AllTrails Highlights the Power of Sensation in New Summer Campaign

AllTrails wants you to feel the dirt under your boots, the breeze in your hair, and the cold splash of mountain stream water on your face.

The popular hiking and outdoor platform has launched a new campaign titled “Feels,” created with longtime creative production partner Avocados and Coconuts.

The minute-long hero film steers away from picture-perfect landscapes and instead leans into the raw, intimate sensations that come with hiking. 

 

 

 

 

 

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“The goal was to transport the viewer directly onto the trail — to evoke those relatable, unforgettable moments we all experience while spending time outside," Justin LaFontaine, AllTrails Creative Director told DesignRush. 

“Part of the fun is that every moment we captured was real. Our production approach allowed us to capture each shot authentically, as it happened — and that honesty really comes through in the final edit.”

Now streaming across Disney, Hulu, Peacock, Roku, Tubi, MLB Live, and Samsung TV, the campaign showcases not actors but actual hikers engaging with real terrain.

According to Director Spencer MacDonald, the campaign is not about grand landscapes, "but about the deep inhale of pine and earth after a fresh rain, or the sharp sting of cold air in your lungs at the summit."

Each frame was meant to be immersive and felt on a deeper level to inspire viewers to "step outside and feel it all for yourself."

Real People, Real Trails, Real Moments

From slow gulps of water after a long climb to close-up shots of boots hitting the dirt, every frame was designed to invite the viewer into the experience.

No filter, no script.

To ground the work in real-life experiences, AllTrails invited its own employees (many of whom are avid hikers) to share their most visceral trail memories.

These responses formed the foundation of a six-day shoot spanning Southern Utah, Northern California, and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

Director of Photography Mika Altskan employed a probe lens to achieve a unique perspective, pushing in close to the kind of sensory details that usually get overlooked in traditional outdoor ads. 

 

 

 

 

 

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“There were no sets, no actors," said Dalia Burde, Executive Producer at Avocados and Coconuts.

"Just the magic that happens when you get outside and let nature do what it does best."

The spot serves as a reflection of AllTrails’ brand messaging, which is centered less on performance and more on presence.

And by focusing on the physical and emotional sensations of being in nature, the campaign aims to reframe what outdoor storytelling can look and feel like.

Our Take: How Does AllTrails Market a Feeling?

What struck me most was the decision to go about the campaign with no narrative set. 

Instead of sweeping drone shots or adrenaline-heavy edits, AllTrails focuses on small, calm moments: the crunch of gravel, the glint of sunlight through trees, the stillness after exertion.

It’s a quiet but confident campaign.

While the outdoor category is often driven by gear, peaks, and action, this one’s rooted in feeling.

And that, I think, might just be what makes people lace their boots and head out.

In other news, LALA launched a campaign that turns dairy into a celebration of individuality and culture.