Trailblazing Marketing: Balancing Outdoor Heritage with Digital Innovation with Jane Smith

Episode notes

In this episode, Jane Smith , VP of Marketing at Merrell, joins host Kailin Noivo to unpack how one of the world’s leading outdoor brands is balancing its 40+ year heritage with modern marketing innovation. Jane shares how Merrell is integrating sustainability into the heart of its brand narrative, building community-first campaigns, and navigating disruptive shifts like AI-powered search and the rise of gorpcore culture. She also dives into lessons from global expansion, partnerships with brands like Jeep, and why authenticity remains the ultimate growth driver. If you’re a brand builder trying to stay relevant without losing your roots, this conversation is for you What You’ll Learn Why authentic community still outperforms channels and algorithms. How collaborations like Jeep boosted brand heat—and what happens when they miss. The role of organic, human-created content in surviving AI-powered search. How Merrell’s “key city” strategy drives global expansion. Why sustainability and heritage storytelling matter more than ever in modern marketing. Lessons from moving from agency to brand side and building unified campaigns across categories.