Hasta La Creative!

Outdoor-apparel brand Merrell is using virtual reality to get back to its outdoor roots and re-engage with its core consumers — adventure-lovers. The brand ran a “walk around” Oculus Rift experience at the Sundance Film Festival last month in what the company said will be the first of many virtual reality activations.

The project comes as the 30-year-old company, owned by Wolverine Worldwide, aims to redefine its brand voice under the leadership of Gene McCarthy, who became president of the company in August 2013.

“We don’t own this brand, consumers do. We just manage it for them,” said Mr. McCarthy, who joined Merrell from Under Armour in 2012 after stints at Nike and Reebok. “What I’m trying to do is go from being a shoe company to being a brand and start a dialogue with consumers on their terms.”

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