As part of its global rebranding, the German professional outdoor brand, Jack Wolfskin, has launched their new brand proposition ‘We Live to Discover’ in China. Working with creative agency McCann Shanghai, Jack Wolfskin has collaborated with Chang Chen-yue, a musician and outdoorsman, to launch ‘Go Wild, Be Real’. 

Chang Chen-yue is a Taiwanese musician who loves hiking, and often refers to himself as “a child of the mountains". Hailing from the Amis people, he enjoys being close to nature. His relaxed and natural lifestyle is in line with the brand spirit and values of Jack Wolfskin, making him the perfect brand ambassador, as Matthew Jung, CEO of Jack Wolfskin China, explained "Chinese outdoor enthusiasts have a common characteristic — 'authenticity'. They are eager to recapture their genuine inner self in nature and to sincerely get along with each other. They have the courage to pursue their dreams and integrate the outdoor lifestyle into their world. With this campaign, we hope to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors and discover a more authentic aspect of nature and the wild. Jack Wolfskin is here to accompany you in these wonderful and unexpected encounters.”

A journey of discovery - BTS

When the brand tagline is ‘Go Wild, Be Real’, showcasing ‘real’ can be a major challenge. Both the McCann team and the client partners agreed on the need to keep the shoot as authentic as possible.

The shoot, produced by McCann’s in-house Production Team – Craft, took three days and took place in Lijiang’s Jade Dragon Snow Mountains. It was documentary-style with no makeup, no plot… the shots were rough and unplanned. However, after editing, the film shows a distinctive beauty and texture.

"Although the deliberate un-scripting brought with it a lot of unpredictability, Chang's real and natural emotional expressions, as well as the director’s and the team's post editing, made the final content a marvellous surprise. When people retrace their steps into the mountains and experience all of these unanticipated outcomes, it may not always be beautiful, but because of the ruggedness and the authenticity, it becomes truly meaningful and touching", commented How Chu, McCann Shanghai’s executive creative director.