Backcountry Marketing (Port Side Productions)

In this episode, Rich Hohne the Director of Marketing at Oboz Footwear shares about Oboz's background, his personal career journey (it includes starting a ski resort), and how Oboz has had to adapt since the initial COVID shutdown.

Reliant 100% on retail, sales dried up for about 4-6 months last year. As Rich says, COVID was the best and worst thing that happened. Rich discusses how they've managed to take a disaster, and grow from it.

Follow Rich and Oboz

@rhohne

@oboz

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

Let's face it, as a client you have a lot of options. When it comes to achieving creative work you can choose from an ever-growing list of partners to work with: Agencies, hybrid agencies, studios, producers, contractors, and even your nephew all claim to offer you similar services.  But how do you decide who to work with for what project?

Chase White is the Creative Director at Chase White Photography and sheds some light on this question. Having worked with notable brands like Yeti, Gerber, and Simms Fishing, Chase has developed some best practices when considering working with a contract creative. 

Navigating how to work with a contractor can be a challenge, and in this episode, Chase shares his thoughts on how clients and contractors can work best together to produce meaningful work.

Follow Chase:

@anadromous

https://chasewhite.com/

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

Hey Backcountry Marketing family, thank you for making 2022 our best year yet on the podcast. We've got a lot of exciting things in development in 2023 but we're excited to announce that we're launching a video version of the show on YouTube! Head over to our YouTube Channel and hit that subscribe button.

We hope everyone has a great holiday season and look forward to bringing you new conversations in season 4.

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

What do democracy and Marvel both have in common? They both understand their audience.

I think all marketers agree that storytelling is a key part of marketing. But there seems to be a disconnect between telling stories and leveraging those stories into needle moving impact. In this episode, Cole shares some thoughts about the missing link between storytelling and impact. 

Takeaways

- Storytelling is an integral part of marketing, but there is often uncertainty about how to use stories effectively to drive impact.
- Insights about the audience help inform storytelling and make stories relatable.
- Performance marketing can amplify stories and lead to amazing results.
- Marketers should strive for a deeper understanding of their audience and continue refining their storytelling skills.

//

These Fireside Chats are short discussions where we'll delve into the heart of storytelling and its pivotal role in today's marketing landscape.  In these short episodes, we'll explore the art of storytelling, and uncover the insights to help you craft narratives that captivate, resonate, and leave a lasting impact on your brand. 

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

What is consumer research, really, and why is it so important?

Megan Averell is the founder of the Insight Inn, a qualitative research and strategy firm, to bring people back into the heart of business decision-making.

In this episode, we chat about:

• how research applies to marketing
• what research can be used for
• the challenges with research
• different types of research

and much, much more!

You can catch up with Megan here: https://mobile.twitter.com/meggatron

The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a produced by Port Side Productions. 

In today’s episode, Cole pulls back the curtain on Port Side’s next evolution and reveals a powerful new tool for outdoor marketers. The Backcountry Marketing Filter is a living database built from over 250 insights shared by the brightest minds in the outdoor industry—leaders who’ve mastered the art of creating strategic, emotional, and effective video content.

This isn’t just a resource. It’s the foundation of a new approach.

Port Side is no longer just a production company. We’ve become a creative studio that blends the best of a creative studio with the execution power of a production company.

Curious how it works? Tune in to learn how the Backcountry Marketing Filter can help you identify blind spots, avoid common pitfalls, and pressure-test your brand films, product launches, and campaigns—before they go live

This podcast is produced by Port Side. We're a creative studio that blends the best of a creative agency with the executional power of a production company backed by a methodology crafted from 200 marketing leaders that produces emotional and strategic video content.

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.

Patreon | Want to support us financially? 

This month, we're featuring conversations with leaders who inspire us to lead better teams in the new year.

In this episode, Cole sits down with David Russo, VP of Sales and Marketing in North America at Mammut. David shares his perspective on how to build a team, what it takes to be a good leader, the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) over IQ, and asking questions and being curious.

If you want to connect with David, you can reach him via email at david.russo@mammut.com or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david.p.russo/

Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

What do Deuter, Ortovox, Clif, onX, and Salomon all have in common? They have all had the pleasure of having this episode’s guest as an employee. 

In this episode, we’re hearing from one of our favorite past guests, Becky Marcelliano, but from a different perspective. Becky currently works at onX as their Senior Access & Stewardship Marketing Manager. In her role, she works across all three verticals of onX (Hunt, Offroad, and Backcountry) to lead program development and promotional efforts of the brand’s access and stewardship initiatives. 

In this episode, Cole and Becky discuss:

• How words make the difference between a brand landing or not

• Why language is so critical for messaging your brand

• How language can unite us

• The power of words connecting with our customers

And much more!

Catch up with Becky on Instagram or LinkedIn.

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this Fireside episode, Cole reflects on his conversation with Marc Bock from Gore-Tex. He talks about the importance of storytelling as a marketing tool, emphasizing its role in problem-solving and brand-building, how to justify ROI in storytelling projects and the significance of creating relevant content that aligns with business objectives, media channels, and audience needs.

Key Takeaways

• Justifying ROI in brand storytelling is challenging but essential.

• Efficient planning of production can meet both bottom-of-funnel and top-of-funnel content needs.

• Relevant content requires understanding business, media, and audience needs.

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling. If you need help bringing your next video project to life check our our website to learn more. Otherwise, enjoy this episode and discover other resources below:

Marc's Episode | Tune into Marc's Episode

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?

In this episode, Cole sits down with Chris Pew, the CEO and co-founder of TREW, to explore the pressing challenges brands face in standing out in 2024. They dive into the creative heartbeat of the outdoor industry, discussing TREW’s “TREW To You Film” contest—a celebration of community-driven storytelling, self-expression, and creativity.

Chris shares how TREW is fostering deeper connections with its core audience through storytelling and innovative community engagement strategies. The conversation spans the evolution of ski film culture, the role of social media in building authentic communities, and how small brands can leverage creativity to make a big impact.

They also unpack the importance of measuring ROI in creative projects while maintaining the balance between marketing goals and authentic storytelling. With a sneak peek at what’s ahead for the TREW To You, Chris reveals how TREW continues to push boundaries with fresh innovations and a renewed focus on community connection.

Key Takeaways

• Standing out as a brand in 2025 is increasingly challenging.

• Brand storytelling should reflect the values and experiences of the community.

• Community engagement is key to building brand awareness.

• TREW’s approach contrasts with traditional brand films that often promote self-interest.

• With a little creativity, there are ways to carve out a niche in your market

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We are a production company that works with outdoor brands to create effective and emotional videos. To date, we’ve made feature documentaries, video podcasts, product videos, and commercials. The thing that unifies us is our unwavering goal to help brands make effective videos driven by emotion backed by strategy.

‍

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.

In this episode, Kyle Duford, President and Executive Creative Director at The Brand Leader, discusses the needs of Gen Z and how brands can connect with this generation. He shares the seven needs that Gen Z is looking for, including trust, grace, empathy, acceptance, rituals and recognition, vulnerability, and transparency. 

Takeaways

• Gen Z has unique needs that brands should address, including trust, grace, empathy, acceptance, rituals and recognition, vulnerability, and transparency.

