In its first major brand refresh in a decade, the new campaign will bring Columbia’s signature irreverence and humor back to life across retail, digital, out-of-home, and more.
Today, Columbia Sportswear (Nasdaq: COLM) unveils a bold new brand chapter in its nearly 90-year history with a campaign that harkens back to the brand’s irreverent spirit of the '80s and '90s. “Engineered for Whatever” revives the humor and gritty gear testing that made Columbia a maverick in the outdoor industry and a beloved brand around the world.
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An advertisement from Columbia Sportswear's new "Engineered for Whatever" brand campaign depicting the Escape Thrive OutDry shoe in action.
Developed in partnership with London-based creative agency adam&eveDDB, the new platform will roll out across all of Columbia’s consumer and marketing channels—demonstrating how their well-engineered gear is built to perform in even the most unpredictable outdoor conditions. The campaign’s irreverent tone is paired with outrageous scenarios that put a playful lens back on outdoor adventures.
“Since Day One, Columbia hasn’t cared about fitting in with everyone else. Over the years, the outdoor category became a sea of sameness,” said Joe Boyle, Executive Vice President and Columbia Brand President. “Our new campaign brings us back to our roots, being unafraid to be different, and even a bit crazy. We’re going back to that irreverent, confident tone that helped put us on the map as a global brand.”
Throughout its 87-year history, Columbia has remained committed to designing thoughtfully engineered gear tested in the most extreme conditions – from Death Valley to the surface of the Moon. The brand has developed and patented dozens of proprietary technologies to enhance performance in any environment, offering an expansive range of technical products across categories like hiking, fishing, skiing, and now running.
Technologies such as Omni-Heat™, Omni-Max™, Omni-Shade™, and Omni-Freeze™ are at the core of Columbia’s innovation. While that commitment to performance remains unchanged, the brand is now highlighting the more unpredictable - and occasionally unhinged - ways its gear protects consumers, no matter the conditions.
“Whether it’s wide sweeping landscapes, sunny weather, or cliché model photography, advertising in the outdoor category has often followed a tired playbook by depicting the outdoors as pristine and perfect,” said Matt Sutton, Head of Marketing at Columbia. “But at Columbia, our gear is built not just for a perfect day but for whatever mother nature throws at you. With ‘Engineered for Whatever’ we’re showing people that our products are made to handle the extreme and unpredictable, with a healthy dose of humor and joy. By embracing the real and unexpected sides of adventure, we’re staying true to our legacy and charting a distinct and memorable path for our brand going forward.”
“Engineered for Whatever” will kick off this fall with original content putting Columbia’s gear to the ultimate test in over-the-top scenarios. In today’s brand debut, the campaign kicks off with visceral, irreverent and downright bonkers content that reminds humans that mother nature will put you to the test and you need to have the right gear.
Upcoming advertising and content this fall will spotlight outlandish scenarios and celebrity cameos in scenarios featuring crocodiles, human snowballs, and the grim reaper himself. The campaign will be amplified through out-of-home advertising, digital and social content, retail buildouts, creative activations, partnerships, and more.
To see more of the “Engineered for Whatever” campaign as it comes to life, visit www.Columbia.com and www.youtube.com/ColumbiaSportswear. Media can also access stills and other assets via this link here.
About Columbia Sportswear:
Columbia, the flagship brand of Portland, Oregon-based Columbia Sportswear Company, has been creating innovative apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment for outdoor enthusiasts since 1938. Columbia has become a leading global brand by channeling the company’s innovative spirit and passion for the outdoors into technologies and performance products that keep people warm, dry, cool and protected year-round. To learn more, please visit the company's website at www.columbia.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250804020886/en/
Contacts
Andy Nordhoff
Director of Communications at Columbia Sportswear
anordhoff@columbia.com