Merrell, an outdoor footwear brand, is sponsoring Aspen Gay Ski Week. Forty-seven-year-old AGSW, which is the oldest annual LGBTQ+ ski event, supports the charity platform AspenOUT’s anti-bullying and tolerance initiatives. The annual ski event aligns with Merrell’s mission to promote inclusivity in outdoor activities.
On January 16-17, Merrell set up a lounge area at Aspen’s Limelight Hotel, where visitors could receive free shoes, jackets, socks and beanies. The brand also printed trail cards featuring local trails, encouraging people to test their new shoes outdoors. In addition, the cards featured QR codes driving attendees to a landing page on its website, where they could sign up for emails or follow the brand. The lounge also featured elements like stickers and a selfie mirror.
“Every other brand in Aspen at the time is going to be all about the ski, and we believe you can extend what being outdoors looks like in the winter beyond just the ski,” said Lindsey Lindemulder, vp of marketing at Merrell. “The après-ski culture is so fun and opens up so much room for creativity and adventure for customers.”
At the same time, Merrell engaged its Instagram and TikTok followers with “Get Ready With Me”- and “Pack with Me”-themed content. The videos focused on what to pack for a trip involving après-ski and active outdoor pursuits beyond skiing.
Activating at Aspen Gay Ski Week was based, in part, on survey results from Merrell’s first brand-led outdoor industry inclusivity report in 2022. “We asked our respondents, ‘Do you feel welcome in the outdoor community?’ and ‘Have you experienced prejudice or negativity in the space?’” said Lindemulder. “And despite how much has changed in the last five years, not everybody is feeling welcome in the outdoor community based on the responses.”
To promote its involvement, Merrell seeded products to six LGBTQ+ influencers and celebrities, including producer Bill Kapfer and actor Brendan Scannell. Both posted about Merrell and AGSW on Instagram and TikTok.
Since 2019, the gorpcore trend has continued to be a sales driver for outdoor-focused brands like Merrell and Solomon, but for how long the hype will stick around is unclear. Merrell has made an effort to modernize the hiking gear it is known for with innovations like the Moab Speed 2 GORE-TEX, which is waterproof, windproof and breathable. The $266 shoe has been a big seller for the brand since its launch in 2023, according to Merrell’s earnings. It was among the items Merrell gave out during the Aspen event.
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“For some of us, spending time outdoors means going to Aspen and going on a vacation. But for others, it just means going outside and perhaps enjoying your neighborhood park,” Lindemulder said. “So there is a need for our product to be versatile.”
She added, “What endures, despite which trends are coming and going, is when there’s a sense of utility to an item or a shoe, and when a brand and product can offer a purpose.”
On January 9, Merrell owner Wolverine Worldwide reported revenues in line with November guidance, sitting at approximately $2.24 billion for the full year and $527 million for the fourth quarter. Although, overall, the group’s brands are struggling — which led to the sale of Sperry — Merrell has seen encouraging growth through its collaborations with the likes of DIY influencer Nicole McLaughlin, as well as fashion-forward product launches, like the Moab Speed 2.
