Kathmandu inspires people to ‘get out there and stay out there’ in new campaign via Special NZ
Leading outdoor brand, Kathmandu, has today launched its new campaign ‘Summer Never Sleeps’, in partnership with Special New Zealand.
Summer Never Sleeps highlights summer as a time for spontaneity, inspiring people to venture somewhere new, dive into the unexpected and maximise every opportunity to live their best summer yet, not only during the day but at night too.
Kathmandu knows that people get out there in summer – for festivals, day trips, hikes, swims, and everything in between – but Summer Never Sleeps encourages them to stay out there, with a jampacked summer story that suggests no time to rest the head.
Produced by Special and Scoundrel, the Summer Never Sleeps film forms the foundation of the creative campaign, following a group of friends on their quirky summer adventure from night to day, and into night again.
To the soundtrack of Jimmy, Renda-Se, by Brazilian composer, Tom Zé, the friends roast marshmallows, bike off trail, snoop a merman portrait painting, swim fully clothed, dance, march, and row through the night, all while sporting Kathmandu’s range of purpose-designed, technically advanced, outdoor gear.
Says Eva Barrett, chief customer officer, Kathmandu: “As the Number 1 outdoor brand in New Zealand and Australia we play a meaningful role in summer and we’re on a mission to get as many people ‘out there’ in nature as possible. Why? Because we know how the outdoors makes us feel. The outdoors is transformative. When we spend time out there our stress goes down, our empathy goes up and we become more creative and feel happier… And that’s at any time, not just when the sun is up.
“We’re thrilled to have continued our work with Special New Zealand who helps us tell our story innovatively, creatively and passionately.
Says Lisa Fedyszyn, executive creative director, Special New Zealand: “Kathmandu is an adventurous brand and one that stands out, not just in its category, but in everything it does. The Summer Never Sleeps campaign encourages and facilitates everyone to fit in as much as they can over summer because it’s most rewarding when you make the most of being out there and staying out there.”
Summer Never Sleeps builds on Kathmandu’s brand platform – ‘We’re Out There’ – inspiring a new generation to feel the benefits of being outside, and ties into Kathmandu’s purpose to improve the wellbeing of the world through the outdoors.
Kathmandu’s Summer Never Sleeps campaign will roll out across TV, digital, social, out of home and PR in New Zealand and Australia from Monday 26 September to Saturday 19 November 2022.
The campaign launches in line with Kathmandu’s Spring/Summer ‘23 collection: a range spanning apparel and gear for men, women and kids, to help people experience the best of summer this year. The range is available in-store and online now (www.kathmandu.co.nz).
Brand: Kathmandu
Chief Customer Officer: Eva Barrett
Head of Global Brand Campaigns: Michaela Clark
Head of Marketing AU/NZ: Richard Dalke
Global Head of Social Media: Shailyn Shah
Creative Manager: Glenn Gibbins
Creative Agency: Special Group New Zealand
Chief Creative Officer: Tony Bradbourne
Executive Creative Director: Lisa Fedyszyn
Executive Creative Director: Jonathan McMahon
Creative Director: David Shirley
Associate Creative Director: Letizia Bozzolini
Associate Creative Director: Justin Butler
Associate Creative Director: Julia Ferrier
Head of Production: Sally Lankshear
Senior Producer: Casey King
Producer: Millie Costley-Deakin
General Manager: John Marshall
Senior Business Director: Amelia Hopkinson
Business Director: Kate Syms
Business Manager: Ruby Koia
Chief Strategy Officer: Rory Gallery
Group Strategy Director: Ed Gunn
Strategy Director: Jolene D’Souza
Production Company: Scoundrel
Director: Daniel Warwick
Executive: Producer – Adrian Shapiro
Associate Executive Producer: Morgan Benson-Taylor
Line Producer: Luka Jauh
DOP: Jan David Gunther
Production Designer: Lara Stefancic
Offline Editor: Adam Wills
Illustration: Laurie Herman
VFX and Online: bEpic
Facilitation: BAS productions
Soundmix: Kraatz Studios
Music Supervisor: Karyn Rachtman / Mind Your Music
Media Agency: Dentsu
PR Agency: Edelman
Social Agency: We Are Social
26 Comments
Weird and cool… great combo!
That is exceptional. Well done to all involved.
I don’t remember this episode of The Mighty Boosh?
Me: Can we have Gucci x The North Face?
Mum: We have Gucci x The North Face at home.
Gucci x The North Face at home:
Love this. Especially the end shot. Congrats all involved
What the fox say?
Why can’t all ads be this good!!
Made me think of Mighty Boosh too. Great stuff.
Imagine the client seeing the agency list here and seeing where all the budget went. Special.
This is impressive, world-class work that gives this (previously) daggy mum and dad brand from NZ a big distinctive personality and cool factor capable of winning over young people around the globe.
Congratulations to all involved. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the #OutThere platform.
Btw, no, I don’t work for Special. I just think good work needs to be congratulated more often on this site.
Love this. Catchy and rewatchable.
I love this so much.
looooove this work, congrats all involved!
Very much ok. An ok pastiche of a film technique that has been done bigger and better globally for the last 2 years. This is so tiny island style. Anyone who thinks this is ‘weird and exceptional’ must be from the Tron. If Eva wants to celebrate NZ and AUS as much as she quotes, Katmandu might consider shooting here. “As the number 1 outdoor brand…” cringe. “Encourages and facilitates everyone…” cringe. This is classic Special. All puff no originality.
I honestly couldn’t stop watching this. Congrats to all involved, especially a brave client.
Your jealously wafts all the way from your washed out hay day hidey-hole. Now, get back to writing those eDMS and let people congratulate clients and agency for a great piece of work.
Calm down mate. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re always a couple of years behind the leading edge OS (not that that’s a good thing, but the reality) and ‘bigger and better’ global work will always be a creative jumping off point for local brands. This is a bloody good ad: fun, young and eye-catching, and better than pretty much anything else in the category. Stop hating on things you wish you’d had the backbone to make.
Its just weird. Like a trailer for a strange horror
From the craft to the line I absolutely love this campaign.
Does it make me want to buy outdoor gear? Not really. Does it make me jealous and love what I do again. Yes.
Tom Zé: Jimmy, Renda Se – the music is a masterstroke.
This is art, and I really hope it sells.
See you out there
Hats off for doing something very different in the category.
But I’ve watched it 4 times and the idea is lost in translation.
Maybe a different edit or losing a scene would land it, but there’s too much happening too quickly and the
Whole thing just becomes a ‘whacky bunch of kids out camping, which is out there, but the Summer never sleeps idea is a bit lost.
This is exceptional work. Cannot fault it, and I do really love to fault things.
Do you only post positive feedback? I think it’s strange and seems like a weird horror trailer!
I love it, specially the soundtrack by Tom Zé ❤️