Run Don’t Walk To See Salomon’s Latest Brand Campaign
More often than not in interviews for creative or marketing jobs, the question “what is one piece of work that you wish you’d made?” is asked. And for the second time in as many years, it would be outdoor brand, Salomon that to jump to the forefront of my mind in this hypothetical scenario.
Last week saw the launch of their 2024 brand campaign ‘Welcome back to Earth’ - a strategic and visual masterpiece that calls on humankind to reconnect with the outdoors. On Salomon’s website they explain:
“After years of moving further away from nature, it's as if we've found ourselves living on another planet… a planet we have built. And it’s time to go back ot where we truly belong… Back to the slopes, the mountains, the forests. Back to the moments, the hours, the seasons. Back inside our own bodies. Back home.”
The campaign follows the 2022 launch of their rebrand, ‘Tomorrow is yours’, a film that was lauded across social media for it’s first-rate, aspirational message and unrivalled transitions. The result was breathtaking. So you might be wondering why I think their latest campaign is worthy of the same praise.
The idea is simple. Reconnection with nature. And how DDB Paris, the creative agency that produced the work, depicts this idea is just as simple. A woman in a soulless, grey city runs until she transcends the monotony of everyday life and reaches inner peace among nature.
Another attribute is the level to which it was brought to life, and that is in part thanks to the choice of director. Martin De Thurah is a Danish film director, screenwriter, cinematographer and music video director who has worked with the likes of Kanye West and James Blake. His slightly surreal treatment of the film feels just as visceral as the very act of running in the mountains.
A common marketing philosophy is to lean into the emotional benefit of a brand or product rather than the practical. This isn’t an ad that rams performance features down your throat. Thoughtful product placement does that job.
More than anything, it’s obvious Salomon is brand that understands who they are (a brand becoming evermore popular with city dwelling ‘hipsters’), they understand where they are positioned in the market, and exactly what their their audience aspires to. And when all of the above is put together, it makes for the best advertising for any brand.