• Emotional connection is crucial in marketing, and brands should strive to create meaningful experiences for Gen Z.

• Gen Z is the most hyperconnected yet disconnected generation, and brands have the opportunity to be a source of connection and meaning in their lives.

• The advertising landscape has evolved significantly, with numerous channels and touchpoints available to reach consumers.

• Trust is a crucial factor for Gen Z, and brands need to earn their trust through transparency and authenticity.

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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

Tom Moreno started his career in retail at Helly Hansen before joining evo’s first-ever retail store. After 13 years there, he took a chance on a startup called Awayco - trying to offer an alternative to purchasing by connecting consumers with demo/rental products in shops across the globe in Surf, Snow, and Bike. Tom eventually landed at Salomon’s North America office in November of 2020 where he now oversees site operations - from visual merchandising to catalog to working with the digital product team to iterate and refine their website.

Tom joins the podcast to talk about website development, what marketers need to know about websites, user experience, and what trends we should be aware of and following as we head into 2023.

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode of the Backcountry Marketing Podcast, Cole and Kevin Knutson discuss the evolving landscape of content marketing in the outdoor industry. They explore the tension between emotional storytelling and the demands of social media algorithms, the risk aversion of brands, and the importance of creating meaningful content that resonates with audiences. Kevin shares his journey as a creative in the outdoor space and emphasizes the need for brands to take risks and embrace their values in their marketing efforts. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities facing the industry as it navigates a complex media landscape.

Key Topics Covered:

• Content marketing is increasingly driven by data and algorithms.

• Brands are becoming risk averse, leading to a homogenization of content.

• Emotional storytelling is often sidelined for trends that drive engagement.

• The outdoor industry needs to embrace its values and take creative risks.

• Successful content requires a strategic approach to distribution and marketing.

• Meaningful content can lead to long-term brand loyalty, even without immediate ROI.

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

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’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. If you need help bringing your next video project to life, check out our website to learn more. If not, 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? 

In this conversation, Cole and Brian Rodine discuss cause marketing from the perspective of a nonprofit organization. Brian is the Director of Marketing and Trailhead Program Manager at Friends of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.  They explore the importance of aligning goals and values between nonprofits and brands and the challenges of navigating partnerships that maximize value for the non-profit and the brand.

Takeaways

• Aligning goals and values is crucial for successful cause marketing partnerships between nonprofits and brands.

• The outdoor industry audience tends to be more discerning and values-driven, requiring genuine and meaningful cause marketing efforts.

• Communication and alignment within a brand's different departments are essential for effective cause marketing strategies. Authentic partnerships between brands and nonprofits require open communication and shared goals.

• Cross-pollination between brand and nonprofit audiences can amplify messages and reach a wider audience.

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. Have a topic or guest you’d like to hear on the show? Let us know here 

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. Check out our website for insights and how we’ve helped other marketers move the needle through our work.

Tony Sattler is the Executive Vice President of Experience and Insight st Swanson Russell where he helps create innovative strategies and experiences for their key clients while constantly evolving the agency's core research and strategy development capabilities.

In Part 3 of our 4-part Storytelling Series, Cole and Tony discuss:
- how brands can create exceptional experiences
- why data strategy is good for marketing strategy
- leveraging AI to create more robust experiences and engagement with your audiences
- why insight drives great creative

You can catch up with Tony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonysattler/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

These days many companies are losing trust with their consumers and are looking for ways to rebuild that trust. The outdoor industry has always had a staple of "authentic brands" in its ranks, however, what does being an authentic brand mean? How does a brand achieve this status?

In this two-part episode, Al Perkinson from Bajio Sunglasses breaks down the 5 steps required to build an authentic brand. As an industry veteran with two decades of experience, Al has started to notice trends that all authentic brands do in order to earn that designation.  The five steps are relatively simple, but require an immense amount of intentionality and effort to maintain. Al breaks down a common marketing buzzword into actionable, and digestable steps.

1. Creation story

2. Higher calling

3. Performance

4. True to your core

5. Design as a weapon

This is Part 1 of a 2 Part Series where we explore authenticity and community building with Al.

Follow Bajio

@bajiosunglasses

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

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.

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."

Follow UST and John:

@ustgear

@johnholdmeier

Episode Sponsored By:

Darby Communications

https://www.darbycommunications.com/

@darbycomm

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

Patience. According to Jordan Williams, patience is the most undervalued tool in marketing.

Our guest for this episode has a pretty impressive resume in the outdoor industry. From Smartwool, to Vail Resorts, to REI, to Red Bull, Jordan Williams has been working in marketing for outdoor businesses for years. He’s here to share his expertise across Marketing, Brand, eCommerce, and Retail.

Jordan joins Cole on this episode to discuss:

• Why marketing requires a lot of patience

• What modern marketing actually is

• Standing something amidst a landscape of uncertainty and chaos

• The importance of getting consumers involved in product development 

• Their thoughts on delayed gratification

You can catch up with Jordan over on LinkedIn.

If you’re liking 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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

In this episode, Chris Dickerson, the Director of Digital at Verde Brand Communications joins me to talk about creating a go-to-market strategy. 

One of the first questions Chris recommends asking is: "what is the value to the consumer?" Combine that with your brand goals and you have your north star. Every decision from that point whether it be: website wireframes, social media strategy, or a content strategy, all ladders back up to the product.

As Chris says "By flipping your thinking, sweating the details first, and always keeping your end consumer top of mind, launches will be smoother and more comprehensive, ensuring all of your channels are aligned and support one another." 

If you want to learn more, Chris put together a quick guide to help assist with this process. If you're curious, I highly recommend checking it out here!

Or use this link: https://www.verdepr.com/blog/2021/6/16/how-to-create-go-to-market-strategy

Follow Chris and Verde

@dickergram

@verdebrandcommunications

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@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

This month, we're featuring conversations with leaders who inspire us to lead better teams in the new year.

In this episode, Cole sits down with Ryan Coulter, founder and Chief Creative Officer at the James Brand, a company that makes knives and tools for people who live adventurously. Before founding the James Brand, Ryan spent time at companies like Burton and Nike, amongst others.

Ryan and Cole talk about what it takes to lead a truly creative team. Listen to this one to jumpstart 2023 and your leadership skills!

Catch up with the James Brand on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejamesbrand/

Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

Conor McElyea is the Director of Partnerships and Membership with the Conservation Alliance.

The Conservation Alliance is a membership-based non-profit that helps fund conversation efforts across the continent. To date, they have protected 73 million acres, 3,576 river miles, remove or halted 37 dams, purchased 18 climbing areas, and designated five marine reserves.

Conor discusses the rise in popularity of cause marketing, the opportunities for brands that are members of the alliance, and the exciting work being done at Public Lands for conservation.

Follow the Alliance:
@conservationalliance

Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

Seven years ago Coalition Snow would have needed an introduction to this podcast. Today however few haven't heard of this women lead company. For seven years they've fought for what they believe, rattled the cages of the snow world, and have made allies and enemies while blazing their own path.

In this episode, the CEO of Coalition Snow, Jen Gurecki shares her perspective on starting the company, becoming a thought leader, and giving a voice to underserved individuals in the snow sports world.

From the episode:

"It's been a process and an evolution of the brand, I think we got to a point where we realized that we were sort of transitioning from a product to a platform."

