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PODCAST

Backcountry Marketing

Go behind-the-scenes with outdoor industry experts as they break down what it takes to produce creative work that works. Produced by: Port Side

business marketing

All Episodes

01:00:56

Creatives Aren't Commodities: Red Bull's Chris Whitten

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/11/05

In this episode, Cole sits down with Chris Whitten, Senior Production Manager at Red Bull, to unpack what separates irreplaceable creatives from the rest. Chris shares lessons from his journey through agency and brand-side production, spanning roles at Saatchi & Saatchi and now Red Bull, and offers candid advice for photographers, filmmakers, and producers who want to build long-term client relationships. The episode explores how mindset impacts success, why outreach is a creative act, and how to

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10:54

How Passion Blinds Brands to Strategy

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/10/29

In this solo episode, Cole Heilborn breaks down the differences between a strategist and a filmmaker. When content underperforms, brands often point to the creative execution, but more often than not, the real problem lies upstream in the strategy. Cole explains the downsides of a passion-led industry, why filmmakers have had to accept responsibility for defining KPIs and audience understanding, how skipping strategy leads to wasted resources, and what questions brands should ask before a camera

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54:46

Why Your Campaigns and Branded Content Aren’t Working

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/10/22

Some brands treat branded content and campaigns as separate things, one emotional or value-driven, and the other transactional. But what happens when they work together? In this episode, Trent Marsh, Marketing Director at Riton Optics, joins me to unpack what he calls the marketer’s trap, when teams invest in strategies they wouldn’t engage with themselves. Trent shares how to break that cycle by pairing campaigns and content to serve the same purpose, building trust, emotion, and results

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01:21:39

Brand Is Social, Social Is Brand: How Outdoor Brands...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/10/08

Maren Hamilton, former Head of Social at The North Face and current Director of Global Brand and Community at popFly. We break down her core thesis: brand is social and social is brand. Maren shares why brands must stop treating social as a downstream channel, how to bring social thinking upstream into campaign planning and what it takes to build a social-first brand. Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below: Insight Deck | Want 20 of our favorite insights shared on the show?

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01:22

Respect Your Audience

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/10/01

Cole shares a quick reminder about respecting your audience. Ask yourself: Does this provide value? If not, don't hit publish. About: This podcast is produced by Port Side, a creative production studio creating video strategy + production for active brands, rooted in emotion. Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below: Insight Deck | Want 20 of our favorite insights shared on the show? Booklist | Here's our curated list of recommended books over the years. LinkedIn | Join the

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48:54

Experience a New High: The Strategy Behind Altra’s...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/09/17

Altra’s Head of Marketing, Reyna Alishio, and Backbone Media’s Senior Director of Strategy, Andy Ralston, take us behind the brand’s seasonal campaign, Experience a New High. We unpack the core insight tying mental wellbeing, social connection, and running to a younger audience; how a one-two punch of broad digital reach plus in-person activation moved awareness and consideration; and why the medium is part of the message when your pop-up is a Dopamine Dispensary. We also get into what went right,

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17:31

How to Be Creative

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/09/10

Ready to jump start your creativity? Cole Heilborn breaks down Port Side’s playbook for developing ideas that work in the wild. From setting guardrails and asking “why” three times, to building a culture of candor and using constraints, music, boredom, and flow to unlock divergent thinking, this solo episode is for marketers and creatives who want to ship better work, not just talk about it. About: This podcast is produced by Port Side, a creative production studio. We help brands that move,

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03:11

Your Audience is Tired

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/09/03

In this solo episode, Cole Heilborn unpacks the reality of digital fatigue and what it means for marketers. With endless competition for attention, from Netflix to Reddit to YouTube, your audience is already exhausted. They don’t want to be disrupted. They want content that feels valuable, entertaining, and emotionally resonant. Cole challenges brands to stop creating just to “show up” and start designing campaigns that genuinely add something to people’s lives. About: This podcast is produced by

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01:02:12

Hitting the Reset Button on Creative with Vail...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/08/20

In this episode, I’m joined by Dillon Snyder, Creative Director at Vail Resorts. Dillon makes the case that much of today’s marketing output has become the equivalent of “yellow page ads.” We unpack why so much creative feels homogenized, how overemphasis on bottom-funnel tactics hurts long-term brand health, and why simplicity is often harder than complexity. Dillon also shares his vision for a “reset button” on creative: more collaboration between creatives and marketers, less energy on

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42:16

Why Superfeet Rebuilt Their Brand Around Emotion

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/07/30

What happens when a legacy brand decides to go back to its roots while completely reimagining what it stands for? Mike Donnelly, VP of Marketing, at Superfeet shares the behind-the-scenes process of repositioning Superfeet from a product people don’t see to a brand people feel. We talk about why “Performance Amplified” became the rallying cry, how to build emotional resonance around an invisible product, and the surprising lessons they learned when media and consumers didn’t react the way they

