Inspire, Activate, Celebrate: Outdoor Storytelling with Robin Thurston
Release Date: 02/05/2025
Why Brand Belongs in Product Development
Backcountry Marketing
, global brand manager for goggles and helmets at Oakley, digs into what happens when brand and marketing plug into the product development process from day one. Using WTR ICON, Oakley’s new surf helmet, as a case study, Shelby explains how a cross-functional “task force” of R&D, UX, product, sports marketing, and brand broke down silos, validated a real consumer problem, and reshaped how Oakley brings innovation to market. About: This podcast is produced by , a creative production studio creating content strategy + production for active brands, rooted in emotion. Enjoy...
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Creatives Aren’t Commodities: Red Bull’s Chris Whitten
Backcountry Marketing
In this episode, sits down with , Senior Production Manager at Red Bull, to unpack what separates irreplaceable creatives from the rest. Chris shares lessons from his journey through agency and brand-side production, spanning roles at Saatchi & Saatchi and now Red Bull, and offers candid advice for photographers, filmmakers, and producers who want to build long-term client relationships. The episode explores how mindset impacts success, why outreach is a creative act, and how to stay top-of-mind in an oversaturated industry. Chris shares practical frameworks for follow-up, positioning,...
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How Passion Blinds Brands to Strategy
Backcountry Marketing
In this solo episode, breaks down the differences between a strategist and a filmmaker. When content underperforms, brands often point to the creative execution, but more often than not, the real problem lies upstream in the strategy. Cole explains the downsides of a passion-led industry, why filmmakers have had to accept responsibility for defining KPIs and audience understanding, how skipping strategy leads to wasted resources, and what questions brands should ask before a camera ever rolls. About: This podcast is produced by , a creative production studio creating content strategy +...
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Why Your Campaigns and Branded Content Aren’t Working
Backcountry Marketing
Some brands treat branded content and campaigns as separate things, one emotional or value-driven, and the other transactional. But what happens when they work together? In this episode, , Marketing Director at Riton Optics, joins me to unpack what he calls the marketer’s trap, when teams invest in strategies they wouldn’t engage with themselves. Trent shares how to break that cycle by pairing campaigns and content to serve the same purpose, building trust, emotion, and results simultaneously. We discuss how data has given leadership "ammo to kill branding," why every...
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Brand Is Social, Social Is Brand: How Outdoor Brands Can Rethink Social Media
Backcountry Marketing
, former Head of Social at The North Face and current Director of Global Brand and Community at popFly. We break down her core thesis: brand is social and social is brand. Maren shares why brands must stop treating social as a downstream channel, how to bring social thinking upstream into campaign planning and what it takes to build a social-first brand. Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below: | Want 20 of our favorite insights shared on the show? | Here's our curated list of recommended books over the years. | Join the conversation and share ideas with other...
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Respect Your Audience
Backcountry Marketing
Cole shares a quick reminder about respecting your audience. Ask yourself: Does this provide value? If not, don't hit publish. About: This podcast is produced by , a creative production studio creating video strategy + production for active brands, rooted in emotion. Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below: | Want 20 of our favorite insights shared on the show? | Here's our curated list of recommended books over the years. | Join the conversation and share ideas with other industry peers. | Want to help us out? Leave us a review on Apple. | Have a Guest in...
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Experience a New High: The Strategy Behind Altra’s Latest Campaign
Backcountry Marketing
Altra’s Head of Marketing, , and Backbone Media’s Senior Director of Strategy, , take us behind the brand’s seasonal campaign, Experience a New High. We unpack the core insight tying mental wellbeing, social connection, and running to a younger audience; how a one-two punch of broad digital reach plus in-person activation moved awareness and consideration; and why the medium is part of the message when your pop-up is a Dopamine Dispensary. We also get into what went right, what needed rethinking, and how to decide when a big campaign makes sense versus always-on content. ...
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How to Be Creative
Backcountry Marketing
Ready to jump start your creativity? Cole Heilborn breaks down Port Side’s playbook for developing ideas that work in the wild. From setting guardrails and asking “why” three times, to building a culture of candor and using constraints, music, boredom, and flow to unlock divergent thinking, this solo episode is for marketers and creatives who want to ship better work, not just talk about it. About: This podcast is produced by , a creative production studio. We help brands that move, create strategy-led, emotionally charged video campaigns Enjoy this episode and...
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Your Audience is Tired
Backcountry Marketing
In this solo episode, unpacks the reality of digital fatigue and what it means for marketers. With endless competition for attention, from Netflix to Reddit to YouTube, your audience is already exhausted. They don’t want to be disrupted. They want content that feels valuable, entertaining, and emotionally resonant. Cole challenges brands to stop creating just to “show up” and start designing campaigns that genuinely add something to people’s lives. About: This podcast is produced by , a creative production studio. We help brands that move, create strategy-led, emotionally...
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Hitting the Reset Button on Creative with Vail Resorts’ Dillon Snyder
Backcountry Marketing
In this episode, I’m joined by , Creative Director at Vail Resorts. Dillon makes the case that much of today’s marketing output has become the equivalent of “yellow page ads.” We unpack why so much creative feels homogenized, how overemphasis on bottom-funnel tactics hurts long-term brand health, and why simplicity is often harder than complexity. Dillon also shares his vision for a “reset button” on creative: more collaboration between creatives and marketers, less energy on commoditized tactics, and a greater willingness to take risks that actually give audiences a reason...
info_outlineIn this episode, Cole sits down with Robin Thurston, CEO and founder of Outside Interactive, to discuss the importance of inspiring people to engage with the outdoors. They explore the cycle of inspiration, activation, and celebration, emphasizing the role of storytelling and user-generated content in motivating outdoor activities. Robin shares insights on the challenges posed by content overload and the evolving landscape of advertising, while also highlighting the need for brands to adapt to change in the outdoor industry. The discussion also touches on the role of social media in promoting outdoor activities, the necessity of original content for storytelling, and the evolving landscape where brands must act as media companies.
Key Takeaways
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Inspiration is the first step in getting people outdoors.
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The outdoor industry faces competition from technology and indoor entertainment.
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Storytelling remains vital, but the quality of content is declining due to AI.
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Change is constant, and adaptability is key in the outdoor industry.
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Authenticity in storytelling will attract audiences in a content-saturated world
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The outdoor industry must support each other to grow.
If you like what you’re hearing, feel free to leave us a review on Apple or Spotify. It helps more people like you find the show. Let’s help everyone learn together.
This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We craft effective, emotionally-powered videos for outdoor brands.
Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below:
Booklist | Here's our curated list of recommended books over the years.
LinkedIn | Join the conversation and share ideas with other industry peers.
Apple Podcast | Want to help us out? Leave us a review on Apple.
Guest List | Have a Guest in Mind? Share them with us here.
Find Out Why | Curious why a video production company would produce a marketing podcast?