"People were showing up and wanted to be apart of what we were building, regardless if they were a skier or a snowboarder."

"If we started our company on a mission of inclusivity and diversity in snow sports, we really need to walk that talk."

"There's not a team of marketing professionals sitting around a table trying to come up with a campaign, or what should we say. Everything you see and read and hear is 100% real. Real talk, from us, it's how we feel."

"We don't live in a time where you can be agnostic to the massive social, environmental, and economical problems that we face. Your consumers demand more of you, the world needs you. Stop being afraid and get over yourselves."

Follow Coalition Snow:

@coalitionsnow

Episode Sponsored By:

Darby Communications

https://www.darbycommunications.com/

@darbycomm

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 12/01/2021.

In 2021 the most valuable commodity is attention. As marketers, we all seek to earn the attention of our audience. But how often do we consider our own focus while on the job? Are those trips to the water cooler really helping your creativity? Does keeping your email tab open or closed help or hinder communication?

In this episode, Jeremy Jensen joins me to discuss flow. Many of us are probably familiar with the concept of flow. "Being in the zone" or "runners high" are common names for this neurologic effect happening inside our brain. In flow, we become focused, more creative, and increase productivity. In fact, studies have found that productivity can be increased 500% when in flow. Most of us probably experience this effect while we're skiing, mountain biking or chasing some adrenaline high.

But what if we could trick our brains into flow so that we could get more done? What if we could do a full day's work in half a day?

Jeremy is here to tell us that this is possible. Flow state can be triggered with 22 different triggers. Each of which can launch us into sessions of deep, quality, focused work.

Follow Jeremy:
@jeremyrjensen

Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

In this episode, Cole sits down with Chris Burkard—photographer, creative director, adventurer, and storyteller. Chris shares his unique perspective on navigating the constant changes shaping the outdoor industry, creativity, and marketing.  They dive deep into the evolving role of creatives in a constantly changing outdoor industry. From the blurred lines between artistry and strategy to the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a data-driven world, Chris shares insights from his expansive career and unique perspectives on storytelling, marketing, and brand-building.

This is part one of a two-part series featuring Chris. If you have a question for Chris that you’d like him to answer in part 2 let us know.

Key Takeaways

• The role of creatives is changing

• The path to success for a piece of creative has changed over the last 15 years

• Many brands are asking creatives to provide directions to a destination that doesn't exist.

• The balance between creative risk and data-backed decision-making

• Opportunities for creatives are ripe

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We help brands make effective video content. Need help standing out? Say hi.

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? 

Social media is constantly changing, new algorithms, new platforms, and new trends are a daily occurrence. As a brand, how do you decide what platforms to be present on? How does your brand communicate on each platform?

These are a couple of questions that Kami York - Feirn answers in this episode. As the Social Media Coordinator at Ruffwear, she is faced with these types of challenges daily.

In addition to this topic, we discuss TikTok for brands, emerging platforms, sales on social media, and the Metaverse.

Follow Ruffwear and Kami on Instagram.

Produced by Port Side Productions and Cole Heilborn.

In this episode, Christian Lepley the VP of Marketing at GU Energy Labs shares how GU is adapting and embracing newly emerging markets.

Historically GU has been a brand focused on the podium. But when podiums were shuttered in 2020, the GU team realized they needed to be more welcoming of everyone. As Christian says, "it was an awakening." This awakening has been fueled by the everyday athlete where 5ks are just as important as ultra marathons.

Follow Christian and GU:

@christianlepley

@guenergylabs

Produced by Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

What is brand maturity and how do you achieve it? Jonathan McKenzie, co-founder of Turtlebox Audio, joins us to teach us exactly that. Jonathan joins Cole to chat about the importance of brand maturity, his journey as a co-founder, and how to keep scaling while staying true to your brand's values.

On this episode, you'll learn:
- the definition of brand maturity
- how to get your brand to the maturity level you're aiming for
- how to measure brand maturity - the definition of "customer spill"
- how to keep your brand's core values through growth

You can catch up with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mckenzie-9118aa13/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

Dave Taylor runs Okaybro as a solo creative. He works with a network of collaborators on branding and advertising projects across a range of industries, primarily focused on the outdoor and cycling space.

In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of being a solo creative entrepreneur. In a turbulent industry, low overhead and quality output is a common path for many agency owners. Dave also shares some of his philosophy around being a fan vs a cynic of other people's work.

Follow Dave and Okaybro:

@okaybro

@okaybrodave

This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 12/14/2021.

In this episode, Nicole Handel, the Director of Marketing at MAMMUT joins me to discuss psychology and the consumer's decision-making process.

Psychology is at the core of everything. We examine multiple intersections of marketing and psychology by dissecting paradigms across the marketing industry as well as some of Mammut's initiatives and processes.


Follow Nicole and Mammut:
@mammutna
@nicolehandel

Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

In 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

• Inspiration is the first step in getting people outdoors.

• The outdoor industry faces competition from technology and indoor entertainment.

• Storytelling remains vital, but the quality of content is declining due to AI.

• Change is constant, and adaptability is key in the outdoor industry.

• Authenticity in storytelling will attract audiences in a content-saturated world

• 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?

In this episode, Mike Rogge, the owner and editor of Mountain Gazette, discusses the importance of understanding and caring about your audience. He shares insights on how niche media companies can solve many of the challenges faced by media companies today by staying focused on their audience. Mike also emphasizes the value of knowing your audience in storytelling and content creation. He highlights the role of empathy in connecting with the audience and the importance of execution in delivering quality content. The conversation concludes with key takeaways for listeners to apply to their own projects and ideas.

Takeaways

• Niche media companies can overcome challenges by staying focused on their audience.

• Knowing your audience is crucial in storytelling and content creation.

• Empathy is the key to connecting with the audience.

• Caring about your audience leads to quality content and community-building

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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

You've likely never heard of Signature Products Group (SPG). In fact, the better Chatham and his team do, the more you don't realize they're there.

Chatham Baker is the Vice President of Brands with SPG. SPG works with brands like Carhartt, Ducks Unlimited, and Real Tree to design, develop, manufacture and distribute licensed products.

In this episode, he explains how SPG works with some of the world's top brands while most people have no idea they exist.

Follow Chatham:

@grammachatham

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

How many times have you heard the phrase: "content is king?"

While content is important, how important is it really when compared with the strategy behind it? Chris Killen is the Global Marketing Manager at Bell Helmets, and in this episode shares his perspective on the phrase 'content is king.' 

From the episode:

"Content is king if it has a strategy...one without the other is a waste of time"

"You're almost set up to fail as a business or brand, they [social media giants] don't want you to get as many organic views as you should because they want you to spend money."

"The strategy has changed because the social media platforms and landscape in which we advertise changes so drastically. The way to stay ahead of it is to always be doing it."

Follow Chris and Bell Helmets:

@christopherikillen

@bell_powersports.

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

"

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."

In this episode, Colton Jacobs, a Seattle-based adventure photographer shares his thoughts on finding and keeping clients. Colton has shot with many brands such as Filson, K2, Hest, and many other reputable brands.

He answers some of the following questions: Does your portfolio matter? How do you use social media? Does cold calling work? How do you manage the feast or famine cycles? 

