Backcountry Marketing

In this episode, we dive deep into an underlying problem in American culture as well as the outdoor industry. Patrick Tullos is the Sr. Manager of Brand Communications and Sports Marketing at Adidas Outdoor. Struggling with anxiety his entire life, he reached the tipping point after overworking himself for a year. Sitting on his couch with his bags packed ready to fly overseas for yet another work trip, Patrick was unable to move and realized something needed to change. Since then he's decided that nothing ever good happens while sitting at a desk and has allowed himself to enjoy the outdoors. The impact on himself and his work has been incredible. From the episode: "For a long time I would say, ok I need to stop drinking caffeine, then I need to stop drinking alcohol, I need to exercise more, and it just wouldn't go away. Ultimately all of those lifestyle changes are good but they're like putting a band-aid on a shotgun wound." "I always felt indebted because I feel so thankful to be in this industry. I was like, I always need to be working so hard for this industry and the brands I work for." "We as a culture and we as an industry have to find a middle ground to say it's ok to get outdoors and enjoy it and work hard." Follow Patrick and Adidas: @patrick2los @five_tenoffocial @adidasterrex Episode Sponsored By: Darby Communications https://www.darbycommunications.com/ @darbycomm Produced by: Port Side Productions @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

If you've ever felt like the world has to much stuff then you're not alone. Andrew is the founder of LIVSN Designs and feels the exact same way. Which is why he created a pair of pants that are as comfortable on the trail as they are sitting at a brewery. In his mind, if you're going to make a product that has an environmental impact - you might as well make something that will last and is functional. In this episode, Andrew shares how his passion for the outdoors and sustainability influences their product design but also influences how they choose to market. From the Episode: "Less stuff, better stuff." "We're trying to market on social media without using cliches and without "losing our soul". We want to remain honest and objective as much as we can." "We try a variety of value propositions in our marketing in an effort to stay objective in our advertising. I.E "High Quality" rather than "Best"" "We want to build a new product that deserves to exist. Make it worth the environmental impact it leaves behind." "If your business only relies on social media, you're going to go broke. You need a good product." Want to support LIVSN? Check out their Kickstarter in February featuring their new EcoTrek pants. Follow LIVSN: @livsndesigns Episode Sponsored By: Darby Communications https://www.darbycommunications.com/ @darbycomm Produced by: Port Side Productions @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

UST is shaking up the outdoor industry. Since 1936, they have been creating survival, camping and outdoor equipment. Recently however the company has gone through some internal transition and the team is using this as an opportunity to change up everything. Seeing a need to reach more consumers in a friendly, open and inviting format. The brand is doing a 180 degree pivot to meet the crowds of people who are exploring the outdoors for the first time. John Holdmeier is the brand manager at UST and in this episode he shares how and why the company is changing. From product selection, color schemes, brand values, content strategies, to customer personas. The only thing that isn't changing is their passion for getting people outdoors. From the episode: "We really try to be intentional about the things that are working well and things that are NOT working well. Then, we try to bring the things that are working well forward as we progress as a brand." "(When talking about consumer persona exercise) Most brands will come up with one or two consumer personas. We ended up creating seven, trying to be as all encompassing as we could be." "The consumer personas were the most important step to our complete brand refresh. As we do anything for the brand, we reference them and ensure our actions align with them." "[The outdoor industry] Is a crowded market, But, it's growing so there is a lot of room for us to continue to grow into it." "We wanted to approach our product line in a way that is extremely accessible to every outdoor consumer." Follow UST and John: @ustgear @johnholdmeier Episode Sponsored By: Darby Communications https://www.darbycommunications.com/ @darbycomm Produced by: Port Side Productions @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Eric Porter has had quite a career as a mountain bike athlete. The highlights include being the first rider to grind handrails on a bike, competing in slopestyle for 8 years, then filming and traveling for multiple big free ride videos. A few years ago, however, he reached a point where he asked himself what do I want to do? His career as a competing athlete was slowing down but he still had a burning passion for bikes and adventures. In this episode, Eric shares how he re-branded himself, works with brands today and shares how he feels knowing his YouTube channel has helped countless other people share his love for mountain biking. From the episode: "When you find a sport that you love and you're able to go do it and get out of the real world and go ride a bike. It's the best feeling ever." "As an athlete working with the marketing managers, one of my big things is - how do I make their job easier." "It's not saying go buy this bike but creating a cool experience around the bike and connecting people. Trying to get the emotions out and get them to feel something. That's how you get the connection with a brand." Follow Eric: @portermtb https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnzDWHTbEE5UWd3WuQAX6zQ Produced by: Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

