The outdoor industry drives $646 billion in retail sales. Wild Yonder is a fictional outdoor brand comparable to The North Face, LL Bean, Patagonia, and Barbour that is trying to compete in the market. As clothing becomes more affordable, it also becomes more disposable to younger consumers who have lower quality expectations. Older consumers appreciate the high quality of outdoor gear, but younger consumers do not. The challenge was to focus marketing to younger consumers without alienating the older core consumers.

The approach: Make lifelong impressions on millennials and young parents by appealing to their values and icons. Focus on the young people who spend more time outside and spend more money on themselves on their children. Brand quality goes beyond craftsmanship and materials. It’s the intangible: convenience, relationships, memories. It’s what we want to be, it’s what we aspire to be. It’s the new standard.

We created a campaign that focused on the dual nature of people who like quality outdoor gear. We call it sophisticated ruggedness. They'll want clothing that they can hike in or wear to a play. But, they'll also want that clothing to be to able to withstand anything. It's made so well that you don't have to be gentle with it. The ads and the mix-and match magazine ad reflect these sentiments.