This question is an age-old question in the freelance community. Many photographers get into the photo business for the love of the craft, not the business. However, being able to navigate the world of business can seem like a necessary evil in the pursuit of passion.

Follow Colton:

@coltonandrewjacobs

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

 In this episode, Cole sits down with Niclas Bornling, an outdoor industry veteran, to discuss the challenges faced by outdoor brands. They explore the lessons to be learned from the decline of brands like Quicksilver and DC Shoes in the early 2000s and how those lessons can be applied to the current state of the industry. They highlight the importance of understanding the evolving consumer landscape and the need for brands to adapt to the changing preferences and cultural references of younger generations. 

Takeaways:

• Outdoor brands need to understand and adapt to the evolving consumer landscape, particularly the preferences and cultural references of younger generations.

• The decline of brands like Quicksilver and DC Shoes in the early 2000s serves as a lesson for the current state of the industry.

• The GorpCore trend, while currently popular, may not last forever, and brands should not rely solely on its success.

• Telling relevant stories and offering solutions that resonate with the evolving audience is crucial for the success of outdoor brands. Understanding and connecting with a specific audience is crucial in marketing.

• Brands should surround themselves with diverse perspectives to stay relevant and adapt to the changing cultural landscape.

• Knowing your audience and telling meaningful, relevant stories is key to building a successful brand.

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."

In this episode, Rob McSkimming, the former VP of Marketing at Whistler Blackcomb discusses the origins of Crankworx.
 
Starting in 2004, Crankworx has quickly gone on to fuel the evolution of mountain bike culture, attracting fans and athletes from around the world. 
 
Rob reflects on the evolution of the event and how it’s impacted the sport, art, and culture. He discusses the value of a sport-defining event to a marketer and talks about the future of the event and experiential marketing.

Follow Crankworx:

@crankworx

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

Building a team is one of the most important aspects of succeeding in marketing, and really, business in general. How do you make sure you have the right people and the right culture to perform successfully?

Our guest on this episode, Sarah Harper Burke, knows a thing or two about building teams. She’s spent her entire career, as she says it, “supporting people to get outside,” holding roles in Sales, Marketing, Operations and more. What really fills her up is creating highly effective marketing teams that can really impact revenue.

In this episode, Sarah and Cole discuss:

• The steps to building a great team

• How to reflect on leadership mishaps you may have made

• How to recognize skill sets and characteristics in your team

• Sarah’s take on the philosophy behind leadership

You can connect more with Sarah on LinkedIn here.

If you’re liking 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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

In this episode, Ben O'Meara the VP of Marketing at Huckberry breaks down the core components that make Huckberry, Huckberry. Huckberry is an online shop and journal that inspires active, adventurous, and stylish lives through original storytelling. They're best known for their curated products and collaborations as well as their commitment to storytelling at every touchpoint.

Ben discusses how foundational storytelling is to everything they do, previous product launches that didn't work, and how email has built Huckberry.

Follow Huckberry and Ben

@huckberry

@bennyohh

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

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."

Darren Josey is the VP of Marketing at NEMO Equipment.

Darren sits down with Cole to discuss how to build a non-transactional relationship with your customer, creating better customer relationships at large.

With the huge influx of new folks recreating in the outdoors, there's an enormous opportunity to connect with potential customers outside of their transactions with you.

Darren chats about how NEMO equipment is accomplishing this through inspiring people to get outside and provide training materials for all ability levels.

Follow along with NEMO Equipment here.

This podcast is a project by Cole Heilborn and Port Side Productions. 

We have all heard about the great resignation that's been sweeping the industry. Chris Cashbaugh is the Director of Product Strategy at SOG. In this episode, he discusses the decision he made to switch from marketing to product design.

Finding a new job can be intimidating. Especially if it's in a field that we don't have any experience in. Chris shares his thoughts on how he made the transition, his philosophy on book learning vs real-world learning, and some practical steps for someone looking for a change.

Follow SOG:
@sogknives

Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

Scot Keith is the founder and CEO of One Twenty Three West (123W), an advertising agency in Vancouver. They moved from the garage to an industrial laundromat and now they work in a B-grade building with plywood floors - all to keep the talent high and the overhead low.

In this episode, Cole and Scot discuss:

- how to start an agency
- the power of creativity
- positioning an agency with low overhead and high-caliber talent
- how to manage well but keep autonomy

You can catch up with Scot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scot-keith-9560125/

You can learn more about One Twenty Three West here: https://123w.ca/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Nicole Handel, the Director of Marketing at MAMMUT joins me to discuss psychology and the consumer's decision-making process.

Psychology is at the core of everything. We examine multiple intersections of marketing and psychology by dissecting paradigms across the marketing industry as well as some of Mammut's initiatives and processes.

Follow Nicole and Mammut:
@mammutna
@nicolehandel

Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

Kyle McCann is the digital marketing manager at Canyon Bicycles USA. In this episode, we talk about his winding career path from sport fishing, to Facebook, to Canyon. He shares about the lessons he's learned personally and professionally along the way.

We talk about passion behind your work, niching vs being a generalist and bikes.

Follow Canyon and Kyle:

@canyon_na

@kaptainkyle11

Ibex used to be a beloved brand that championed Merino Wool technology and was passionate about its climate impact. These two elements created an undying community of users who loved their Ibex clothing.

Unfortunately in 2018, the brand had to close its doors during a shift from wholesale to direct to consumer. The closure wasn't pretty and left many partners feeling burned. As some would say "The only bridge Ibex didn't burn was the one with their customer."

In this episode, Bonie Shupe the GM/Director of Product, and Jordan Todoroff the Head of Sales, join me to discuss the process of re-launching the brand. They discuss the reasons Ibex 1.0 went under, what worked and what didn't. Moving forwards, they discuss their plans for the company and express their passion for re-kindling a brand loved by many.

Follow Ibex:

@ibexwool

@bonieshupe

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

Brock Ellis is the Creative Director at Mountain Equipment Company, managing all campaign outputs from the creative team, working directly with the Brand Director and VP of Marketing.

Brock joins Cole on the show to discuss what happens when a rebrand goes wrong.

On this episode, you'll learn:
- what goes into rebranding
- what happens when the rebrand goes wrong / the loss of brand support
- how to come back and rebuild the brand

You can learn more about Mountain Equipment Company here: https://www.mec.ca/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Amanda Goad from BoldBrew shares about the importance of having a brand voice. 

She discusses how to make one, how to use it but also how to let it evolve as your company evolves. Now more than ever, companies are being scrutinized with everything they say. Having a clear brand voice ensures that everything that goes out into the world matches with who you are.  We also discuss history of brand storytelling and how brands are finding new ways to tell their stories.

From the episode:

"Make sure your voice is always evolving, but make sure it's clear who you are trying to talk to moving forwards."

"Cohesiveness and consistency are key"

"For over centuries we as humans gravitate towards stories that are engaging and tell us about a community or place and give us an affinity and shared values to something that we also connect with."

Follow Amanda and BoldBrew:

@amandamariegoad

@boldbrewteam

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

Our last episode of the freelancer month has arrived!

This week, Cole sits down with John Entwistle, Account Director and Photographer at Origin, an outdoor agency that partners with brands they believe in. Everything they do is about getting more people out there.