5 years ago Gerber Gear had to beg people to show up at their tradeshow booth and enjoy a beer. Fast forward to today, they've now set the bar high for trade show events that draw people to sit in lines for over 8 hours. One year, one of their ambassadors tried to set the world record for most beer cans smashed with an elbow. Talk about disrupting! The event drew an enormous crowd and is still talked about to this day. Todd Bischoff, the Global Creative Director, shares how he and his team took the brand from existing to thriving to the point that customers are now getting Gerber tattoos. This type of brand loyalty isn't something that happens overnight. But as Todd says, it's all about positively disrupting your space and really understanding your consumer. Shot Show Guinness World Record Event Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL7qL2B33hc&t=174s&ab_channel=TheSheepdogSurvivalFund From the episode: "We tapped the keg and no one showed up. I said from that moment on, that will no longer happen again. People don't know who we are." "Are we a military tactical brand, are we a camping and hiking brand? There was always this battle." "We can positively disrupt a trade show by hosting a Guinness World Record event. Or we can come into a retail environment and disrupt a space by doing something no one is doing." Follow Gerber: @gerbergear - Produced by: Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Gary is the Communications Marketing Manager at FOX Factory. To say he's done a lot in his career is an understatement. He graduated after studying PR, and the rest has been a winding road. From reporting, to breaking into the cycling industry as a writer, to helping build Rwanda's cycling tourism, to then helping start a national cycling team in Rwanda, then building cargo bikes for farmers. Gary has done and seen a lot! After transitioning out of the cycling industry, Gary moved to California and ended up at FOX. He's never been afraid of the unknown and has chosen to embrace it. In today's tumultuous corporate climate due to COVID, Gary reflects on the lessons he's learned over his career. From the episode: "Hey, do you want to go to Rwanda? If you're buying I'm flying." "When you have an opportunity and it seems a little bewildering on the surface, just explore what it means." "A lot of these experiences have meant that nothing is paved in stone. I enjoyed being classically trained in PR. That helped lay a foundation." "Don't be afraid to totally jump into a new industry and be confident that the skills learned translate to other industries. Follow FOX @fox - Produced by: Port Side Productions @portsideproductions @backcountrymarketing @coleheilborn www.portsidepro.com

Adam is a man of many talents. He's a creative director, artist, does lettering, mural work, and even finds time to enjoy the outdoors. Based in Colorado, he does a variety of work for clients in the outdoor space and beyond. In this episode, we talk about the place art has in business. Does it have a place in today's world of statistics, data, and metrics? From the Episode: "I think like a designer, but I execute like a fine artist." "In the world of design, everything is created to solve a problem or to serve a purpose. Check out Adams's work at his website and enjoy the coupon code: OUTDOORMARKETINGPODCAST for 15% off anything in his store. https://www.vicarelstudios.com/shop Follow Adam: @adamvicarel @vicarelstudios Produced by: Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Erica Rosen is the VP of Marketing at BioLite. BioLite is on a mission to bring outdoor and off-grid energy to people everywhere one watt at a time. Each BioLite product sold is re-invested into bringing safe cooking, lighting, and charging to families in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2019 alone, they offset 307 tons of C02 and helped 797,000 people. In this episode, Erica shares how they are working to make BioLite a household name all while carrying out the mission to help improve people's lives. From the episode: "BioLite is taking the same technology we are developing for our core outdoor markets and turning them into products for emerging markets." "A brand is a way to build trust and measure permission." "Becoming a household name isn't just for dollar and cents success at BioLite. It means that energy is becoming part of everyday conversation and right now we are starting to see that more often." Follow BioLite: @biolite Produced By: @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

