Yeti is out with a simple yet compelling CRM and social campaign that involves scouring Craigslist for sob stories of lost gear—and then surprising the owners with replacements, delivered in the brand’s “GoBox” by well-known outdoor experts.

The video below gives an overview of the “Craigslost” campaign, which not only cements loyalty on an individual scale but positions the GoBox as the best way not to lose gear in future.

“Our mission has always been to help make the wild more accessible to more people. Not having gear—or resources to replace gear—limits people’s ability to be outside. We hate that,” Yeti CMO Paulie Dery told Ad Age.

The campaign was developed in-house. Dery said it was activated the old-fashioned way—by manually going through Craigslist and reaching out to people directly. “Anyone who lost their gear in the wild—on a hike, fishing trip, climbing—was fair game for ‘Craigslost,’” he said.

The surprise videos—with outdoor celebs such as Kevin VanDam and Conrad Anker—were the icing on the cake. There’s an authentic, low-fi vibe to the whole affair, and the reaction videos from the recipients feel genuine.

“Yeti is a brand built on keeping people in the wild for as long as possible. That’s why we built the cooler,” Dery added. “We also know that when you lose essential gear like that ice pick, rope, clamp or fishing lures, it can set you back weeks, if not months in some cases, before you can get back out there. That’s why we built the new family of GoBox. It brings order to the wild and keeps things safe inside an almost-indestructible case.” 

Dery said Yeti has “lines in the water” with more than 50 people on Craigslist who lost gear. The campaign is now ramping up with a social component on Instagram, where Yeti and its ambassadors are asking the community for their most heartbreaking losses. Many of those fans will be surprised with replacements, too.

 

 

 

 

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The whole effort emerged from the brand DNA, said Dery. “Yeti grew from a hunt-and-fish brand to one of the leading global outdoor retailers in large part due to the power of word-of-mouth and the many micro-connections we made over the years,” he said. “These seemingly small gestures serve to remind our core communities we’re still here to support them and the pursuits they love.”