Notes from Outside Days: Authentic Creator Content Starts with an Experience Worth Sharing

Outside Days isn't your typical industry conference; there's no expo hall, no talking at each other from behind a podium. It's two days in Denver where outdoor brands and creators get together to share learnings, swap stories, and build community. We brought the crew to get inspired, meet with partners and throw a kick ass party. Here's what we took away:

1. The outdoors is an antidote.

REI CEO Mary Beth Laughton set the tone for the event: people don't need to be convinced the outdoors is good for them. They already know. The problem is that real life keeps getting in the way: phones, notifications, the convenience of staying inside.

The numbers she shared made that tension concrete:

• Nearly 45% of Americans get less than two hours outside each week, yet 75% say they recognize the mental health benefits of being outdoors.
• 85% say they feel better after spending time outside.
• 80% say it helps them get off screens.

A well-timed post from someone you trust showing their 6am trail run that looks more doable than intimidating, or a weekend camping setup that doesn't require a gear overhaul can be the nudge that actually moves someone from "I should get outside more" to lacing up their boots. That means as creators and brands, we have a huge role to play in making the outdoors more accessible through inspirational, aspirational content.

2. Brands that build the moment get the content.

One of the most talked-about activations at the festival was Cotopaxi's Del Día Lounge, an immersive, visual environment that made creators want to post because it was genuinely worth filming. Their team understood something a lot of brands are still working out: authentic creator content starts with an experience worth sharing. You can't brief your way to that. You have to build it.

Brands that invest in the moment get paid back in content they didn't have to produce. We see that with a lot of our brands on Popfly, if you create an incredible experience people will share it!

3. IRL still does something digital can't.

No amount of LinkedIn messages or campaign briefs replicates what happens when brands and creators are physically in the same place. When you're in the same room, on the same trail, at the same dinner, the conversation goes somewhere it just can't on a screen. The Basecamp x Popfly Outside Days After-Party was proof of that.

Connections happen that turn into campaigns. Trust gets built in a single conversation that would have taken six months of back-and-forth to establish remotely. The creator who's been on a brand's shortlist for years finally gets a proper introduction. That's the compounding value of showing up in person, and it's something the outdoor industry understands better than most. This industry has always run on relationships, and you can't shortcut the part where you actually meet someone.

The outdoor industry is at an inflection point. The brands that win the next five years won't necessarily be the ones with the biggest budgets, they'll be the ones that figured out how to build real relationships with creators and their communities. And it's exactly what Popfly was built to do.