In this episode, Cole and John discuss:

- best practices for working with an agency - what your portfolio should consist of

- how to stay top of mind with an agency

- some no-gos you should be aware of in working with agencies

And much, much more!

You can catch up with John at his website or on his Instagram.

The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is produced by Cole Heilborn, owner of Port Side Productions.

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

Freelancer month continues with a conversation about how to manage clients efficiently and effectively as a freelancer. In this episode, Cole sits down with Maari Casey.

Maari is the Founder & Owner of Uncompany, a freelance collective designed to connect clients with high-caliber talent.

In this episode, Cole and Maari discuss:

- the top challenges freelancers face
- why thinking like a project manager is beneficial as a freelancer
- how to create a sustainable workload and flow
- how can automation aide freelancers and their client relationships

and much, much more!

Catch up with Maari and Uncompany at their website.

Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a Port Side Productions project.

Nick Symmonds is a two-time Olympian turned YouTuber and entrepreneur, hitting over 1 million subscribers. Nick is also a mountain climber, already hitting 44 out of 50 state high points and 2 of the 7 summits.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- how to get started on YouTube
- how brands can win on YouTube
- how to create engaging content
- what challenges we'll see on YouTube in the future

You can check out Nick's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@nicksymmonds

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love 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." 

The outdoor industry is good at its craft. Maybe a little too good. Every brand is producing products that are tougher, lighter, and more effective than ever before. Our industry has done such a great job of pushing each other to constantly improve that it’s all starting to look, feel, and perform the same. 

This is a good problem to have because it brings out the best in everyone. But in a sea of sameness, how do companies stand out if their product alone isn’t discernible? Price point certainly is a factor as are availability, sizing, and colorways but at the end of the day, the only thing that separates a company from their competition is its brand.

//

These Fireside Chats are short discussions where we'll delve into the heart of storytelling and its pivotal role in today's marketing landscape.  In these short episodes, we'll explore the art of storytelling, and uncover the insights to help you craft narratives that captivate, resonate, and leave a lasting impact on your brand.

//

Curious how your brand’s storytelling efforts stack up? Take this 9-question quiz to evaluate the health of your brand storytelling.

Helpful Links:

• Read the article
• More storytelling insights
• Sign up for our email newsletter to receive insights like this delivered to your inbox

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help

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?"

Mustang Survival's iconic seahorse logo is a common sight on the water. For years, Mustang has worked in the commercial marine industry supplying life-saving PFD's and float coats. Recently however they've made a pivot to the recreation industry bringing their experience, heritage, and technical skills honed through government contracts to the everyday user.

In this episode, Jo Salamon, the Communications Manager shares how the Mustang team is making this transition.

Follow Mustang:

@mustangsurvival

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

As people flock to the outdoors, many brands are welcoming and embracing these individuals with open arms. Brands that were once reserved for core users are breaking down their walls to be seen as a more inclusive brand.

In this episode, Andy Bethune, the Director of Strategy at Origin Outside discusses this trend and the implications. As he says, if you try to become something to everyone, you'll be nothing to anyone.  But where is the balance? Obviously, we want people to get outside and feel included.

We discuss how far a brand can dilute itself before it becomes ambiguous, why some brands thrive in ambiguity, and factors to consider when a brand is facing outside pressure to grow.

Follow Origin and Andy

@abethune

@originoutside

Produced by:

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

57 Hours is a business that connects customers with local guides for adventures.

Viktor Marohnic, the Founder and CEO, joins me on the podcast to discuss the challenges they have faced in streamlining their customer acquisition pipeline.

For many businesses that sell "big-ticket items" or services that require lots of planning a simple social media ad isn't enough to convert a customer. This challenge is experienced throughout the travel industry as many of the purchase decisions are based on logistics.

Viktor shares the strategy he and his team have developed to ease customers into their pipeline and provide value along the way.

Follow 57 Hours: @57hours_app

Produced by: @portsideproductions @backcountrymarketing @coleheilborn

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.

As the snow has started to fall, the summer rush to the outdoors continues into the mountains. With this large influx of new participants, there is a concern for snow safety amongst the industry. Fortunately, Mammut is no stranger to promoting safety in the outdoors.  Founded 158 years ago in Switzerland, the brand has born when Kasper Tanner started making ropes for mountaineers.

Maddie Petry is the Marketing Director for the North American division of the company. In this episode, she talks about how they are working to educate these new consumers on outdoor safety all while still engaging with their core brand evangelists and sticking true to their long-term goals for the brand.

 From the episode:

"I think where our challenge is, is being at the top of the mountain and coming down the mountain to these people who are just getting into these sports."

"It's always scary to take a step back and say, hey we need to look at this from a smaller scale, a more impactful scale to set up for long-term growth."

"I think the challenge is playing the long game. It's easy for brands to really think [short term]. For us, it was a process of creating a space for our community to come to us."

Follow Maddie and Mammut:

@mammutna

@mads_petry

Episode Sponsored By:

Darby Communications

https://www.darbycommunications.com/

@darbycomm

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

Can'd Aid is a non-profit built on the idea of "Rallying you to do good."

To date, they've built 6,610 bikes and skateboards, donated 2,500+ musical instruments, completed 47 work party days, and recycled 73 million cans.

The non-profit was started by Diana Ralston. Originally the goal was to help areas hit hard by either natural or man-made disasters. As the canned water distribution plan started working, Diana and her team realized there was more good they could be doing. But as they've grown and incorporated more programs they always struggled to communicate what exactly they did. After growing beyond their initial vision the team realized that they need to re-brand in order to continue their mission and gather support along the way.

In this episode, Diana shares about the messy process of re-branding a non-profit.

Follow Diana and Can'd Aid:

@candaid

@dianaralston

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

For a small business owner, adding another task to the to-do list can seem like the straw that broke the camel's back.

Chloe - Anne Swink is a small business owner herself and runs the Chloe - Anne Copy Agency. As a copywriter, she comes across many small businesses that have never actually defined what their core values are. This lack of a foundation can create a number of problems for business owners, who might not even realize it because they're too busy running the day-to-day of their business.

In this episode, she shares some practical, easy-lift steps to help small business owners define their values, organize them, and most importantly act on them.

Follow Chloe - Anne:
@chloe.anne.copy

Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

You may recognize this episode's guest from a past episode of the Backcountry Marketing Podcast. As he describes himself, Sam Van Boxtel is "just a climber obsessed with social media." Well, he's much more than that. Sam is a climber and entrepreneur based in Vancouver, Washington. He and his team make up Climbers Crag, the climbing industry's leading social media agency, helping outdoor brands with social media and YouTube management.

Sam joins Cole again on the show, this time to talk about the huge opportunity that is YouTube for all outdoor brands. Listen in as Sam shares some recent insights he's found that are changing his perspective on YouTube for brands.

You can learn more about Sam's company, Climber's Crag here: https://www.climberscrag.com/

You can connect with Sam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-van-boxtel-607b74189/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

Welcome to a bonus episode! In this episode host Cole Heilborn takes us out of the studio and into the vibrant atmosphere of the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado. Join him as he navigates questions like: What is the role of storytelling in marketing today, especially in 2024? How do economic changes and budget cuts impact the value and approach to storytelling? What are the perspectives of filmmakers and brands on the importance of storytelling amidst industry challenges?

