Merrell Unveils "It Starts Outside," a New Global Brand Platform and Creative Direction To Mark 45 Years on the Trail
Rockford, Michigan, March 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merrell, the global leader in outdoor footwear, is celebrating its 45th anniversary with the debut of its first-ever global brand platform and creative expression: It Starts Outside. Rooted in the belief that even a few steps outdoors can shift how people think, feel, and move, this new platform reframes the outdoors as the spark of possibility that can change everything.
At a moment when people around the world feel overwhelmed, digitally tethered, and in need of micro-breaks from the pace of modern life, Merrell is redefining the "outside" as something immediate and accessible. More than a campaign, It Starts Outside establishes going outside as a catalyst for transformation: fueling clarity, resilience, creativity, and human connection—accessible just beyond your front door.
"It Starts Outside is more than a campaign, it's our global point of view as we architect the future of the brand," said Richard McLeod, Global CMO of Merrell. "For 45 years we've built the world's most trusted hiking boots. Now we're expanding that purpose: to help people unlock clarity, connection and momentum, simply by stepping outside. This belief guides how we design product, shape culture, and empower the next generation of outdoor creators."
How the Creative Expression Comes to Life
The new creative expression is brought to life with a global campaign, created in partnership with Uncommon Creative Studio, that captures the exact physiological and emotional shift that occurs when someone makes the simple but profound move from inside to outside. Creatively, the work pushes against outdoor category conventions that often emphasize extremes and epic scale. Instead, "It Starts Outside" focuses on simplicity and accessibility, showing that the power of the outdoors begins with a single step. The campaign is an effort to democratize access to the outdoors, reframing it as something immediate and attainable rather than aspirational or elite. Restraint, not grandeur, makes the point that the outside is within everyone's reach.
Three shortform vignettes further explore the ways people experience the outside today—illustrating the transformation that can begin the moment you cross the threshold of your front door. From Merrell athlete and Olympian Alexi Pappas hiking alongside visually impaired marathon runner Lisa Thompson to find community, to building personal perseverance through everyday trail running, to disconnecting from the noise of constant technological connection to find a simple reset by stepping onto the grass outside your own home, each story reflects the many ways people access the outside in their daily lives.
The campaign will roll out globally across social, digital, and connected TV—reinforcing the belief that the outside is everywhere.
Increasing Accessibility for Future Creators
Despite the outdoor industry's cultural reach, pathways into footwear and product design remain narrow, especially for nontraditional and underrepresented talent. To address this, Merrell is launching Merrell Outside: Futures Project, a core expression of the It Starts Outside platform. Developed with the Virgil Abloh™ "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund administered by the Fashion Scholarship Fund and Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC Detroit), The Merrell Outside: Futures Project is Merrell's commitment to expanding access and opportunity for aspiring designers, who will take inspiration from the outside as their creative engine.
The Merrell Outside: Futures Project pillars include:
- Creative Curriculum: A nature-driven design program built with Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, empowering emerging creators to translate insights from the outside into performance and culture.
- Impact Apprenticeships: Select participants will apprentice inside Merrell's design studio, turning inspiration from the outside into performance-grade product and storytelling.
"Virgil Abloh's vision was to create pathways for talented individuals who have historically been excluded from creative industries," said Peter Arnold, Executive Director at Fashion Scholarship Fund. "Partnering with Merrell expands access, education, and real-world opportunity for emerging designers."
What Comes Next
It Starts Outside begins its global rollout in March 2026. As Merrell evolves from a category‑defining hiking brand into a more democratic, culturally rooted outdoor lifestyle brand, this creative expression will guide the company's storytelling, product, and community efforts for years to come.
To learn more and watch the campaign film, visit Merrell.com/it-starts-outside.
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ABOUT MERRELL:
Merrell exists to share the simple power of being outside and is committed to building an inclusive and sustainable environment for future generations to enjoy. As the global leader in outdoor active footwear with the Moab hiking boot and Jungle Moc, Merrell is focused on merging performance, styling, and comfort to empower all people to explore the outdoors confidently. The brand was recently named Footwear News' 2022 Brand of the Year for promoting a more diverse vision of the outdoors. Visit Merrell.com or follow us on social @Merrell. Merrell is a division of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE:WWW), one of the world's leading marketers and licensors of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport, athletic, children's, and uniform footwear and apparel.
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