In this episode, Austin Whitman, the CEO of Climate Neutral joins me to chat about how his non-profit is trying to combat climate change by empowering businesses to take responsibility for their climate impact. How are they doing it? By letting their brands doing the marketing work. We also talk about the value of being a sustainable brand and how it can benefit a company beyond a moral conviction. From the episode: "I think the absence of government action against climate change has forced consumers to look for other ways to feel like they are doing something to solve the problem." "Unless the consumer cares, the business doesn't care." "The ability to drive major movement has been greatly helped by social media." www.climateneutral.org @climateneutral Produced by: Port Side Productions @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Adam has been with Peak Design since nearly day one. Working on multiple fronts within the company he's been instrumental in designing (even if by accident) the success of each Peak Design campaign on Kickstarter. Sometimes crowdfunding is viewed as this magical site where people can show up and give you money - no questions asked. Adam debunks this and in this episode talks about Peak Design's history with Kickstarter as well as things to consider when launching a crowdfunding page. From the episode: "The important thing you can do when it's your first time is to establish trust and goodwill." "We were able to do that and show people. I think it helped us parlay a successful campaign into a business that was immediately thriving and immediately profitable." "Bang for your buck, I can't think of a higher ROI, more impactful way to build awareness and buzz around a product." "Because of our Kickstarter roots, we learned very quickly, how much being transparent, sometimes to a fault is beloved by your community." "In my opinion, the thing that makes a Kickstarter successful isn't actually the video. It's the thing you're making." Follow Peak Design: @peakdesign - Produced by: Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

In this episode Patrick McCarthy the team manager from 686 shares his perspective of the last 20 years as he reflects on his own journey from pro-rider to working on the brand side managing 686's team of world-class ambassadors. We chat about ambassadors vs influencers, social media, and the impact it's had on the sport as well as the value an ambassador team can bring to your company. From the episode: "I think it's really important brands (supports riders), I'm really proud of how 686 does this. It's a way to give back to the sport and support the tastemakers." "Don't try to make it look authentic, don't try to make it look cool, don't try to pose the person, go do it. Do the sports you love." "Don't think that there is some perfect algorithm to it. Because there's not. The more heart you pour into it, the more you'll get out." Follow Patrick and 686 @686 @patrickmccarthy Produced by: Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Social media is changing, can the giants keep up? Ian Mathias is the Director of Marketing Creative at Strava. Strava is a social network designed for athletes to share their workouts and encourage others. What's different between Strava and another social platform? It's all about the process, not the summit. Embrace the sweat, love the failure, and keep going regardless if you reach the podium. Does this culture sound different than your average social network giant? Sounds kind of nice doesn't it? In this episode, Ian shares his perspective on why he thinks we are going to see a shift in social media in the future. From the Episode: "In doing so (posting) I believe that it creates a sense of shared vulnerability that is missing in other networks." "How can I have anything to say about your pace if the day before I posted a run that was slower?" "I could see that becoming the future of networking, how we use the internet - increasingly focused on interest areas." @ianmathias - Produced by: Port Side Productions @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Love it or hate it authenticity has become a buzzword in marketing language in the last couple of years. You don't need to sit in a marketing meeting long before this word gets thrown into the mix. "We need this video series to feel authentic." "Our ambassadors need to be authentic individuals in the sports they represent." We want to tell an authentic story." and the list goes on. In this episode, Ian McWilliams the Senior Manager of Brand Creative at Klean Kanteen shares his perspective on why it's turned into a buzzword. From the episode: "At it's most basic, it's faithful and realistic telling of a story." "It's unfortunate it's become a buzzword because I truly believe it's such a core concept to the brand marketing we do, especially in the outdoor space. "One of the problems with the word authentic is it's frequently used, sort of as an adjective within a piece of creative direction. Follow Ian and Klean: @kleankanteen @hayduke1982 www.ianmcwilliams.com - Produced by Port Side Productions @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn www.portsidepro.com

