Observed Signal · Mar 2, 2026 · Campaign Launch · Source: Adweek · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Merrell's Bold Campaign Makes Outdoors More Accessible for All
Merrell unveiled its first global brand platform, “It Starts Outside,” created with agency partner Uncommon Creative Studio. The campaign reframes the outdoors as a more democratic, culturally rooted concept—using “outside” to include a broader range of people and activities—and features three vignettes with diverse casting including Olympic runner Alexi Pappas and visually impaired marathoner Lisa Thompson. The work will roll out globally across social, digital and connected TV. Concurrently, Merrell announced the Merrell Outside: Futures Project, developed with the late Virgil Abloh’s “Post‑Modern” scholarship fund (administered by the Fashion Scholarship Fund) and Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, to select 30+ students for a creative curriculum and apprenticeships in Merrell’s design studio. The article cites industry data on outdoor apparel market growth and rising outdoor participation to contextualize the brand push.
Brand campaign and creative initiative with limited direct impact on core AdTech infrastructure or market‑level advertising practices; relevant primarily as a marketing/creative execution that uses digital and CTV channels.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Merrell launched its first global brand platform, “It Starts Outside,” created by Uncommon Creative Studio.
- The campaign will roll out globally across social, digital, and connected TV.
- Merrell is launching Merrell Outside: Futures Project with Virgil Abloh’s “Post‑Modern” scholarship fund (administered by the Fashion Scholarship Fund) and Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design to select more than 30 students for curriculum and apprenticeships.
- Merrell’s global CMO is Richard McLeod; Uncommon Creative Studio’s chief strategy officer is Steve Zaroff.
- Article cites Mordor Intelligence and the Outdoor Industry Association reporting outdoor apparel market growth and a 3% increase in participation to 181.1 million in 2024.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Mammut launches 'Unwellness Retreat' campaign
Swiss outdoor brand Mammut has launched a new campaign titled 'Unwellness Retreat', challenging the conventional wellness and comfort-zone trends. The campaign features three American wellness creators, Jonah, Anabelle, and Mahina, who trade typical retreat rituals for extreme mountain experiences such as highline walking, ice climbing, and snow baths, guided by mountain guide Spencer Harkins. The hero film is part of a broader brand strategy to strengthen Mammut's DNA and reach new audiences, following the brand's acquisition by Chinese investment company CPE in July. Developed with lead agency Small Giants, the campaign includes a 60-second film, YouTube episodes, social media, and real-life retreats, including one at Verzasca Dam in Ticino, where participants sleep in portaledges 200 meters above the river. The brand aims to stay culturally relevant by encouraging people to experience the mountains firsthand.
Emergent Media and Leatherman Launch Creator-Led Social Campaign
Emergent Media, a branded content studio and digital publisher, has partnered with Leatherman and The Shipyard to launch "Get Rugged With Me," a creator-led social video campaign timed for National Preparedness Month. The campaign features an unscripted, UGC-style video with outdoor photographer Colleen, showcasing Leatherman tools like the Signal and Skeletool CX in everyday and outdoor scenarios. The campaign runs through October 8, 2026, and includes organic and paid social distribution across Meta, along with an interactive Instagram Story poll to gather audience insights. The campaign is anchored on Paradise Unmapped, Emergent's outdoor adventure channel, and aims to authentically integrate Leatherman into the lives of outdoor enthusiasts.
Saucony's Film Celebrates Community in Solo Running
Saucony released a four-minute branded film titled “The Runners” that frames running as both an individual practice and a communal experience. The spot uses a one-shot technique and voiceovers recorded by Saucony teams in Asia, EMEA and North America; it features professional runners Sam Chelanga and Hazem Miawad and highlights five Saucony shoe models including the Endorphin Azura and ProGrid Guide 7. Duo Hot Icarus directed the film, Stept Studios produced it, and Wolverine Worldwide’s in-house production team “The Den” handled photography with James Lacroix. The campaign, which premiered at New York’s Metrograph, is running across digital, streaming TV, social and out-of-home channels, with outdoor placements planned in Philadelphia for the Love Philly Run. The work continues Saucony’s year-old “Run as One” initiative to shift brand positioning from pure performance toward emotion-driven lifestyle marketing.
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