Columbia Sportswear: Built to Last, Built for Whatever

August 10, 2025

Welcome to Authenticity Report - Issue #77

This week, When it comes to winning trust, Columbia Sportswear proves that grit, humor, and staying true to your roots never go out of style.

Our Roundup: Explores the cost of chasing hype over trust, from American Eagle’s viral misstep and the NFL’s struggle to prove authenticity to a tongue-in-cheek guide on thriving in our curated, post-authentic era.

Plus check out NEW TOOLS from Authenticity.co with insights to help you master business basics and apply authentic strategies for personal and brand success.

This Week’s Report
—> Columbia Sportswear
—> Tell Us
—> Takeaways
—> Authenticity Roundup
—> Top Voices

What Do You Think? We are reshaping and expanding our Authenticity platform, we'd love to have you on board and contribute! Email us directly at [email protected] 

Read Time: 3.5 mins

| Columbia Sportswear
Built to Last, Built for Whatever

Columbia Sportswear (#61) has built a rare kind of brand equity—one that has withstood decades of market shifts without losing sight of its core identity. Founded in 1938, the company carved out its authenticity in the outdoor apparel space through a commitment to quality, practicality, and a willingness to poke fun at itself.

Nowhere was that spirit more evident than in the legendary ads featuring Gert Boyle, the late chairwoman and “One Tough Mother.” In those campaigns, Gert famously subjected her son, then-CEO Tim Boyle, to extreme product tests—hosing him down in freezing temperatures, tossing him into the snow, and making him prove that Columbia gear could handle whatever Mother Nature dished out. These early campaigns didn’t just sell jackets; they cemented Columbia’s voice: authentic, self-aware, and relentlessly focused on performance.

A Bold New Chapter: Engineered for Whatever

This week, Columbia launched its first major brand platform relaunch in a decade: Engineered for Whatever. In a market full of pristine, picture-perfect outdoor imagery, Columbia’s new campaign embraces grit, dark humor, and fearless storytelling.

The lead spot begins with an idyllic moment—a hiker stopping to smell the flowers—before a snake suddenly strikes. From there, viewers are thrown into a series of wild, unpredictable, and often absurd scenarios: dangling over alligator-infested waters, facing down desert vultures, and even running from the Grim Reaper. This isn’t nature as a postcard; it’s nature as it really is—unpredictable, messy, and dangerous.

Extreme Testing, Real Grit

In a nod to its heritage, Columbia worked with real stunt performers to push its gear to the limit. The campaign features mountaineer Aron Ralston recreating his infamous 2003 ordeal—being trapped by a boulder for over five days—made famous in 127 Hours.

The message is clear: Columbia gear isn’t just for the curated Instagram hike; it’s for the unexpected, the rugged, and the real. Pairing a thrash metal cover of “Blue Skies” with footage of face-plants in the mud and snowball tumbles, Columbia delivers performance with a wink—proving toughness and humor can coexist.

Staying True to the Brand

By embracing the real side of the outdoors, Columbia remains true to the values that have fueled its success. In an era when outdoor brands polish their imagery into inauthentic perfection, Columbia stands apart with honesty, humor, and grit.

Just as Gert Boyle proved decades ago, the best way to earn trust is to show, not tell—and to never be afraid of a little mud in the process.

👉 Read more about Columbia on Authenticity 500

| Tell Us

What’s the most powerful way to earn trust with your audience?

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| Takeaways

  • Stay True to Your Core Values – Whether in life or business, consistency builds long-term trust and loyalty.

  • Embrace Imperfection – Showing the unpolished, real side of your story can create stronger connections than a flawless image.

  • Prove It, Don’t Just Say It – Demonstrations of authenticity and performance speak louder than any marketing claim.

  • Use Humor to Break Through – A little wit and self-awareness can make your message more relatable and memorable.

| Time To Choose

What Brands Are Authentic? It is time once again to choose which brands you feel are authentic for 2025. Please tell us via our survey (it takes less than 5 minutes to fill out).

The results of your decisions will be part of our annual Authenticity 500 Index rankings, which you will receive for free.

| Authenticity Roundup

This week's curated reads from web

 culture
•  American Eagle’s Viral Win, Authenticity Loss

American Eagle’s provocative Sydney Sweeney ad sparked viral buzz and boosted stock prices, but the backlash from Gen Z women shows the campaign may have sacrificed brand authenticity for short-term attention.

Read More → ceo today

 sports
•  No Fake Plays: NFL’s Gen Z Challenge

A new study finds that to win over Gen Z, the NFL must back up its social responsibility messaging with consistent, authentic action—especially on health issues like CTE—because this generation quickly tunes out anything that feels performative.

Read More → phys

 personal
•  A Guide to Post-Authenticity Living

A satirical guide explores the rise of “Post-Authenticity Living,” where identity, intimacy, and even existential dread are curated, commodified, and monetized for maximum algorithmic engagement.

Read More → futurism

| Tools

FINAL WEEK TO ACCESS FOR FREE!

We have NEW TOOLS from Authenticity.co with insights to help you master business basics and apply authentic strategies for personal and brand success.

For a limited time, these will be available for free to our subscribers.

| Past Reports

| Top Voices

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