to help remove barriers for women in space,” Milligan said. The one-day activation welcomed approximately 3,000 visitors; People can always learn more at CNN.com.

The space suit project is also the latest effort within Morgan Stanley’s broader marketing strategy. “As a company, we’re very committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, and you’ll see that increasingly reflected in the way we go to market as a brand,” Milligan said.

The company has collaborated with fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff to re-imagine the traditional banker bag, typically carried by men on Wall Street, for a wider audience. The bag was launched in September during the last New York Fashion Week. And brand ambassador Leylah Fernandez, a 20-year-old Canadian professional tennis player and citizen of Ecuadorian and Filipino descent, appeared in a new commercial for Morgan Stanley launched during the US Open. “The response we’ve had to both initiatives has been tremendous, with social and earned media metrics far exceeding benchmarks,” Milligan said.

Citing the latest Edelman Trust Barometer (a metric that measures the average percentage of trust in institutions such as NGOs, business, government and the media), Milligan pointed out that 58% of respondents said they would buy or advocate for brands based on their beliefs and values. She added: “There is a growing expectation that brands will do well by doing good; that they stand up and engage in initiatives that put purpose at the heart and build more just, representative and inclusive cultures.”

Keep scrolling to see more of Morgan Stanley’s Creating Space activation…