This Archive of Outdoor Ads Serves as Inspiration to Brands

Trends tend to be somewhat cyclical, no matter where you're looking at them. Whether that's the return of the dreaded flare jean or thin eyebrows (much to the chagrin of every millennial who over-tweezed), there tends to be someone who looks at something from the past and finds nostalgic inspiration in it. And that is one of the reasons brands are interested in visiting Utah State University's Outdoor Recreation Archive. The archive, a collaboration between the university's special collections archives and its outdoor product design and development program, houses more than 10,000 catalogs and magazines with ads from more than 800 brands. Most often catalogs are donated by individuals or collectors and some come directly from brands and publications. A smaller number are purchased by the department from eBay. With such a vast array of old ads and photos of old products, the archive can serve as inspiration for some brands in the outdoor and recreation industry. Sometimes outdoor brands such as REI or Patagonia will give presentations to the department's classes and receive a complimentary tour of the archives. Utah State University has also hosted Allbirds, whose specific intent was to visit the archives to flip through old catalogs and get design or product inspiration. The oldest ads in the archive date back to 1905. Chase Anderson, industry relations manager of the outdoor product design and development department, said he is hoping to secure more brand visits in 2022. Creatives visiting the archives might even observe an old trend that's ready for its cycle back into relevancy. "There's both graphic design trends and product [trends]," said Anderson. "It's been interesting to see some of those older companies. ... In the '30s and '40s, there's a really strong emphasis on outdoor imagery, and it's also really aspirational. It's all about getting out into these wild places and spending time in these beautiful vistas. And it's interesting that if you look at outdoor companies now on social, it's a lot of aspirational photos, spending time outdoors." Anderson added that the '70s and '80s also saw a DIY movement in the outdoor industry, which is another trend that's becoming popular again as consumers experiment with upcycling and crafting their own gear. When brands express interest in visiting the archives, Anderson said, he and his team curate a collection of materials that aligns with their interests and what they're looking to learn from the catalogs and manuscripts. Allbirds' creative team visited in December 2021, and the brand's head of creative, Alex Valdman, said he was interested in researching what came before and "looking to connect to the first generation of a product, a start of a category, an adventure that sparked an event or a story that made people fall in love with an identity that served them in their self-discovery." The Allbirds creative team browsed the archives in December 2021. One overarching trend Valdman said he observed in the archives was curiosity about nature preservation. He noted the role nostalgia plays in outdoor ads today, which ties into Anderson's point about the resurgence of aspirational ads like those of the '70s and '80s. "I'm looking back at the pre-World War II era of product design and magazines as well—the pre-mass communication era, pre-mass manufacturing era, specifically," Valdman said. "I find humanity and inspiration in the craft that mass manufacturing wasn't able to keep producing. I find a connection to emerging music and art culture's perspective that existed pre-mass media." Valdman also noted that this was a good opportunity for the outdoor industry to channel that pre-war era and move away from such a heavy reliance on synthetic materials derived from crude oil in products and designs, a trend he hopes to see more of in future outdoor campaigns as sustainability becomes a pressing priority. "To truly move the outdoor industry forward, we need durable, renewable, affordable materials to help people consume better," he said. After 30 Years, Mall of America Is Still Ahead of Its Time

Design

This Archive of Old Outdoor Ads Serves as Design Inspiration for Brands

It also shows what trends are making a resurgence decades later

Nicole Ortiz

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Nicole Ortiz