In 2016, ahead of the grand opening of REI’s flagship store in Washington, DC, we were asked to create a campaign that positioned REI as the epicenter for the DC outdoor community.
We developed a summer-long campaign called "United Outside" that featured 100+ outdoor events in the region, bringing more than 65,000 DC residents together during the strife of the 2016 presidential campaign.
I served as associate creative director of copy, leading concepting, presenting concepts to senior leaders, developing the playful tone of the campaign, and overseeing all customer-facing copy.
In early 2015, we were tasked with creating a campaign that would inspire REI members to answer the call of the trail while also shining a light on REI’s commitment to stewardship.
We created "Every Trail Connects," REI's first-ever purpose-driven marketing campaign, leaning into the idea that trails connect us to nature, each other, and our best selves.
We activated the campaign by allocating $500K to 10 trail systems across the country and letting customers vote for the trail of their choice, with REI donating $5 for every customer vote. Engagement surpassed all expectations, and the trails were fully funded within 48 hours, 250% faster than planned. This was a pivotal moment in the history of REI, because it emboldened the company to double-down on values-driven marketing—which ultimately led to the award-winning #OptOutside campaign.
I served as associate creative director of copy, leading concepting, presenting concepts to senior leaders, developing the campaign language, and owning all customer-facing copy. To this day, it’s my daughter Aubrey’s favorite campaign that I’ve worked on. Every time we visit our local REI store, she says, “I still can’t believe you came up with ‘Every Trail Connects,’ Dad.”
Here’s a smattering of REI work that shows my flexibility and range of voice. I’m a strategic thinker and hands-on writer who is equally comfortable developing big creative ideas and delving into the smallest details of a project.
