Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness

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Come find us. We’re out there. – Kathmandu’s new evergreen brand campaign – explores the transformative power of nature, including the endorphin increasing experience of being in the wilderness. Wanderlust cliches aside, Come find us. We’re out there.  is an invitation to feel that thing that happens inside, when we go outside.

 

The first collaboration between Kathmandu and NZ creative agency Motion Sickness establishes a new direction for the brand.

Says Jo O’Sullivan, general manager of marketing, Kathmandu: “Come Find Us. We’re Out There. sets a new tone for our brand, leaning into what made us fall in love with the outdoors over 30 years ago. It’s the peace, connection and meaning we discover while out there, and this campaign invites our community to join us in experiencing that together.”


The campaign was shot entirely on Aotea Great Barrier Island and in partnership with the locals. Leaning into Kathmandu’s new Zealand heritage, the Island showcases the ruggedness and realness of New Zealand’s wild spaces, and the people embody being ‘out there’ in its truest sense: off the grid, amongst the elements, and in harmony with the land.

Says Hilary Ngan Kee, head of strategy, Motion Sickness: “This is an iconic brand from the bottom of the world, and the new campaign lays the foundation for the future. We’re just getting started, with exciting plans to activate this new direction in unique ways over the next few years. We’re excited to see where the Kathmandu brand can go.”



The hero film is guided by Aotearoa radio icon Kim Hill, whose unmistakable voice carries audiences on a journey into nature, pondering and unpacking how being outside changes us. Accompanying Hill’s voice over is bespoke sound design constructed from live recordings on the island, by talented Auckland-based music producers

Says Sam Stuchbury, ECD Motion Sickness: “Kathmandu, Great Barrier Island, and Kim Hill all have a special place in many Kiwi hearts. The combination felt like a magic formula for resetting the brand.. The north star for this campaign was making nature, and the experience of it, our hero. It’s about being out there, getting mud between your toes, and knowing you have a good pair of Kathmandu socks to warm them up in.”

Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness

Complementing the film is two suites of imagery, shot by US-based photographer, Jerry Buttles. The hero suite was inspired by timeless National Geographic covers, framing people amongst vast and varied landscapes of Aotea Great Barrier, and shot on a mixture of 35mm film, 120mm film and medium format digital.

The second suite features nine Aotea locals (of 150 who applied to be part of the campaign), wearing new season Kathmandu gear. Shot at the Island’s local hall, Kathmandu’s latest range is styled with the talent’s personal pieces, including a well-seasoned pair of Red Bands.

Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness

Says O’Sullivan: “This is a significant moment in Kathmandu’s brand history, and one we are proud to share. Aotearoa, and all it represents, is the essence of Kathmandu’s story, and we are excited to celebrate our heritage in all we do moving forward. New Zealand’s wilderness continues to inspire us not only to get out there more often, but also to create thoughtfully designed, sustainably made gear to help our community do the same.”

Come find us. We’re out there. is now live across New Zealand TV, out of home, online and social media platforms.

Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness Kathmandu launches new global campaign ‘Come Find Us. We’re Out There’ via Motion Sickness

Client: Kathmandu
CEO: Megan Welch
General Manager: Jo O’Sullivan
Creative Manager: Stephen McCarthy

Creative Agency: Motion Sickness
Executive Creative Director: Sam Stuchbury
Senior Creative: Will Macdonald
Senior Creative: Melina Fiolitakis
Creative Copywriter: Freddy Riddiford
Senior Designer: Hamish Steptoe
General Manager: Alex McManus
Account Director: Joe Fraei
Head of Strategy: Hilary Ngan Kee
Head of Production: Joseph McAlpine
Head of Post Production: Jolin Lee

Video Production Company: FINCH
Sound Design & Composition: CAY Works
Photographer (Hero Campaign): Jerry Buttles
Photo Assist (Campaign): Ant Low
Photographer (Eccom): Holly Sarah Burgess
Photography (Additional): Nicole Brannen
Wardrobe Stylist: Helen Young Loveridge
Wardrobe Assist: Estelle Schuler