Made For Outside
Weather. It’s why we do things outside.
It’s also why we don’t.
At Columbia, weather is a compass. Products are designed to embrace it and seasons are planned around it. At the end of the day, we can’t control the weather, and that’s ok. Because Columbia has spent the last 80 years innovating to keep you Warm, Dry, Cool & Protected.
I pioneered the Global Brand Story Manager role at Columbia, uniting brand storytelling, social media, product marketing, omni-channel advertising and communications strategy as one walking, talking human brief.
I managed these global brand campaigns for eight consecutive seasons, with output spanning tens of thousands of assets for broadcast, streaming, social, ecom, email, digital, print, ooh and retail.
The challenge? Get people, all over the world, outside.
S18 & F18: Get Out There
S19: What Heat? & What Rain? F19: We <3 Keeping You Warm
S20: Don’t Seek Shelter
F20: Warm Smarter
S21, F21 & S22: Made For Outside
Partners: Camp4 Collective & Tim Kemple, Pinata, The Mill, North, Stept, Sockeye, McCann, The Hoffman Brothers.
WARM
Reflective heating technology.
Columbia is known for the sparkly, silver reflective heating technology that lines jackets, thermals, snow-pants and boots. They apply Omni-Heat™ to every product they can, and you bet it works.
We found all sorts of creative ways to communicate this somewhat complicated technology — inspiring cinematography of the outdoors, CGI critters gathered around a campfire, broadcast spots starring Gert Boyle, the brand’s 95 year old CEO…
COOL
“Whether crossing the desert or the wild west, humans have found that the best way to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays is to cover up.””
Reflective cooling technology.
Columbia’s answer to cooling is its heating technology in reverse: Omni-Shade™ Sun Deflector.
Breathable, moisture-wicking fabric with reflective dots on the outside that deflect sun away from the body.
DRY
Waterproofing.
Omni-Tech™& OutDry™ Extreme.
This story is an easy one to tell—anyone that’s captured slow-mo of a skier tearing through fresh powder, a hiker caught in a rainstorm, or a runner slashing through puddles knows what I’m talking about.
