Consumers, more than ever before, are looking to balance comfort, style and functionality in everything they do so Merrell came to us with a problem. How does Merrell break into the overcrowded, extremely competitive sports leisure footwear category? When people think of getting outside even for 20 minutes it often feels unattainable to the on-the-go Experience Seeker (Merrell brand target consumer). This same thinking goes for outdoor footwear, they currently think of hardcore, rugged, earthy gear but with Merrell’s Embark and Alpine collection we had an opportunity to introduce a new take on outdoor gear and an outdoor mindset.

Research has shown daily time outdoors can increase creativity, improve your mood, mental wellbeing and overall health. Using this insight as a foundation to the campaign, Nature’s Calling encourages the Experience Seeker to get outside for just 20 minutes in a pair of Merrell’s. Every day, stress and distractions cause the afternoon slump. While we all deal with it in different ways (coffee, doomscrolling), nothing seems to work. Nature is calling and they will do anything to get you to spend some time outside. Nature’s Calling positions the Merrell brand as a matchmaker, encouraging consumers to get outdoors and discover the difference a little nature can make in our lives.