Jen Burkey
@jenburkey
Jen Burkey
Hiking is exploding with Gen Z! The North Face is tapping straight into it. They just dropped “𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗛𝗶𝗸𝗲” for next-gen adventurers. The campaign promotes the SS26 Hike collection and aims to re-energise hiking for a new generation. Gen Z is now the fastest growing demographic in outdoor activities, particularly hiking and trail running. Hiking hashtags now have billions of views on TikTok. 57% say outdoor experiences are important for their mental health. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: → For Gen Z hiking is less about endurance and survival. → And more about identity, expression, community and content. At the same time, outdoor brands are behaving like culture brands. Fashion is a huge driver. The rise of 𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 has turned hiking gear into everyday style. Gen Z are wearing technical outdoor pieces in cities and at festivals, not just on the trail. Which is why campaigns like this frame hiking differently. Not as endurance sport. But as self-expression. On-point. The name comes from GORP, short for “Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts,” a nickname for trail mix.
Merrell just reframed the $174B outdoor market for the people who don’t like it.
45 years in, the brand known for hiking boots has launched its first-ever global campaign, “It Starts Outside,” to democratize the outdoors.
Their core shopper was predominantly hikers, but the target growth opportunity is much broader.
The outdoor market is ~$174B today and heading toward $229B by 2031.
The big opportunity isn’t in hiking boots. It’s lifestyle.
They’re expanding their audience by targeting people who don’t like the “outdoors.”
As CMO Richard Mcleod said, much of the competitive set romanticizes achievement.
It’s still relevant. But Merrell chose not to lead there.
→ They’re launching the Merrell Outside Futures Project, focused on expanding access and opportunity for aspiring designers.
→ Created with Uncommon Creative Studio, the campaign features three short-form vignettes illustrating the many ways people access the outside in daily life.
→ One vignette shows Merrell athlete and Olympian Alexi Pappas hiking alongside visually impaired marathon runner Lisa Thompson to find community.
→ They’re not talking about the “outdoors.”
→ They’re talking about “outside.”
Shifting brand perception is one of the hardest tasks for a marketer.
This is a great example of what happens when you articulate a clear POV.
Barilla made Spotify playlists timed to your pasta’s cooking time. 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 👇 Brands have been playing on Spotify for a while now.… | Jolyon...
linkedin.com
music strategy
“We want to be culturally relevant.”
Every brief says it. Very few define it.
For me, there’s a simple distinction I keep coming back to:
❌ Brands around culture sponsor the conversation from the sidelines. Plays an awareness role, but not to be mistaken.
☑️ Brands in culture contribute something people would notice, even if the logo disappeared.
When... See more
Every brief says it. Very few define it.
For me, there’s a simple distinction I keep coming back to:
❌ Brands around culture sponsor the conversation from the sidelines. Plays an awareness role, but not to be mistaken.
☑️ Brands in culture contribute something people would notice, even if the logo disappeared.
When... See more
Paul Venuto • feed updates
Cultural relevance
Trends are rented. Formats are owned. Invest in formats you can repeat, evolve, and make your own because those are what actually compound over time. Doing trends consistently isn’t a strategy nor is it sustainable.
Your best inspiration will never come from the same niche you operate in.
Step outside your own box. Bring ideas back with intention.
... See more→ Trust that unconnected sparks electrify the work. Seemingly random inputs from art, history, nature, culture and beyond can jolt a strategy alive in ways category research on its own never will.
→ Ground strategy in deeper currents and primal truths. Human experience loops through the same themes across time and culture. When you tap into those... See more
→ Ground strategy in deeper currents and primal truths. Human experience loops through the same themes across time and culture. When you tap into those... See more
Heidi Hackemer • Strategy is shrinking — and how to fight back
Future of Triathlon Showing Positive Signs: IRONMAN Releases Data Highlighting Areas of Growth Globally, Survey Results Revealing Areas of Opportunity, and a Vision for Growing the Sport of Triathlon
Future of Triathlon Showing Positive Signs: IRONMAN Releases Data Highlighting Areas of Growth Globally, Survey Results Revealing Areas of Opportunity, and a Vision for Growing the Sport of Triathlon
Gen Z on the move
Brands with “main character energy” aren’t afraid to:
If you’re not showing up in your feed, why should customers believe you’re showing up for them?
- Talk to the camera
- Show behind the scenes
- Educate in your zone of genius
- Repurpose that content across channels
If you’re not showing up in your feed, why should customers believe you’re showing up for them?
Just a moment...
“social-first”
Communities Scale Faster Than Campaigns
Social-first brands aren’t just posting content. They’re creating a world people want to belong to.
This isn’t “audience growth.” It’s... See more
Social-first brands aren’t just posting content. They’re creating a world people want to belong to.
- Use story polls and comments to co-create
- Spotlight customers as creators
- Let your community shape language and content
- Reward engagement with more access—not just discounts
This isn’t “audience growth.” It’s... See more
Just a moment...
“social-first”