It doesn't take a lot of talking to appreciate the outdoors.
That's the charming subtext of this spot from hunting gear retailer Cabela's. Directed by Tyler Stableford, the ad eschews dialogue or a voiceover in favor of natural sound and screen copy. Those lines capture the little blips of solipsistic pseudo-insight that might flit through your brain as you sit at a campsite, sipping coffee and staring at a stunning landscape of rolling mountains. Some of the observations are more trite than others, but they do a great job of projecting a feeling of comfort—repackaging a self-satisfied, if simplistic, monologue as down-home marketing wisdom.
The message is definitely not for everyone. But the ad has enough emotional heft—and completely gorgeous scenery—to conjure a sort of romanticism even to people outside its target demo. I'm a city kid who can barely pitch a tent but has enough experience sleeping in the woods to know it's not my thing. Still, after a couple times watching the ad, I'm tempted to grab a bow, throw on some camo and spend a few days eating what I kill and waking up with a stiff neck.
Now, I should probably shut up and enjoy the view.
CREDITS
Creative Director: Brandon Beck
Director: Tyler Stableford
Directors of Photography: Anson Fogel & Kent Harvey
Correction: An earlier version of this article inaccurately identified Surdell & Partners as the advertising agency that created the new Cabela's ad.
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