“Go out and play grass” is an expression that has become popular in recent years. It is the almost medical prescription that is given to all those who spend too much time on the Internet and connected to social networks. It is a common phrase in digital conversations that criticizes those who take what happens on the internet too seriously. And it is the insight that articulates the new campaign by the sports fashion brand The North Face.
Transform an internet expression into a meaningful message about chronic connection
Co-created together with the marketplace Zalando and the media, marketing agency and fashion brand Highsnobiety, “Touch Grass” transforms the cultural joke into an invitation for new generations to connect with the real world and nature. The expression thus stands as an opportunity for The North Face to position its clothing and accessories as allies to reduce dependence on the online environment.
The first of the pieces was launched at the beginning of October and starred the German DJ Lovefoxy. The spot shows the artist absorbed in her social networks until a friend advises her to go out and get some fresh air. With humor and irony, and playing with different memes and internet culture, it places the young woman, represented as a parody of certain current behaviors, in nature.
Thus, The North Face addresses the omnipresent digital fatigue that many users experience in an opportunity, not only to show its products as the perfect antidote to chronic connection, but also to position itself as a responsible brand and promoter of healthier habits.
The artist also stars in a second spot, in which the brand directly refers to the “brain rot” phenomenon. Once again, the brand satirizes the digital habits of users, and emulating the visual and narrative style of nature documentaries, explores the artist’s reconnection with the outside.
In this way, as those responsible for the brand transfer to The Drumthe three brands have sought to connect with generation Z, especially with women, using their own codes. As they say, they have constructed a simple invitation to spend time outdoors, trying to be relevant to young people.
The choice of Lovefoxy is not trivial. The artist, in addition to being a promising emerging talent, has recently released new music, and her personality and energy fit the segment brands were looking to target. His image is that of someone who would be surprising to see enjoying the outdoors, which reinforces The North Face’s message.
