AllTrails Campaign Is an Ode to Human Connections with Nature

AllTrails, the world’s most trusted and popular platform for outdoor exploration, has launched a new brand awareness campaign, 'Find Your Outside.' Created in partnership with creative production agency Avocados and Coconuts, 'Find Your Outside' represents AllTrails’ first above-the-line media effort. With a global community of 65 million members, AllTrails has grown its brand through an innovative and inclusive platform experience and marketing strategies that prioritise digital media and grassroots awareness. 

'Find Your Outside' is a fully integrated marketing campaign supporting AllTrails’ biggest platform update to date. The campaign is anchored by a visually inspiring global anthem spot and out-of-home ads in select markets. 

“The outdoors are all around us, and we set out to capture how rewarding it can be to find your outside, no matter where you are,” explains Carly Smith, chief marketing officer at AllTrails. “Avocados and Coconuts were the ideal creative partner to help us bring the idea of the everyday outdoor experience to life.” 

Led by executive creative director Amani King, creative director/copywriter Pete Harvey, and executive producer Dalia Burde, Avocados and Coconuts developed the campaign as an ode to the profound human connection with nature - and the magic of rekindling it with AllTrails. 

“Most of us, in our busy modern lives, are separated from nature,” remarks Amani. “Yet in the boxes we live and work in, images of nature are ubiquitous, whether in a painting on the wall, stitched onto our clothing, or decorating our rooms. By bringing these images into focus, they become powerful symbols of not only our disconnection from nature but also our subconscious yearning to return to it.” 

Director Spencer MacDonald captured this concept for the TV spot – a cinematic montage of different people navigating the hustle and bustle of modern life: a woman taking a rideshare, a father getting kids ready for school, and a business traveller. An everyday symbol of nature motivates them all to get out and reconnect with nature.

Spencer broke the spot into four acts. The first, 'The Calling,' shows a nature symbol catching each protagonist's eye: a tree-shaped air freshener, botanical hotel room wallpaper, and a child’s drawing. In act two, 'The Refusal of the Call,' the protagonists are pulled back into the activities at hand, with the symbols of nature becoming more out of focus. Act three, 'The Awakening,' depicts each protagonist choosing to reconnect with nature. The final act cuts to a montage of the AllTrails community exploring and enjoying the outdoors. 

Avocados and Coconuts scouted unique locations for each vignette to immerse the viewer into relatable places and the feeling of being detached from nature. 

The cinematography evolves with the story, matching the intention of each act and character. Director of photography Mika Altskan framed each scene accordingly. The first act consists of smooth, perfectly framed dolly shots, while the second act features more dynamic handheld camera movements. The 'come to nature' moment features camera work that comes to a halt, drawing the viewer into the experience.

Music and sound design enhance the spot’s emotional appeal. When the protagonists notice the nature symbols, we hear sound design reminiscent of the outdoors rather than the busy sounds expected in each scene. A cinematic score adds to the effect, slowly crescendoing to foreshadow adventure on the horizon. 

“Even though we’re all big outdoor enthusiasts at Avocados and Coconuts, we’re not immune to losing touch with the joy of being outside,” says Amani. “We hope this campaign resonates on that level and inspires others to open the AllTrails app and discover an outdoor experience that is just what they’ve been missing.”