Becky Marcelliano is the Outdoor Marketing Manager for North America at Salomon. In this episode, we chat about the connection Becky has to her work and how that affects the decisions she makes. Like many, Becky has had a non-traditional approach to the industry. Starting as an art teacher out of college, she slowly pieced together her love for people, the outdoors, and art into the job she has now. But like any good story, it wasn't without challenges along the way. Dealing with a chronic illness for most of her life, she has had to learn to overcome obstacles most people don't consider. This has forced her to learn the value of patience and perseverance. Becky ties all of this together while sharing how her chronic illness affects how she communicates with her customers. As she says "a brand can use marketing to lead with emotion and empathy. People are community-driven and want to feel connected and a sense of belonging." Using her own personal experiences gives her the ability to have honest, authentic conversations with her customers. After all, isn't that what marketing is for? From the episode: "Unfortunately it's taught me so much about the long term game of perseverance. I do think it's taught me how to sit tight and keep trucking." "I think a lot of people give up in the middle and therefore don't get to their long term goals." "Everyone has a story with struggle and strife that they aren't stoked about." "As a brand how do we connect with people?" - Produced by Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

In this episode, Katie Lasak and Sara Lawhead talk about the work they're doing over at Jetboil. After making a name for themselves in the hiking community for their fast, compact and efficient stoves, Jetboil has continued to apply the same brand values as they've expanded their product lines and worked to go beyond their name. Jetboil: www.jetboil.com @jetboil From the episode: "Last summer we did a quantitative research study, we met a group of backpackers at the trail. We wanted to understand how they move, how they pack, and what you bring. We were able to really analyze where there is an opportunity for us to make things easier or improve their trip." "One of the challenges we face is just going beyond our name." - Episode produced by: Port Side Productions www.portsidepro.com - Social Channels @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

Rachel Popp is a co-founder of the PR agency Big Fish Collective. Her agency works with brands like Kelty, Tentree, and Zeal Optics. Fresh out of college Rachel dove headfirst into the ad world cutting her teeth at big agencies. However, after a few years, she realized she needed to find a better career fit so she began to look elsewhere. Between Outdoor Retailer, a delayed plane, and a glass of wine, Rachel met her future business partner. Fast forward to today in this episode Rachel reflects on the things she learned and challenges she's faced along the way as she's fought for her place in the outdoor marketing industry. Big Fish Collective: https://bfcollective.co/ From the episode: "If it wasn't me sharing an idea about social media then people didn't take me seriously." "After I showed that I had what it took, they were like you're young but ok, let's do it. "The two things most valuable things about being young is your energy and your passion for what you're about to do." - Episode produced by: Port Side Productions https://www.portsidepro.com/ - Social Channels @backcountrymarketing @portsideproductions @coleheilborn

In this episode, Lisa Slagle the founder and Creative Director talks about the founding of her agency, Wheelie. We talk about loving the process, doing work that matters, and how to stick to your values as you and your company grow. She also shares her biggest challenges she's faced building Wheelie into what it is today. Website: https://www.wheeliecreative.com/ From the episode: "I think beautiful creative work drives sales" "It's great to have goals but it is really important to notice if you actually like the process." "Sticking to your core values is really easy if it's just you. When you open up to collaboration - do our core values as a company include everyone?"

