MCM "From München to Mars" Fall 2024 Ad Campaign

Review of MCM “From München to Mars” Fall 2024 Ad Campaign by Creative Director Katharina Korbjuhn with Photographer Collier Schorr with talent Matt Dillon, Zelda Adams, and Steph Shiu

MCM makes one giant leap with its new Fall 2024 campaign, “From München to Mars.” The campaign features creative direction from Katharina Korbjuhn with photography by Collier Schorr.

The campaign features iconic American actor Matt Dillon alongside models Zelda Adams and Steph Shiu. As its title suggests, the concept merges MCM’s distinct take on luxury leather goods with astronomical aspirations, pairing slick portraits of the stars with staged astronaut action. In a playful and fourth-wall-breaking nod to conspiracy theories about the moon landing being staged, the astronaut walks across a moon set while we see the camera crew in the foreground, while in another set of shots the characters field questions at a press conference.

But while it’s a potentially exciting narrative concept, the visuals never really quite come together to create a real sense of impact and character. The strongest thing about the campaign actually feels like the more simple portraits of its cast, while the more conceptual or narrative images feel half-baked: it would have been stronger to either go more in on a sense of realism or play up the campy fictional aspect, but what we have falls somewhere in between, and thus doesn’t feel as striking or memorable.

As a showcase for MCM’s accessories design, however, the portrait imagery definitely works. It’s also exciting to see the brand experiment with some new narrative concepts, and to make an unexpected casting choice like Matt Dillon. If these elements were brought together and focused in with a stronger art direction perspective, the campaign would have achieved liftoff.