Fresh Faces of the Outdoor Industry

objmigrationbot — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 03:35:05 +0000

Meet the future of the outdoor industry. These four are already pushing the boundaries of representation, inclusivity, creativity, and gear, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.

Latasha Dunston is currently based in Denver. (Photo: Louisa Albanese)

1. Art

Latasha Dunston, 26, freelance illustrator��

Baltimore-born artist Dunston trained in scientific and preparatory medicine illustration in college. But when the Denver resident discovered en plein air painting—the full-on French Impressionist kind—it was an epiphany. “I didn’t know it was a thing people actually did,” she said. She built her own mobile setup and started to take it on hikes, leaving the four walls of her studio behind.

But it wasn’t until a trip to Lodged Out, an off-the-grid retreat in Leavenworth, Washington, that her style and voice came together: as a black woman, she realized that people of color are underrepresented in the outdoors. Whether she’s illustrating herself as the subject or making sure that her hand is represented in a photo of her paintings, she’s injecting her distinctiveness into the work she creates. “I want to showcase myself and the people like me who spend time on trails,” she said. “We are a reflection of nature, and nature is a reflection of us.”

Steven Reinhold is the creator of #TrashTag. (Photo: Courtesy)

2. Activism

Steven Reinhold, 34, founder of #TrashTag��

In 2015, while Reinhold was on a road trip, a receipt flew out of his car window—and he was haunted by the accidental littering. His penance? A vow to pick up 100 pieces of trash. The #TrashTag project was born—a social movement to inspire the masses to clean up.

It didn’t stop there. As an ambassador of UCO Gear, Reinhold brought his promise to the company, and they upped the ante by pledging to pick up 10,000 pieces by the next year. Then it caught on globally: an Arizona man shared a cleanup photo and asked “bored teens” to take before-and-after pics of a public area they’d cleaned, and the hashtag—also known as the #TrashTagChallenge—hit the big time. “All of a sudden,” Reinhold said, “it started spreading like wildfire.”

As of May, #TrashTag has been mentioned 92.5K times on Instagram—and counting. “It’s evolved from just picking up trash to a vehicle to talk about environmental issues,” he said. “It’s really cool that one flyaway receipt can have such a ripple effect.”

Rocco Kayiatos is a hip-hop musician, founder of a trans male publication, and founder of a camp for trans guys. (Photo: Courtesy)

3. Safe Spaces

Rocco Kayiatos, 39, founder and director of Camp Lost Boys��

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As a transgender man, Kayiatos has put his identity front and center for a while: he’s a hip-hop musician (stage name: Katastrophe) and he co-founded the first print publication dedicated to trans male culture, Original Plumbing. In 2017, he met two guys who’d gone on a retreat for trans men but didn’t find the transcendence they were seeking. So they built it: a rugged, summer camp–type weekend retreat called Camp Lost Boys. It’s the type of adventure that trans guys didn’t get to have as kids—or, if they did, didn’t experience as boys. (And most adult camps aren’t queer or trans friendly, says Kayiatos.)

Though campers participate in the usual—archery, hiking, fireside chats—they also detach from a false sense of connection via social media and reengage with real people outdoors, forming deep bonds between themselves and the land. For some, said Kayiatos, attending Lost Boys is a “last ditch effort to save themselves. They undergo a profound shift through the brotherhood they find in nature.”

Justine Barone is looking for more retailers to pitch her business venture, Gearo. (Photo: Courtesy)

4. Gear

Justine Barone, 33, co-founder and CEO of Gearo��

One day last year, Barone and her husband, Andrew, wanted to get outside for an adventure; they googled paddleboard rental in Denver and had to call scads of shops for pricing, availability, and product details. Ultimately, they gave up in frustration. “That’s when we realized the outdoor gear industry hadn’t transitioned to the 21st century,” she said.

After a few conversations with retailers, it became obvious to Barone that there was no platform to adequately manage rental transactions—so she launched Gearo to fill that void. Its goal is twofold: equip small rental shops with tools and software to manage their inventory, and provide adventure seekers with a single place to view bookable rentals. “Retailers can increase foot traffic and revenue because about 50 percent of all bookings are done online right now,” she said. Through Gearo, “I just want to take rentals to a whole new level,” she said. “We’re giving shops the ability to run like a Fortune 500 company.”

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Unfiltered: Feeling Exposed

objmigrationbot — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 23:42:13 +0000

By 2044, people of color will make up the majority of the U.S. population. Naturally, there’s a resulting urgency for more diverse representation in marketing. Yet even with diversity on everyone’s table, influencers hired to check that box aren’t always eating. Most of us are giving away our talents and skills for free, getting paid with “exposure.” This devalues our work and denies us an equal seat at that table, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

I started modeling after I was street cast by a large American clothing company, which used my image in their stores and digital marketing all around the world. After not seeing payment, I reached out and was told my compensation was exposure—that the “opportunity” would help me. Confused, I consulted a fashion photographer I know in New York City to get his opinion. “At a minimum, you should be paid six Gs,” he said. “That’s the average rate for that caliber of job.” Needless to say, I felt used and a little embarrassed.

I’m now seeing a similar problem in the outdoor industry.

I’ve recently been contacted by outdoor brands wanting me in their ambassador programs. One offered me two apparel items. In return, I would have to send them three to five photos of each product to be shared on social media, plus email, website, and promotional use.

My agent (yes, I now have an agent) also recently found a client offering $2,000 for the use of my image. The contrast in opportunities is striking.

So, with frustrated poise, I responded��to that outdoor brand: “Do you have any��paid opportunities? If so, I would love to pursue that.”

The (actually pretty empathetic) marketing coordinator explained that this is an opportunity they give influencers to build their portfolio, and noted that paid opportunities may arise after “testing the waters.” Sigh.

The crazy thing? I understand. It makes business sense to test the waters, and for the right person, it’s a great opportunity to be associated with a popular brand. And it can lead to larger projects, or to fruitful referrals that can launch you to the next level.

But exposure still doesn’t pay the bills—especially considering that some studies pin influencer marketing as having 11 times the ROI of traditional advertising. Influencers, here’s my advice:

Always ask for paid opps. This sets the precedent for all future conversations. If they don’t have the money, say no and move on. Only work with brands for free if you see a mutual benefit and are having a transparent conversation.

Negotiate image usage. Always ask and understand how the images will be used. I once received this: “All images in exchange for the product will be used in social media, website, email, and promotional material.” I said social media only, and they obliged. Usage beyond social is exploitative (including promotional ads on social media). Companies have marketing budgets and pay models for these channels.

Do your research. Know what you’re supporting. Does the brand appropriate indigenous cultures’ designs? Tout U.S.-made but manufacture in Sri Lanka? Push diversity in campaigns, but not in their workplace? It’s up to you to decide where your personal brand intersects with a potential client’s—and only you should draw the lines.

The table is set. Let’s all eat.

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