Hydro Flask Challenges the 'Nature Gap' with Branded Series 'Why We Go'

Hydro Flask, the brand that’s known for its colorful, high-performance water bottles and insulated products also wants to be known as the brand that stands for equitable access to the outdoors. In their branded entertainment series 'Why We Go', Hydro Flask highlights a diverse mix of everyday people doing extraordinary things in the outdoors, versus the standard tropes of youth and athleticism typically depicted by the outdoor industry. 

Directed and produced by agency North, 'Why We Go' challenges these stereotypes, showing that the outdoors is for everyone. We meet Kenny, a black Portland, OR native who explores surfing as a traditionally white space. 'How did you get out here?' people ask Kenny, who acknowledges that 'It’s stigmatized and stereotyped as a white thing to do, so you don’t see a lot of black people out there'. 

We also meet Grace, a gay 18-year-old woman from New Orleans who has just completed a 2,000-mile trek to escape conservatism; Melody, the parent of a special needs child who doesn’t want limits set on what her daughter can do; and Ashley, a disabled skier who loves Nordic skiing because takes her places she couldn’t get to in any other way. 

“Our brand stands on the value that outdoor space is not an amenity but essential to the mental, emotional and physical health of everyone,” says Phyllis Grove, VP marketing & eCommerce at Hydro Flask. “This past year has shown us that inequities have been and continue to be persistent in the outdoors. We all need to work to close the diversity gap in our industry and make green spaces more equitable, accessible and welcoming for all.” 

“The need for an accessible version of outdoors is coming into sharp focus and consumers are showing us the way,” says Rebecca Armstrong, CEO at North. “For brands, that means taking a hard look at how they’ve historically presented the places we play, and filling in the obvious gaps with a better, more diverse representation of society.”

The series, which is available on Hydro Flask’s social channels, is striking a chord with consumers. Since launching, the first episode received over 21 million views. There are six episodes currently available, but the series is ongoing. A new episode is released each month; you can view the entire series on Hydro Flask’s #WhyWeGo YouTube channel.