In this episode you'll hear from filmmakers Roo Smith, Greg Balkin, and the Global Media Director from The North Face, Biz Young. 

Episode Takeaways:

• The evolving role of storytelling in marketing and its significance in the outdoor industry.
• The impact of economic changes on marketing budgets and the need for creative storytelling solutions.
• Insights from industry experts on balancing qualitative storytelling impact with the demand for quantifiable metrics.
• The importance of embracing ambiguity and navigating uncharted waters in storytelling and marketing.
• The future trends and opportunities for storytelling in a rapidly changing industry landscape

//

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’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. Check out our website for insights and how we’ve helped other marketers move the needle through our work.

The Social Dilemma is a Netflix documentary "...that explores the dangerous human impact of social networking with tech experts sounding the alarm on their own creations." The film has been a popular hit and has motivated people to delete social media, turn off phone notifications, and has prompted many to re-evaluate their relationship with social media.

In this episode, Mary Kate Baumann, the Senior Marketing Strategist at GOAL ZERO shares her thoughts on the film and the questions she now asks herself both personally and professionally about the role social media plays in the outdoor industry.

Social media has undoubtedly been a helpful tool in marketing. But does it come with a cost to the consumer? Are brands responsible for this impact? How does it impact the places we love?

Follow Mary Kate and GOAL ZERO

@goalzero

@marryykate.ind

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

Jon Bausman has 16 years of marketing experience, both in the outdoor industry and out. His roles have focused on P&L accountability, leading a team, growth marketing, and developing and scaling brands.

Jon sits down with Cole to discuss how to scale a brand in 2023 and beyond, challenging the status quo, and content strategy tactics.

You can catch up with Jon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonbausman/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Matt Powell shares insights and observations about the economic state of the outdoor industry. It’s common news that the COVID boom than bust has spun the industry into a downward spiral but Matt sheds some new light into the predicament as well as opportunities that could break the industry out of its spiral. 

Matt has 51 years of experience in the retail industry and currently advises outdoor + athletic businesses based on data and insights.

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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

Lindsay Yaw Rogers is the founder of Raw Strategy, an agency that works with high level athletes and leaders throughout the industry on positioning and messaging. She works with the Olympic and paralympic athletes as well as the North Face athlete team.

In this episode, Cole and Lindsay discuss:

• How brands could better work with and equip their athletes

• The differences between influencers, ambassadors, and athletes

• Empowering athletes and employees to be brand ambassadors

• Her hopes for the future of athlete programs in the outdoor industry and beyond

You can catch up with Lindsay here and learn more about Raw Strategy here. 

If you’re liking 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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

In this episode, Erin Keane, the VP of Marketing for Ikon Pass and Alterra Mountain Company discusses the power of relationships in the workplace and how great marketing is achieved by collaboration with others. She shares how relationships have been the key to her success and emphasizes the importance of building authentic relationships based on trust and shared goals. She provides tips for building and maintaining relationships and also discusses the challenge of managing a large network of relationships and the importance of prioritizing meaningful connections.

Takeaways

• Building authentic relationships based on trust and shared goals is key to success in the workplace.

• Consistent communication and finding opportunities to reach out without asking for anything in return are important for maintaining relationships.

• Being open to different communication styles and adapting your approach to meet the needs of others can strengthen relationships.

• Managing a large network of relationships requires prioritization and finding meaningful ways to stay connected. Building and maintaining relationships in the workplace is crucial for job satisfaction and productivity.

• Consistency, communication, and trust are key elements in establishing authentic connections.

• Even with limited time, individuals can make small efforts to build and maintain relationships.

• Relationships provide support and make it easier to navigate conflicts and challenges.

• Investing in relationships without expecting a transactional exchange leads to more meaningful connections.

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’re a video production outfit that believes stories inspire and move people through the power of emotion. We work with brands and agencies in the outdoor industry to tell stories that help brands engage, inspire, and build brand affinity with their customers. We tell stories from the wild.

Evan Swinehart is the Director and Partner of Lumenati Productions. After graduating from the University of Colorado with a film degree, Evan spent years shooting and finding work within the outdoor industry as well as the ad world. Eventually, Evan started Lumenati Productions to help serve more brands and projects.

In part 4 of our 4-part storytelling series, Cole and Evan discuss:

- what is happening in the industry overall
- the importance and art of a great creative brief
- analytics versus art
- the importance of a brand's voice

You can catch up with Evan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swiney/

You can learn more about Lumenati here: https://lumenati.com/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Cole Heilborn takes a deep dive into an approach he calls Problem-First Creative—the philosophy of prioritizing purpose over aesthetics in video production. In an industry bursting with creative options, it’s easy for filmmakers and brands alike to focus on elements like lighting, talent, and locations. But Cole argues that a more impactful approach involves beginning with a clear understanding of the why behind each project. Rather than simply creating eye-catching visuals, he explains why production should first and foremost solve real business problems.

Cole discusses the downside of the content-saturated market, where shouting louder doesn’t necessarily lead to being heard. Instead, he encourages brands to create content that stands apart from the noise by aligning creative work with the unique challenges a brand faces—whether that’s building awareness, educating an audience, or telling an athlete’s story. He shares insights on Port Side’s approach, where projects are structured around brand identity, a deep understanding of the target audience, and a commitment to problem-solving.

This episode is essential listening for anyone in video production or brand marketing who wants to break free from the routine of just following trends and start crafting content that resonates, connects, and drives real results.

Key Takeaways

• How to adopt a Problem-First Creative mindset to create more impactful content
• Why purpose is more critical than aesthetics in video production
• The dangers of pitching stories without a clear understanding of a brand’s needs
• Ways to stand out in an oversaturated media landscape
• The importance of aligning video work with brand identity and audience needs

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

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’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. If you need help bringing your next video project to life, check out our website to learn more. If not, 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?

Amanda Smith is the founder and owner of the agency, Monday Creative. Amanda started her career as a writer/editor, then went down the path of brand strategist, eventually ending up running her own agency.

Amanda joins Cole to discuss product sustainability, circularity, regenerative capitalism, as well as overall brand strategy and voice.

You can catch up with Amanda here:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaleesmith/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaleesmith1/

Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Cole sits down with Kristin Gavin, Director of Production at Cotopaxi, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the outdoor media landscape. Kristin shares insights on the congested nature of outdoor marketing, the importance of brand identity, and the need for innovative storytelling that resonates with consumers. The conversation highlights the significance of building connections and the future of outdoor media as brands strive to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Key Takeaways

• The outdoor media landscape is congested and competitive.

• Brands need to focus on building genuine connections with consumers.

• The future of marketing will involve more personalized and interactive content.

• Brands should not just mimic the successful strategies of others.

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

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’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. If you need help bringing your next video project to life, check out our website to learn more. If not, 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? 

When it comes to building your team who are you working with? Why would you choose an athlete over an influencer? When is an influencer better suited than an ambassador? Why have an ambassador team in 2021?

Maddie Duffy, the Marketing Manager, from Mystery Ranch dives into these questions and more. She explains why Mystery Ranch started an ambassador program, but also why they continue to work with athletes and influencers outside of their ambassadors.

As Maddie says, the key to any successful relationship is trust. "Appreciate the relationship you have and nourish it." 