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17:23

One Question That Could Justify the ROI of Branded...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/07/23

Is there a simple question to understand the ROI of branded content? Cole reflects on his takeaways from a panel discussion he hosted, the value of brand investments, knowing your audience, long form vs short form, and an update to the rebrand of Port Side About: This podcast is produced by Port Side, a creative production studio. We help brands that move, create strategy-led, emotionally charged video campaigns Enjoy this episode and discover other resources below: Insight Deck | Want 20 of our

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01:17:23

Why Middling Is a Critical Mistake | Inside Sorel’s...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/07/16

In this episode, I'm joined by Michael Minter, VP of Brand at Sorel, who shares a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the brand’s reawakening. Sorel has been everything from a Canadian work boot to a fashion-forward winter staple, and now it’s entering a bold new chapter. We discuss what it takes to bring a heritage brand into the future, how to balance instinct and insight in a data-driven world, and why most outdoor content lacks real emotional impact. Michael also breaks down the creative strategy

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43:19

The Art of Letting Go: Building a Brand with Your...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/07/02

In this episode, MJ Carroll, Brand Director at HEST, unpacks the tension every marketer faces: How much control do you keep, and how much do you let your community shape your brand? We dive into what happens when you hand over creative control, why tension between brand and performance is healthy, and how HEST has built a passionate community by focusing on comfort, connection, and consistency. MJ also shares what she’s learned about content, team dynamics, and why she believes experiential events

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01:25:08

Great Creative is Risky with Chris Burkard

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/06/18

In this follow-up conversation with Chris Burkard, we dive deep into what it really means to take creative risks. Chris shares why physical danger is easier to stomach than financial risk and why most outdoor marketing content falls flat emotionally. We also field audience questions from part one, covering pitching branded projects, giving feedback, the role of feeling in advertising, and the evolving function of creative agencies. Chris doesn’t hold back; this episode is a masterclass on the

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06:08

Why Your Content Isn't Pulling Its Weight

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/06/11

Cole shares a personal reflection on the state of brand content today and why so much of it is falling short. This episode challenges brands, especially mid-size outdoor companies, to rethink how they approach content creation. Why bother doing it if it’s not driving results? Cole makes the case for content that’s built to solve problems, drive value, and show up creatively in a noisy world. He also includes a litmus test you can use to determine if your content is working as hard as it could.

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01:00:56

How Should Startup Brands Invest in Brand Awareness?

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/06/04

If you’re building a brand from the ground up, where should you actually spend your time and money? Nic De Castro, founder and CEO of LandTrust, joins us to explore this question through the lens of an outdoor startup that’s grown by leading with trust, storytelling, and real-world value. We dive into why early-stage brands often misplace their marketing bets, how to approach content when budgets are limited, and what it really means to think like a media company even if your intention isn’t to

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57:23

How Finisterre Uses a Brand Muse to Guide Creative...

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/05/21

In this episode, Bronwen Foster-Butler, CMO at Finisterre, breaks down how the brand is growing without compromising its identity. We talk about their North American expansion, the tension between polished production and platform-native content, and why user-generated stories often outperform high-budget ads. Bronwen also shares how Finisterre uses a fictional “brand muse” to guide creative decisions, what they’ve learned about emotional storytelling in a data-driven world, and where she thinks AI

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10:25

Will Creative Risk Aversion Kill Your Brand?

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/05/14

According to a study by Lions, only 13% of brands are “risk friendly.” Cole unpacks this study, its implications, the future, and ways to make calculated risks. The outdoor industry, though commendable for its investment in branded content, suffers from a lack of creative risk, especially in an economic headwind - yet the data doesn’t lie. It’s actually riskier not to take creative risks. About: This podcast is produced by Port Side, a creative studio powered by the Backcountry Marketing Filter™,

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47:17

The Super Bowl Commercial that Didn't Cost a Dime

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/05/07

In this episode, Cole Heilborn sits down with Mike Lewis, the VP of Marketing and DTC at Bison Coolers, to discuss how a small outdoor brand found itself featured in a Super Bowl commercial without paying a dime. Mike walks us through how Google handpicked Bison Coolers to represent Texas in its nationwide Gemini campaign, why their family-run story resonated, and how the experience has transformed their marketing approach. From prepping for the massive wave of visibility to capitalizing on newfound

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13:40

Most Outdoor Video Content is Forgettable

Backcountry Marketing ·

2025/04/30

Most outdoor brands are creating content, but few are creating content that is emotionally resonant and strategically effective. In this solo episode, Cole reflects on why so many brands are falling short of their creative potential, provides a real life example of how The Backcountry Marketing Filter works, and expands on why Port Side had to evolve. This podcast is produced by Port Side, a creative studio powered by the Backcountry Marketing Filter™, a methodology shaped by 200+ conversations

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63 results

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