Columbia ad features adventurer Wim Hof
In an interesting marketing stunt, the latest advertisement from Columbia Sportswear features Dutch adventurer Wim Hof running barefoot on a frozen lake wearing only shorts.
According to the New York Times, Columbia is calling Mr Hof their “antispokesman” because he does not need outdoor apparel to stay warm in extreme conditions.
The intent of the campaign is to show that while Mr Hof may not need Columbia’s OmniHeat apparel, most consumers are not Mr Hof.
Mr Hof has what he calls a mental thermostat, and the advertisement states that, as the viewer is not Mr Hof, they need a jacket from Columbia to help them keep warm.