Follow Maddie and Mystery Ranch:

(Maddie is taking a break from Instagram, you can find her on LinkedIn!)

@mysteryranch

Produced by:

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

In this episode, Mike Somerby, the Director of Marketing from Duckworth jumps on the mic to discuss storytelling and the intersection with customer loyalty.

Building customer loyalty is the name of the game right now. According to Marty Neumeier in his book "The Brand Flip" a loyal customer would spend 33% more than a new customer. If building such loyalty can pay dividends in the future, how do you build such loyalty?

Mike Somerby discusses this as well as how he and his team use the authenticity of their storytelling to help build customer loyalty.

Follow Duckworth:

@duckworthco

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn

How does a brand go from a local, small start-up to being one of the biggest brands in their category within just a few years? Athletic Brewing's CMO, Andrew Katz, is here to tell us how.

In this episode, you'll learn:
- the importance of the pursuit of progress
- how to build true loyalty with customers
- the way to grow a brand into a household name
- what digital opportunities brands have to build connections with their customers

Andrew is a career marketer with an entrepreneurial spirit. Before coming to Athletic Brewing, he launched a FinTech company, and has led brands and teams for brands like Pepsi, American Express, and Heineken.

You can learn more about Athletic Brewing at their website: https://athleticbrewing.com/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

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." 

Liv Faris started her career in print journalism and then transitioned to broadcast journalism. Eventually, she moved to work at an agency doing a little bit of everything. She has since worked internally at Expedia, and now at Brooks. In her current role, she leads the content production team in Brooks' internal creative studio/agency.

In this episode, Cole and Liv discuss when to bring your content production in-house, who and when to outsource your content, how to build a business case to create an internal studio, and much more.

You can catch up with Liv on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livfaris/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

Davide Giardini is originally from Lake Garda, Italy, a multisport heaven for cycling, skiing, wind sports, and climbing in the heart of the Italian Alps. He moved to the USA over 15 years ago as a foreign exchange high school student and has been in the country ever since.

While competing at the highest level of sport, Davide has always maintained a foot on the "other side" of the business sports, in sales & marketing roles. Being an active, personable, respected, and highly skilled professional in the communities he serves has given Davide a front-row seat in understanding and leveraging the trends, needs, and wants of athletes.

In this episode, Cole and Davide discuss the relationship between brands and retail, the importance of the human element of the retail shopping experience, the athlete-to-brand relationship, and much more!

You can catch up with Davide here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enduranceproguides/

Essential Reading for Outdoor Marketers: https://kit.co/BackcountryMarketing

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

James Merrill worked for a decade as a contractor for the United States Agency for International Development and through that work, saw how single-use plastic led to the degradation of natural resources and impacted low-income communities. So, he founded Opolis - a truly sustainable line of sunglasses. They're making sunglasses out of plant-based and recycled plastics. 

In this episode, Cole and James chat about:

- what it takes for a consumer to actually CARE about a brand

- if companies still need a strong why to succeed in today's environment

- what types of stories can "break the paradigm"

- the links between what we consume and people impacted around the globe

You can learn more about Opolis here: https://opolisoptics.com/ 

Or here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/opolis_optics/ 

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Cole and Will Truettner discuss the concept of Minimal Viable Creative (MVC) and how it can be applied to creative projects. He emphasizes the importance of constraints in fostering unique ideas and the need to balance creative integrity with business goals. Through a case study that aired during the Tour De Femmes, he illustrates how understanding the audience and focusing on concept over execution can lead to impactful creative work. The discussion also touches on the creative process, the significance of audience understanding, and the challenges faced in production.

Key Topics Covered:

• The MVC concept applies to creative projects just like it does to product development.

• Constraints can lead to more unique and innovative ideas.

• Focusing on concept over execution is crucial, especially with limited resources.

• Understanding your audience is key to creating effective content.

• Creative integrity should align with business goals for maximum impact.

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

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’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. If you need help bringing your next video project to life, check out our website to learn more. If not, 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? 

PR is changing. We all know this and in fact, we did an episode on it with Chris Dickey in Season 1 Episode 13.

In this episode, we dive deeper into how PR is changing. I sit down with Cory Van Auken from Darby Communications to try and understand how PR and Digital Marketing can work together. We talk briefly about how Darby is structured and how they work with clients, but then we jump into discussing Darby's proprietary algorithm that scores the impact of PR hits. Cory helped design this algorithm and explains why having a visual representation of PR value is necessary and insightful in today's world.

From the episode:

"[Darby Communications] is unique in a way that we take a team approach with each client that we have. Every client gets an account lead, and then additional teammates depending on the services they need."

"There is something to be said about the fact that the print format is making a comeback. You are inviting print issues into your home, rather than being bombarded with unwarranted marketing that pops up on your social feeds. Print is artwork. You consume it because you want to and you allow yourself to."

"Good PR works with good marketing to bolster the whole brand up."

"The idea that everyone can improve is ensuring that we are connecting the product back to the story and the importance of the brand, and why the brand is doing what they're doing."

Follow Darby and Cory:

https://www.darbycommunications.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-van-auken-60a503103/

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

Al Perkinson, the CEO of Bajio Sunglasses, joins me on the podcast for Part 2 of this series. We pick up the conversation where we left off in Part 1 of episode 77.

Creating and building a community is all the rage. As marketers, we want to build companies that are surrounded by loving, supportive, passionate community members.

But how does one go about creating these communities? In this episode, Al shares his 5 steps to create a community.

Follow Bajio:
@bajiosunglasses


Produced by:
@portsideproductions
@backcountrymarketing
@coleheilborn

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. 

What if you could go back in time and ask a founder what they thought about the future of their business?

In this episode, Jensen and Nikolai from Ombraz Sunglasses talk about their startup journey, but also look to the future and do what founders do, dream. Where could they go? What do they want to become? Who are they? At some point in every founders journey they start to ask themselves these questions. It's these answers that are crucial for a companies success.

From the episode:

Follow Ombraz:

@ombraz

Episode Sponsored By:

Darby Communications

https://www.darbycommunications.com/

@darbycomm

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

In this episode, Cole sits down with Marc Bock, the global content leader at Gore-Tex, to discuss the intricacies of content marketing and storytelling. Marc shares insights into how Gore-Tex approaches storytelling as a tactic to support its marketing objectives, particularly in engaging younger consumers. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the target audience, building relevant content, developing stories based on business objectives, and justifying ROI in storytelling projects.

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling is a tactic to support marketing objectives.

• Understanding the target audience is crucial for effective marketing.

• Building relevant content requires balancing corporate, audience, and media needs.

• ROI for storytelling projects is justified through the content produced for various marketing functions.

• Gore-Tex's unique position as an ingredient brand allows for timeless storytelling.

 Check out the show notes for more insights and the interview transcript

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast

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’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. If you need help bringing your next video project to life, check out our website to learn more. If not, 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? 

In this episode, John Salzinger the Founder of MPOWERD shares his opinion on how we as an industry address toxic advertising and the downstream effects. 

As people are trying to escape the urban sprawl of advertising, marketers continue to promote, sell and push their products in every conceivable way. These days you can't even go to a gas station without having a screen shoved in your face!

