Fall is a great time to explore and celebrate the great outdoors. And this week, protecting, preserving, exploring and celebrating public lands just got a little more exciting. Committing $250,000, The North Face has launched a new campaign in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior, in support of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC).
Reviving the Legendary Woody Guthrie
The North Face brand campaign includes the launch of a new recording of Woody Guthrie’s iconic anthem “This Land is Your Land” by two-time Grammy nominee My Morning Jacket. The new version will be available on iTunes with more than half of each download being donated by My Morning Jacket to the 21CSC. Proceeds will be used to create jobs within 21CSC for youth and returning veterans. 21CSC has projects on public lands across the nation – from Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California to Everglades National Park in Florida.
Jim James, lead vocalist/guitarist for My Morning Jacket, said, “It is a privilege and an honor to cover Woody’s eternal classic ‘This Land Is Your Land.’ I was moved to tears last summer as I stood at the Guthrie Archives in Tulsa listening to him sing this song and singing along, while looking at his original hand-written copy of the lyrics, words that ring with such vital truth and speak so deeply to the soul of everyone who hears them. We are so thrilled to sing these lyrics once again, and have it benefit an initiative we care so deeply about – protecting and preserving our country’s vital resources.”
Creating Valuable Jobs in the Great Outdoors
“This partnership with The North Face and My Morning Jacket is really about inspiring and preparing the next generation of conservation leaders and outdoor stewards,” announced Secretary Jewell. “The funding will help put young people and veterans to work restoring and protecting our nation’s land, water and wildlife – whether that’s building trails in national parks or removing invasive species in national wildlife refuges. The 21CSC not only helps meet critical needs on our nation’s public lands, but also provides valuable job training and a connection to the great outdoors that will last these young people a lifetime.”
(Image Source: 21CSC)
The 21st Century Conservation Science Corps(21CSC) launched in 2010 as part of the Obama administration’s America’s Great Outdoors program. Inspired by FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930’s, the 21CSC is a central component of the Department of the Interior’s ambitious youth initiative to inspire millions of young people to play, explore, learn, serve and work in the great outdoors. It is a national collaborative effort to put America’s youth and returning veterans to work protecting, restoring and enhancing America’s public lands.
The 21CSC has continued growing since its 2010 launch. In October 2013, Secretary Jewell announced the Department of the Interior’s initiative to expand this youth program through partnerships with the private sector in a National Press Club speech. Since then, American Eagle Outfitters, Camelbak, The Campion Foundation, Youth Outdoor Legacy Fund, Coca-Cola Foundation and now The North Face have joined the movement.
Inspiring People to Explore
“The North Face exists to inspire people to explore,” said the company’s president, Todd Spaletto. “If you can inspire people to love the outdoors, they will grow to care about their natural world, protecting and conserving the places that many of us know as our playgrounds. We are extremely proud to raise awareness, support the 21CSC and motivate people to reimagine exploration in their own lives.”
Founded in 1966, The North Face is a division of VF Outdoor, Inc. From inception, their goal has been to prepare outdoor athletes for the rigors of their next adventure. Today they are headquartered in California on a LEED Platinum-certified campus where the company mission includes goals to “minimize our impact on the planet through programs that encourage sustainability.” The North Face is a world-leading outdoor brand, creating athlete-tested, and expedition-proven products that “help people explore and test the limits of human potential.”
On the Road with The North Face
Hitting the road and traveling to retail locations around the country, The North Face has outfitted a custom trailer to generate additional awareness of their new campaign. At each stop along the way, consumers can catch The North Face experience, receive merchandise discounts, and possibly win some great gear.
(This Image and top image source: The North Face)
Additionally, The North Face has partnered with Outside magazine to create a list of 50 places to explore across the United States. The campaign is encouraging people to take a photo of themselves while visiting those places, and share them on social networks using the hashtag #SeeForYourself.
Go and #SeeForYourself
During the week of Oct. 27, The North Face “#SeeForYourself” Taxi drove through New York City streets offering an adventure to whoever would accept the offer immediately. When unsuspecting riders hailed this particular taxi, they received an offering for an adventure. Here’s the tweet I picked up on twitter:
The North Face’ new brand campaign commercial launched October 27 on Youtube, featuring cinematic footage of The North Face global athlete team members and enthusiasts skiing, running, climbing and hiking. It will debut November 9 on NBC Sunday Night Football, and will run through the end of December on NBC, ESPN, USA Network, Comedy Central, and more. The campaign also will be supported by advertising across digital and social channels such as Hulu, YouTube, ESPN, VICE, and Facebook, starting on November 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tll-4WONtg0
