Sometimes brands venture off on their own exploration. After a long legacy of conquering the mountain tops, The North Face (TNF) built an undeniable street cred along the way. Doubling up on audiences, TNF faced a challenge to please both, and the more consideration TNF gains as a streetwear brand, the more they risk being overlooked as what they truly are – a pioneer among outdoor brands.

As the outdoor category rapidly continues to grow, the main objective of the campaign was to increase awareness and consideration for TNF as the leading outdoor brand they are, by breathing new life into the brand’s iconic concept “Never Stop Exploring” in a way that relates to both streetwear junkies and extreme explorers. In an increasingly complex marketing world, it's easy to forget that the most effective ideas are often the most simple ones.

In the case of The North Face's global campaign, "We Always Have Your Back" the big idea came from an unusual yet iconic logo placement that has put the brand on the backs of millions of people. More specifically, on the right back shoulder of those who always lead the way up the mountain. Over time, this has become both a stamp of approval and a reminder that the brand has your back every impossible step of the way as you trail on your explorations, big or small.

The anthem film shows the brand's connection between pop-culture and extreme outdoor sports in an epic visual journey from city street level to the top of an impressive mountain peak, ending with The North Face’s true purpose— an unwavering commitment to innovation and design behind each garment, so that anyone can explore boundlessly. The film is narrated by Alex Honnold, legendary climber and subject of the Oscar-winning documentary, Free Solo.

The campaign has delivered a total of 634 million impressions so far, with activity lives across TV, BVOD, social and digital. The film is currently on the path to outperforming the brand’s best campaign with an outstanding View Through Rate of 44% (+25% vs. today’s best-performing campaign). The campaign has generated overwhelmingly positive feedback across all media and channels. 98% of people’s comments were positive with adjectives including “epic”, “phenomenal”, and “incredible” often being mentioned. Moreover, 25+ press articles have mentioned the campaign positively, highlighting the brand’s triumphant return from the streets to the mountains.