When I consider the impact of excessive consumerism, the environmental impact these products have and the mental health impact social media has. I start to question the work we as marketers are doing.  Have we become so good at selling that we are no longer concerned with the impact of what and how we're selling?

Tune in to this episode to hear John eloquently describe his thoughts around these complicated issues.

Follow MPOWERD:

@mpowerdinc

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

In this episode, Scott Holley, the President of Eddyline Kayaks joins me to discuss all things paddling. Manufactured in the Pacific Northwest, Scott and his team take a very hands-off, yet very focused effort when it comes to marketing. 

Like many communities in the outdoors, the community Eddyline has crafted over decades of high-quality service, has lead to a user group that markets for the company. 

Eddyline course corrects here and there, but the bulk of their marketing is done on the water by a growing, loyal, fan base. As a former non-paddler, Scott shares how he recently joined the Eddyline team and how he believes the company has built such a supportive community

Follow Scott and Eddyline:

@eddylinekayaks

@rsholley11

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

So, how can brands continue to connect with audiences in new and innovative ways now that the golden age of branded films is dead? Our guest on this episode will help us learn how.

Lindsey Hagen is the Head of Development at gnarlybay, a full production studio based in Boulder, CO. She oversees all creative development, sales efforts, and marketing for the company. She also directs with a focus on impact storytelling in the branded space.

In this episode, Lindsey and Cole discuss:

- why the golden age of branded films are over
- what problems marketers are facing when it comes to branded content
- with the landscape changing, how brands can still connect with audiences
- creating 360 campaigns to get creative on multiple touch points

And much more!

You can catch up with Lindsey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-hagen-2770b836/

You can learn more about gnarlybay here: https://www.gnarlybay.com/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

Jax Mustafa is a seasoned marketing expert, entrepreneur, and world champion desert runner.

In this episode, Jax comes to us as the VP of Marketing at Erem, a footwear company inspired by the desert and committed to sustainability.

Cole and Jax discuss:

• Working on a company from the ground up
• Launching a brand
• Building a startup marketing plan
• Maintaining your personal passions and health while delivering on an aggressive marketing plan

And much, much more!

You can connect with Jax on LinkedIn.

The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a production of Port Side Productions.

Kris Hampton (he/him) is a former mural painter and rapper, currently a climbing coach and outdoor industry podcaster who has modeled his business after what he understood - independent hip-hop labels.

In this episode, Kris and Cole discuss:

- the importance of creativity for creativity's sake
- breaking the rules and bucking the trends
- why long-form content wins
- the state of outdoor podcasting

and much more.

You can catch up with Kris on Instagram and on the Power Company Climbing website. Follow along with Plug Tone Audio on Instagram or on their website.

If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help.

This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 03/01/2021.

If you're a freelancer in the outdoor industry, chances are you've asked yourself the following questions:

How do I turn my passion into a business?

How do I charge?

How do I position myself?

How do I conquer my inner critic?

In this episode, we're changing up the focus a bit. We've talked with agencies and brands a lot on this show but a group that we haven't chatted with much is the freelancer who is often doing the work.

Many of us fall into freelance work because we love our craft and we love the industry. But how do we actually do it well? How do we not burn out? How do we get clients? These are all questions I have asked and will continue to ask with my own business. Justine Mulliez from Just a Wild Thought Coaching shares the mic with me in this episode to discuss all of these challenging yet real issues freelancers face.

Follow Justine:

https://www.justawildthought.com/

@justawildthought

Produced by:

Port Side Productions

@backcountrymarketing

@portsideproductions

@coleheilborn

Megan Prettyman is the Marketing Manager at Gear Patrol and joins us on the show to talk about the importance of understanding your audience for storytelling and more.

This is part 2 of our 4-part Storytelling Series.

In this episode, Cole and Megan talk about:

• audience segmentation
• how to use data to tell stories
• what product journalism is and why it is important
• meet your audience where they're at

You can catch up with Megan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganprettyman/

This podcast is brought to you by Port Side Productions. If you work at a brand or agency in the outdoor industry that needs help bringing a video project to life, head over to portsidepro.com and send us an email. We’d love to help!

In this episode, Cole sits down with Robert Sawyer, the Creative Director of Experiential Marketing at Outside. They dive deep into the concept of marketing as a laboratory and how it can be a powerful tool in forging new models for outdoor gatherings. Robert shares insights from the inaugural Outside Festival, revealing the creative processes and challenges behind this innovative event.

Key Topics Covered:

• Marketing as a Laboratory: Robert discusses how marketing can be used as a space for experimentation, risk-taking, and innovation, particularly in the outdoor industry.

• The Power of Outdoor Gatherings: The episode explores the transformative impact of the Outside Festival, not just as an event, but as a movement to reconnect people with nature.

• Cultural Pain Points: Robert highlights the growing issues of loneliness and disconnection in modern society, and how outdoor experiences can serve as a remedy.

• Creating Magic Through Community: Discover the magic formula of "Nature + Community = Magic," and how it guided the creative direction of the festival.

• Behind the Scenes: Robert provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and successes of organizing a large-scale outdoor event, including critical feedback and the lessons learned.

• The Role of Joy in the Outdoors: The importance of joy as a motivator for getting people outside and how it influences the creative strategy for future events.

Learn More About the Outside Festival:

Website: Outside Festival

About the Backcountry Marketing Podcast 

This podcast is produced by Port Side Productions. We’re a video production outfit that believes great marketing is great storytelling and after 150+ podcast episodes with marketing pros and 9 years of producing commercials and documentaries outside, we've noticed a few things about what it takes to create video work that makes an impact. If you need help bringing your next video project to life, check out our website to learn more. If not, head over to the podcast website for more details, show notes, transcripts, recommended book readings, and other resources:

Erica Aarons grew up in MN but has been in the Jackson Hole area for almost 7 years! She worked formerly at a creative agency in Jackson, doing social for mostly Travel & Tourism clients, including Visit Jackson Hole.

After that, she joined Rex Specs, a dog gear company, where she dipped her toes in e-commerce and knew that's where she wanted to be.

She left her role as Marketing Director at Rex Specs and moved to Rumpl in November '21.

Her role as Retention & Engagement Manager at Rumpl allows her to focus on Email, Loyalty, and SMS channels. 

On this episode, Erica shares the importance of email and how company-to-customer communication delivers value.

Erica and Cole discuss:

• Customer retention and customer experience
• Customer loyalty
• Conversational commerce
• Targetting and segmenting 

and much, much more!

You can follow along with Erica here.

The Backcountry Marketing Podcast is a project of Port Side Productions. 

With massive amounts of content rolling out every day, it's easy to let pieces of content slip by that don't align with your brand strategy. In the day-to-day, this might not seem like a big deal. However, the downstream effects of this can be consequential. 

Evan Poitras, the Content Marketing Manager from Norco Bicycles, says that when a guest views your content for either the first time or one-hundredth time, it's crucial that each piece of content ladders up to support the overall brand strategy. 

Evan shares some real-world scenarios where he's seen this work and where it hasn't.  Every piece of content that gets put out helps build trust with a community. That trust can take a while to build or can come crumbling down in one post.

Follow Evan and Norco:

@norcobicycles

Produced by:

@portsideproductions

@backcountrymarketing

@coleheilborn