Nate Nichols is the founder of the Palette Group and the co-founder of the Allyship and Action Summit. Based in New York, The Palette Group is a creative agency that serves its clients through unfiltered creativity and self-expression. Self-expression is such a key component of being creative, but what does encouraging self-expression really mean in the ad industry? As Nate says "If people can't self-express in our industry, then what is our industry?" The truth is there are many people who don't feel comfortable being themselves. In this episode, Nate shares his personal experiences with racism in the ad industry, how that's affected his life and career path but also what he's chosen to do with the platform and voice he has. If you're interested in learning more about Allyship and Action check out their website and upcoming webinar on August 4. https://www.freelancercybersummit.com/events/allyship-and-action From the episode: "Brands are just pouring all of this money into finding pockets of culture that can blend their products and their brand ethos." "I want to make content that inspires culture and society" "I'm working hard, why don't I have access to things, like a nice apartment or healthy food?" "How do we get the advertising industry - when they posted a bunch of black tiles on Instagram and did all of these statements, how do we build a forum for people to speak what they're feeling."

Brennah lives in Denver, Colorado, and runs Great Escape Media. Focused on providing in-house quality production and strategy resources, she fills the need between large agencies and the smaller brands that don't need a giant working on their behalf. The video production world has gone through a tumultuous change over the last 10 years. Through advances in technology and low barriers to equipment, there has been a rise of one man, two-man shops that are producing amazing work. In this episode, we talk about these small shops, what roles they play in the market, and how companies like Great Escape Media fill a gap in the industry. "There is this personal touch you get with these small shops that you might not get from bigger agencies."

If you want to meet anyone in the bike and snow world, Chad could connect you. He's spent his career working at snowboard and bike brands for the last 20 years. From Jones, Nidecker, Options, YES, Spacecraft, POW Gloves to currently Ride Concepts. Chad has worked closely with each of these company's founders to grow them into who they are today. In this episode, we discuss a variety of topics including the challenges Chad and Jeremy Jones faced from day one, to the rise of new media. We talk about the role that ski and bike films play in the industry and the future of filmmaking in a "send it" community. From the episode: "Take the opinions of others, but don't let that steer your course." (when it comes to building a brand) "Good brands aren't built on the opinions of your peers, they're built on your opinion and your belief in yourself." "Media is a way to gain knowledge now"

As a small team, how do you manage 5 very different bike brands? Jill and her team at Alta Cycling deal with this daily as they manage Diamondback, Raleigh, iZip, Redline, Haibike, and Ghost. In this episode, we talk about how they manage and differentiate each of the brands from each other but also from their competitors. From the episode: "You can't ignore a brand's heritage, but you do want people to know they are distinct brands." "Should every brand be in digital? Because then are we cannibalizing our own buy and competing with ourselves? "Being a bad artist made me a better marketer because it made me think a little more creatively."

Chris Dickey is the founder of an outdoor PR agency named Purple Orange. Working with brands like BioLite, Peak Design and Oru Kayak, Chris and his team kept noticing short-lived results from outstanding PR work. This troubled Chris and motivated him to build a tool called Visably. Visably provides marketers a way to check their brand ranking against a keyword in search. It's no longer about someone finding your website but recognizing your brand. In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics from Google's algorithms, brand vs distribution, and advice for new companies on where to invest their marketing dollars. From the episode: "How could we have won this big award but not move the needle (for our client)?" "70% of all traffic goes to the first 5 organic links" "If you want to know where your brand sits in search, you can't do it right now."

Josh Weichhand is the Marketing Director at Chaco. In this episode, we chat about doing work you believe in and not giving up on the path to doing so. We also talk about Chaco's use of their brand voice during the Bears Ear protection rollbacks and about Josh's own journey of finding his voice and doing work he believes in. For many, the journey to finding a good fit in a career is not without challenges along the way. For Josh, it took 6 unpaid internships, a summer fishing in Alaska, and a 9-month road trip to finally find his place at a company he had been a customer at since summer camp. From the episode: "All of a sudden Chaco found itself on the front lines of this very important conversation in real-time and had some credibility to it because we're an established partner of the National Park Foundation." "There's something about having this one really great pair of sandals that have been with me through it all and then getting to share it with people professionally."

