A Surreal Summer Adventure from Special New Zealand

Kathmandu and Special New Zealand have launched Kathmandu’s Spring/Summer ’23 range with a campaign called 'Summer Never Sleeps'. The range has been designed to help wearers stay “out there” longer when the sun is up, thanks to UPF technology, and when the sun goes down too, thanks to a layered design approach. 

In this latest instalment of Kathmandu’s "We're out there" platform, Summer Never Sleeps follows a group of friends who set out on an adventure that flows from night into day and back into night, as simply as a merman flipping a light switch. 

Since sleep no longer holds sway, everything associated with it has been repurposed throughout the film; pillows become campfire marshmallows, nocturnal animals become the group’s best friends and sheep nod off while counting humans. It’s a surreal tale that entices Kathmandu-ers to cram in every ‘out there’ experience they can this summer. 

The light-hearted and quirky film, brought to life by Special and Scoundrel, was shot on 16mm film. It features the colourful mixed media aesthetic the "We're out there" platform has become known for and is driven by the 1970s Brazilian classic, "Jimmy Renda-se" by Tom Zé. 

Kathmandu's chief customer officer, Eva Barrett, says, “As the Number 1 outdoor brand in New Zealand and Australia we play a meaningful role in summer and we’re on a mission to get as many people ‘out there’ in nature as possible. Why? Because we know how the outdoors makes us feel. The outdoors is transformative. When we spend time out there our stress goes down, our empathy goes up and we become more creative and feel happier… And that’s at any time, not just when the sun is up.”

“We’re thrilled to have continued our work with Special New Zealand who helps us tell our story innovatively, creatively and passionately.”

Special's executive creative director Lisa Fedyszyn says, "Kathmandu is an adventurous brand and client that wants to stand out, not just in its category, but in everything it does. The new summer range encourages and facilitates everyone to fit in as much as they can over summer because it's more rewarding when you make the most of being out there and staying out there." 

General manager of Special New Zealand, John Marshall, adds, "The “We’re Out There” platform is such a rich creative area and enables us to not only highlight Kathmandu’s latest Spring/Summer range with ease, but also allows us to push the brand further.”

The campaign will play across TV and online media in both New Zealand and Australia from now until Saturday 19 November 2022..