Kathmandu launches new purpose and ‘We’re out there’ brand platform via Special Group
Outdoor lifestyle brand Kathmandu has today shared its new brand positioning via Special Group, which builds on the company’s brand heritage of improving people’s lives by getting more people out there in nature.
As part of its new positioning Kathmandu shared its new purpose to improve the wellbeing of the world through the outdoors. As a registered B-Corp Kathmandu has always put people and planet first and is a leader in the environmental space. As part of this mission they announced their new brand platform and attitude ‘We’re out there’ which aims to inspire a new generation to feel the benefits of being outside.
Appointed following a broader business transformation pre-covid-19, Kathmandu’s first-ever chief customer officer Eva Barrett lead the global rebrand, and said today’s announcement has been more than 12 months in the making. Building off the insight that the benefits of being out in nature are universal, the new purpose and platform celebrates being out there in nature in a fun, spontaneous and inclusive way.
Says Barrett: “It’s not about climbing a mountain or what you do in the outdoors, but how the outdoors makes you feel. ‘We’re out there’ reflects the spirit and attitude of Kathmandu.
“Kathmandu has always known that being outdoors is transformative. Science has shown that it changes our brains for the better. When we spend time out there our stress goes down, our empathy goes up and we become more creative and happier.
“That means we act differently. Nature makes us more happy and open and free and fun. It’s a beautiful truth that Kathmandu wants to celebrate.”
The consensus of scientists and academic research also support Kathmandu’s renewed mission, with a study of 20,000 people published in the scientific journal Nature, showing those who spent two hours a week in green spaces were substantially more likely to report good health and psychological wellbeing.
Along with the brand relaunch, Kathmandu is showcasing a range of jackets inspired by the vibrant colours of nature.
“One of the reasons nature can so profoundly affect us is because there is such an abundant variety of colour ‘out there’ – it stimulates our brains and delights our senses. Expanding our colour offering in our best loved, iconic styles, will have similar effects.”
Says Nils Eberhardt, creative director, Special Group: We know being outdoors is good for us and changes us, for the better and sometimes even the weirder. By creating ‘We’re Out There’, we wanted to celebrate this truth and encourage more Aussies and Kiwis to get out and experience the freedom of the outdoors.”
An integrated advertising campaign featuring the new brand platform ‘We’re out there’ will go live from May 6th, consisting of TV, radio, digital, PR and social. A refreshed brand identity is also part of the launch.
Creative Agency: Special Group Australia
Production: Exit Films
Director: Stefan Hunt
Cinematographer: Sam Chiplin
Managing Director: Declan Cahill
Executive Producer: Leah Churchill Brown
Producer: Linzee Harris
Post Production: Heckler
Senior Editor and Online Artist – Andrew Holmes
Executive Post Producer: Carlos Zalapa
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Design Director: Gina Wagstaffe
Design Animator: Freddie Jiang
Design Animator: Chris Yee
Design animator: Adrien Girault
2D compositor: Kim Worral
VFX Supervisor – Jamie Watson
Composer: Matthias Muller
Sound: Rumble Studios
Sound engineer: Liam Annert
Sound producer: Katie Harper
Media: iProspect
PR: Keep Left
Social: We Are Social
67 Comments
Super jealous, wish I made this. Love it.
Curl
Whilst I am still trying to work out if I like it or not, I applause the brand/agency for going to market with an actual idea that will differentiate them from the sea of sameness in the category.
Kathmandu…some hipster reefer magic mushroom nonsense. The brand literally has no idea. And neither does this
Bruh, this clown XD.
I reckon the boomers who shop there won’t know what to make of this.
I admire agencies that strive to do great work.
But that always comes with risks.
UberEats was great.
Kathmandu isn’t.
In fact, you could be excused for thinking Kathmandu’s ‘out there’ isn’t the great outdoors ‘out there’.
Pity, because ‘We’re out there’ is a great campaign theme, but the execution fails to it justice.
quirky odd outdoors has been done and not only done, but stacks better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI0klZyYHJE
I get that Stefan directed both, but at least there’s an idea in the Kathmandu work. In what world is a beer with ‘altitude’ a benefit?
So, 72 and Sunny also did an ad featuring people enjoying the great outdoors? Fail to see any other similarity.
@72-you’ve-seen-too-much-Sunny
Misappropriating snowboard culture at maximum levels of unawareness, about as cool as a warm cup of piss.
The Kathmandu spot is miles more authentic than that beer diarrhoea.
Why do you think the campaign is called ‘We’re out there’?
Maybe you’re more of a North Face person? Think before you make nasty comments pal.
Feels like something you could watch over and over again without it getting tired. Great campaign line too. Nice.
How could you think this is bad? So fresh. Well done.
This line is great. And I love the execution. But I can see why some boomers on this thread might think that other boomers will be alienated by it. But maybe this is future-proofing a brand which was at risk of becoming old and daggy like a boomer in a bright orange puffer? Good work Special Group.
So Kathmandu is a quirky brand now? We’ll have to wait and see how much this strategy is actually implemented in product and at retail, otherwise this will do nothing to grow long-term market share from what looks like a younger, new customer demographic.
This work hits the category like a breath of fresh mountain air.
Nice idea, and lovely execution (the direction, music and VO are all solid choices). Exactly what the Kathmandu brand needed to pull it out of Mum and Dad’s closet.
Sure, everything has been done before, but this hits different. Crusty old has-been CDs who think TikTok is the loud sound of their retirement watch, will never understand the new world. They’ll only troll from the sidelines. This is brave, yet they hide behind their keyboards. Disclaimer – I didn’t have anything to do with this work, but I’ll always applaud bravery.
Yep. It’s great. Looking forward to see where it’s going to go.
https://driven.agency/work/rays-outdoors/
Yep, this is good. congrats Special!