Jay Matthews is the Director of Marketing at Sitka Gear. Sitka is a high-performance manufacturer and industry leader for hunting apparel and gear. Jay's career started on the football field but when life had different plans he ended up at Nike's SPARQ program. Spending his time learning from the best, Jay left Nike as a brand manager and ultimately landed his dream job at a company that stands for his own personal values. In this episode, we talk about the commitment to solving a problem with your product over profit, the rise in the conscious consumer and what that means for brands, and how storytelling transcends everything the team at Sitka does. From the episode: "I think the commitment to earning that trust comes from guaranteeing that the product will do what you say it'll do."

From a young age, John has been fascinated with the ad world. From reading Ad Age magazines in high school to spending the last 23 years working in all disciplines of the industry, John is currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Drake Cooper. In this episode we chat about the role of creativity in the ad world, defining the problem you're trying to solve, the balance between art and commerce as well as John's experience working at the agency his father started. From the episode: "We have this little pool of money, who do we focus it on?" "...we have to really define the problem in order to help."

Oru Kayak made a large splash in 2013 by launching the first folding kayak on Kickstarter. Since then they've launched 5 more models, each with a successful ending. Jess Anthony runs Oru Kayak's marketing efforts and in this episode, we chat about what it takes to launch a successful Kickstarter as well as Jess's mission to increase equal representation for all people in the outdoors. From the episode: "I think you have a platform for communication, for ideas to move, to spotlight work other people are doing, and to contribute to projects they're doing."

When he's not working with some of the outdoor industry's top brands, Charlie spends his time skiing, hiking, and enjoying time with his family. After spending time in Seattle working at Outdoor Research, Charlie moved to Colorado to bring his talents to the agency, Backbone Media. Backbone is a PR and marketing agency with 70+ clients in the greater outdoor industry. These include Patagonia, Filson, YETI, Sitka and Eddie Bauer. For Charlie, the work that gives him the most satisfaction is work that combats the effects of climate change. The outdoor industry has made strides in lobbying for Mother Earth but there is more work to be done.

Casey isn't your average guy. From a young age, he's had an urge to break rules and do things differently and it's no surprise that his career has taken him to amazing locations with cool people. He even ran his own backpack company for a while before selling it to a major outdoor retailer. In this episode, Casey shares a bit about the work he's doing at Fjällräven as well as how he ended up managing content for the Swedish Heritage brand.

Stephen Matthews is the Brand Manager at Rocky Mountain Bicycles. Born from the rocky mountains of North Vancouver, their bikes are tested and designed for the world's toughest terrain. In this episode, we chat about the sport of mountain biking, the birth of freeride, and why race results aren't the only thing that matters to a brand like Rocky Mountain.

In this episode, I'm joined by Tom and Kyleigh and their two dogs from Freedom Vans. We discuss their origins, the realities of van life and how YouTube has doubled the waitlist on their production timelines.

In this episode, I sit down and chat with Doug Thielen, the marketing director at Filson about the challenges and opportunities of working with a brand that was started in 1897. We chat about their history, but also how they are using branded films to continue the Filson legacy.

In today's episode, I sit down and chat with Michael Goldstein from The Heist, about his origins shooting mountain bike videos at Whistler to now, shooting commercials for GMC and Lulu Lemon and Jaybird.

In this episode, I sit down with Sean Fields from Gear Aid and talk about how they have built a brand around the idea of failure. We also talk about Sean's favorite pair of leather boots and the future of recreation.

In this podcast, I sit down with Brian Seales the Creative Director at Ketchup and Mustard and discuss how they as an agency approach solving their client's problems. It might surprise you, but the first step is often the hardest. We also discuss the latest brand shifts in the energy drink world, look into buying a mattress and talk about where their name came from.