Outdoor Brands Marketing: How Creators and Athletes Fuel Performance

ANALYSIS

The Insights Behind the Outdoor Brands Marketing Ranking

In this context, trusted Voices are critical. As shown in our latest data brief, “How Sportswear Brands Connect With Communities,” influencers and celebrities—including athletes—drive 2.5x more MIV growth on average than any other Voice in sportswear. These figures highlight how credibility and value alignment are becoming key levers of brand impact.

We have analyzed the performance of selected outdoor brands during the month of May and the role of Voices—particularly influencers, athletes and owned media—in shaping consumer engagement. The results reveal three key strategies driving impact in this competitive space:

• CrMid-tier influencers fuel global engagement and customer connection. With niche but loyal followings, mid-tier influencers create trusted, peer-like relationships with their audiences—often rooted in genuine passion for the outdoors rather than transactional promotion. This approach enables brands to expand their presence and strengthen ties in key markets. Arc’teryx generated $888K in MIV from mid-tier influencers, with strong contributions from Indonesia and China. Mammut drove $326K MIV through mid-tier creators based in Austria, Indonesia and Switzerland. While L.L. Bean and REI drove $250K and $152K respectively, largely from U.S. based mid-tier influencers who reinforced their position in their core domestic market.
• Athletes drive both credibility and community when embedded in campaign narratives. Ambassadors such as climbers bring lived experience, technical credibility and inspirational storytelling that deepen consumer trust. Mammut stood out in this area, generating $421K in MIV from celebrity Voices, led by Czech climber Adam Ondra who alone contributed $230K through 8 placements. His content featured highlights like the Mammut Athlete Summit and a creative Instagram reel promoting the brand’s photo contest, which encouraged followers to engage offline through a treasure hunt—turning brand storytelling into participatory community-building.
• Owned media is a powerful amplifier for ambassador storytelling. When brands position athletes as an integral part of their narrative—rather than as external contributors—the result is stronger alignment and higher impact. Arc’teryx generated $940K in MIV through its owned media, consistently showcasing athletes’ achievements in ways that reinforce brand values. Top-performing placements featured moments like Jordan Cannon’s fourth free ascent of El Cap and Will Gadd’s ice ascent on the Wall of Walls, exemplifying how owned media can elevate ambassador stories and deepen audience connection.

Voices like influencers and athletes are essential growth drivers for outdoor brands—but the key lies in selecting the right partners and activating them through aligned, measurable strategies. Leveraging performance metrics like MIV empowers brands to benchmark impact, refine their Voice mix, and create campaigns that go beyond visibility to deliver lasting engagement in a value-driven market. At Launchmetrics, MIV helps brands identify what truly drives brand equity, so every activation delivers measurable, market-relevant value.