Unlocking the Secrets to Community Engagement

The future of marketing is community: brands that share their voice and listen to the consumer.

Reaching an outdoor audience used to be pretty straightforward: you’d feature your brand in Trail, Country Walking or TGO magazine; if you were lucky, a celebrity would wear your brand on an outdoor show; and you'd promote your products to the national newspapers. Today, it's a whole new landscape, and outdoor brands need to find other ways of accessing their markets. Customer behaviour is shifting, and consumers want brands to talk to them, not at them. This is where working with a community comes in.

Date

November 2024

Website

More Details

Client

Spring PR

Image Credit

Happy trekkers on the latest Allterrain95 Test & Trek event in the Peak District.

Unlocking the Secrets to Community Engagement

Abbie Baynes

Responsible for managing accounts, building strategy and organising Camp Out.

The Challenge

Reaching outdoor enthusiasts used to be pretty straightforward: you’d feature your brand in Trail, Country Walking, or TGO magazine, send product to a presenter on a walking show (and keep your fingers crossed that they'd wear it/it wouldn't be covered up), and promote your products to the national newspapers to (hopefully) feature in their relevant columns.

But today’s landscape looks entirely different. Millennials (and Gen Z) are redefining how they explore the outdoors, discovering trails, tips, and gear through countless digital platforms, from Instagram to TikTok. More than just a solo experience, they crave connection - whether it’s hiking with like-minded people, joining a group adventure, or sharing stories around the campfire.

To make the outdoors accessible and meaningful for this audience, brands need to step up, they need to do more than sell gear. It’s about offering genuine guidance, practical advice, and performance products that actually make a difference. Most importantly, it’s about listening, showing you care, and building real relationships.

We needed a vehicle to get us to this authentic, relationship building space. We needed more than just working with individual influencers, we needed to engage with communities. Communities that want to immerse themselves in the outdoor community and engage with it in a meaningful way.

YPulse, the youth intelligence platform reported in July ‘23:

"Gen Z wants to get outside, but they need brands to guide the way”.

The Strategy

Social communities are the ultimate bridge between brands and outdoor enthusiasts. They’re not just places to share posts - they’re spaces where people come together to connect over shared passions, whether it’s trail running, wild swimming, or tackling mountain peaks. Influencer-led communities, in particular, create that perfect blend: a platform for meaningful interaction that’s authentic and engaging while still offering opportunities for brand involvement.

While these communities are open to everyone, they naturally attract Millennials and Gen Z - those most active and vocal on social media. For this project, we knew we needed to tap into a trusted voice within this space, so we partnered with Allterrain95, a vibrant community founded by Kian Patel during lockdown.

Kian isn’t just an influencer; he’s someone we’ve collaborated with extensively on various campaigns and we often connect at our events. His Allterrain95 Test & Trek event felt like the perfect match, giving our brands the chance to truly connect with his audience. Through this partnership, we didn't want to just showcase products; we wanted to build trust, share knowledge, and create a shared experience that resonated with his community.

The Tactics

Allterrain95’s Test & Trek events are game-changers. From the get-go, we knew they’d generate major buzz on Instagram and through their vibrant WhatsApp group -perfect channels to connect with enthusiastic Millennial and Gen Z audiences.

This partnership offered a win-win: brands got to spotlight their products in action, and outdoor adventurers gained real, hands-on insights into gear and performance. It wasn’t just about showcasing; it was about creating an experience people would actually talk about.

To make it happen, Allterrain95 took the lead on securing the route, promoting the event to their community, and guiding the trek. On our side, we focused on locking in brand commitment (scroll to end to see list of participating brands), calling in products, crafting shareable assets, and briefing Kian and his crew. To top it off, we enlisted brand experts to join the events, adding even more value for the community on the day.

“Working alongside Spring has been a pleasure, they’ve given me the creative freedom to explore new ideas and work in-line with brands to achieve a greater purpose outdoors. Test and Trek’s aim is to educate and encourage exploration outdoors, allowing our community to get hands on with the latest outdoor gear.”

Kian Patel, Founder of AllTerrain95

The Content

So far, we’ve teamed up with Allterrain95 for two Test & Trek hikes - one in South Wales and more recently in the Peak District. Both were led by community founder Kian, and have attracted 77 adventurous participants or, as we like to refer to them "Test & Trekkers".

What sets these events apart is the seamless mix of exploration and product experience. On the latest trek in the Peak District, the group explored a cave to put NEBO head torches to the test - one of several brand-specific stops designed to give participants hands-on gear insights.

***(c) AllTerrain95: NEBO headtorches were tested in caves in the Peak District.***

The events are open to everyone, which creates an incredibly diverse and inclusive group united by a shared passion: a love for the outdoors. With challenging routes built into the hikes, participants had the chance to push their limits while testing gear in real-world conditions. This not only gave them a sense of accomplishment but also left them with a stronger connection to the brands, thanks to expert advice and practical use.

One Test & Trek hiker summed it up perfectly:

"The gear we tested was decent and I'm more inclined to buy from the brands who came along. The route set by the organisers was amazing and the product talks were interesting and informative. Overall, it was a super friendly atmosphere!"

The Results

The results speak for themselves. Participating brands have seen a noticeable uptick in positive social media buzz after each trek, with hikers sharing their genuine enthusiasm for the gear they tested. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting how these events not only resonate with the community but also drive real interest in the products.

Here’s what some of the hikers had to say:

"The LEKI poles were a lifesaver! It actually got me looking at investing in poles of my own." | "The difference wearing Darn Tough socks makes on a hike is really noticeable". | "BUFF hats! Quality stuff and it kept my head warm and dry". | "The NEBO headtorches are unlike any other LED strip headlight I've had in the past. It has a better design, stays brighter, and is comfortable."

By creating authentic experiences where products shine in real-world conditions, these treks are proving to be more than just hikes—they’re meaningful brand connections in action.