This is good, but I guess I’m susceptible to hipster reefer magic nonsense. Well done SG.
This idea is like that guy in school that had to tell everyone he was cool and fun.
@ok boomer…i am 26 bruh. (#^.^#)
@leaves me cold or is it old….. patagonia
Love the craft, the writing, the tone. Only problem is that it’s for the wrong brand. Unless you’re going to change the business from the inside out and the look of the clothes you’ve gone made yourselves a really good ad for Thredup
I like the ad, but I think Katmandu is insanely overpriced and nowhere near up to standard. I hike, I climb, I ski – I’ve never been anything but disappointed by their gear. North Face prices for Target-quality kit.
@Leaves me cold
Hahaha no you’re not 26. ‘Leaves me cold’ is boomer CD speak. Unless you’re already channeling a boomer CD? In which case….. :/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjRHDS9XFrI
This is the fresh brand piece Kathmandu needed, good job team
and that’s all that matters. PERIOD
All over the shop with an over ambitious client who believes her own hype. People will see right through this. Kathmandu is not that cool. It just isn’t. I don’t know what ‘leaves’ she’s been smoking. By the way, great use of a RIP CURL towel at 0:26. Had to use it as prop because it has rainbows and rainbows are cool. And rainbows are stoner. And Kathmandu is cool. That’s why there’s a RIP CURL towel on the film. Fuck I’m lost. Must be the leaves.
That’s why there is a rip curl towel in there.
Great work. Makes me want to go outdoors in the cold.
I’m confused. Seems like a lot of weird Optus style (embarrassing yes campaign with Josh Thomas) millennial crap that is talking at them rather than with them. I live and breathe the great outdoors and I don’t see how this creates any salience within the category.
Pretty sure Nike would be mad about them ripping off ‘We Out There’.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264854456852
Dammmmmn! You’re 26 and you behave online like Ebenezer Scrooge. Ad world got you this jaded already? If you don’t like someone’s work, that is fine. But instead of being all sour about it, be constructive. ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
This is great. Shits on Kosciuszko, for whatever numpty suggested it.
You’re sadly mistaken. Kathmandu has an idea in it.
Cool work. Gives me a GUCCI x The North Face vibe. In a good way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wHAsOPNRs
That’s awesome! Well done Special Folk
A fantastic ad.
You don’t always need a massive “idea”. Sometimes you just need to capture a feeling, inspire people, create something that looks incredible.
And this does all three.
Australia will forever be held back in advertising if these kooks keep harping on about their limited interpretation of what an idea is.
Love this! Quirky, unique and memorable in a mountain of sameness.
Agree bro!
This stinks more than a fart in a car on a summers day
Had to look that Josh Thomas ad up just to fact check your rubbish comment.
6 years old and it resembles nothing of this ad. Take your mittens off grandpa and spend your time better – like living and breathing your beloved outdoors!
Kathmandu marketing got gutted
Bring in a big “gun” who just sells it to special group.
This is ridiculous.
Special group aren’t special.
but its the same line as another Australian outdoor retailer in Rays.
Did that not bother anyone?
Anyway, the vid is cool af and yeah, the brand needed some freshness in it
Not a boomer.
Late 20s adventure gal (hike, snow, fish, camp etc).
Feels like they’re trying soo hard.
No one likes a try hard.
Feels like they’re gonna do a tiktok or some shite.
Poor form Kathas.
I normally like Special Group but I feel liked they’ve kooked it here.
Welp.
Patagonia has my money now.
Buhbye.
Kathmandu are trying so hard be like Patagonia but they need to hugely lift their game re quality, sustainability and customer service before putting out try hard marketing aimed at Gen Z (who ironically count these as some of the most important reasons when choosing to shop with a brand).
Stinky. Not a fan. Pass.
this is so chopped I thought MCC did it :/
the dude is wicked,, but like — he’s super distinctive — which I love , but I dunno about this choice for Kackadoo. Maybe a bit TOO much Stefan?
I love Rip Curl
Looks like someone at kathmandu went to urban outfitter and said , “ I’ll have one of these brand concepts please”
They cast are the types of folk who go outdoors once a year. Sweet pictures though.
Go woke, go broke. Marketing to a generation that’s not interested in going outside unless it’s to a sjw protest, good luck lol…
Correct
Loving all the special love for special’s own work here. If you think it’s so special no need to pepper the comments with your own self-congratulations and aggressive defensiveness. Half of this thread is from the agency. Let the work speak for itself and maybe learn something from the very fair feedback on your very average work.
Old Kathmandu was great, this feels like Mark Latham trying to be cool. How do you do fellow kids !?
I’m a fan of weird, but I honestly can’t understand the voiceover. Literally, the accent is fricking fried and I really struggle to pick up any words. I also agree this ad is patronising to young people, to the point it resembles an undercover cop wearing a tucked-in Stussy shirt with a leather belt at a rave asking where he can get any MDMA.
…that Kathmandu would adopt the concept that their biggest competitor, Super Retail Group (BCF, Macpac, Rays Outdoors) was running for Rays right up until they bought Macpac and changed all the Rays stores to Macpac. I mean, it’s a great positioning… it had been vacated… but Wtf?
Oh come on you sad sacks, lighten up. It’s fun. Not world-changing. But not bad gear to be wearing when blipping out on disco biscuits in a forest.
Who hurt you?
The new in thing you’ve made ordinary by doing a shit job at it, just like Westpac recently did.
Find something new, please.
Quirky, super cute advertisement. Ads don’t have to be boring!! People will buy Kathmandu since reliability has been proven.
It’s lovely to see Kathmandu encouraging young people to leave the comfort of the shopping malls to venture outside. Good thing they have such high quality products too, guaranteed never to fall apart after a couple of hours in the elements.