STACY
MILRANY
CREATIVE
 

As Creative Director, I led the development of REI’s “Force of Nature” campaign—an opportunity for the organization to publicity stand for equality. And to become relevant to a larger and more diverse audience. 

 

To anchor the entire initiative, we reframed the outdoors as The Largest Level Playing Field on Earth. The campaign set out to correct a long-standing imbalance: while REI’s membership base was split between men and women, its marketing skewed heavily male.

 

We saw an opportunity to better reflect the whole of its existing female customers and engage a broader audience—especially women aged 18–36.

Visually, this work needed to stand out as something bold, energetic, and unapologetically strong—while still respecting REI’s master brand system. I led the creation of a distinct look and feel that pushed the brand forward and gained the attention from existing and new audiences. 

The multi-media campaign launched with an anthem film and extended across social, OOH, print, in-store, digital, direct-mail, and offered more than 1,000 outdoor events for women.

Results:

• 341+ million media impressions across national and regional outlets in 3 months

• 45 million social impressions.The launch video set an all-time record for organic reach.

• More than 100 earned media placements in print, online and broadcast

• The initial launch saw a 26% increase in full-price women’s business. The girls line jumped by 30%. Since Force of Nature, the women’s business has continued to outpace men’s.

• 48,000 women participated in new REI outdoor events, classes and experiences

• Other outdoor brands quickly followed suit and committed to more diversity in their advertising and marketing messaging.