Merrell, a specialist in outdoor active footwear, is celebrating its 45th anniversary with the debut of a new international brand platform and creative campaign titled ‘It Starts Outside’.
Launched on March 2, 2026, the campaign aims to reframe the outdoors as an accessible space for mental clarity, resilience and human connection.
Headquartered in Rockford, MI, Merrell is a division of Wolverine World Wide and is a leading provider of hiking boots, outdoor shoes and performance trail running shoes. According to the company, the new initiative marks its evolution from a category‑specific hiking brand into a more democratic outdoor lifestyle brand.
Richard McLeod, Global CMO of Merrell, said “’It Starts Outside’ is more than a campaign, it’s our international point of view as we architect the future of the brand. For 45 years we’ve built the world’s most trusted hiking boots. Now we’re expanding that purpose: to help people unlock clarity, connection and momentum, simply by stepping outside. This belief guides how we design product, shape culture, and empower the next generation of outdoor creators.”
The creative expression includes a 30‑second hero film developed with Uncommon Creative Studio. The campaign features various stories of outdoor engagement, such as Merrell athlete and Olympian Alexi Pappas hiking with visually impaired marathon runner Lisa Thompson.
As part of the platform, the company is launching the Merrell Outside: Futures Project. This initiative aims to increase accessibility for aspiring designers through partnerships with the Virgil Abloh ‘Post-Modern’ Scholarship Fund and Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design.
The project includes two main pillars:
- Creative Curriculum: A nature‑driven design program developed with D’Wayne Edwards to help emerging creators translate outdoor insights into performance products
- Impact Apprenticeships: Opportunities for participants to work within the Merrell design studio to develop footwear and storytelling
Peter Arnold, Executive Director at Fashion Scholarship Fund, said “Virgil Abloh’s mission was to open doors for those historically excluded from creative industries. Partnering with Merrell extends that mission outdoors, treating the trail as a living studio for the next generation of designers and thinkers.”
The campaign initiative will roll out throughout the 2026 season across digital, social and out‑of‑home channels.
