Columbia Sportswear’s ‘Unhinged’ Ad Is a Breath of Fresh Mountain Air

Columbia Sportswear’s latest campaign, “Engineered for Whatever,” feels like a breath of fresh mountain air—the kind that slaps you in the face mid-adventure and reminds you you’re alive (and maybe slightly underdressed).

It’s a bold new platform that doesn’t just showcase product performance; it wraps it in the brand’s signature irreverence and chaotic charm.

The work, created by adam&eveDDB, is weird. Delightfully over the top. Equal parts absurd and effective. And that’s what makes it stick. In a sea of outdoor brands earnestly whispering about peak performance and rugged resilience, Columbia is shouting from the mountaintops—in a snowstorm, with a goat, wearing a jacket that may or may not have been tested in space.

And it works.

This campaign is a cheeky callback to the brand’s maverick DNA, the days of “Tough Mother” grit and humor that set Columbia apart in the ’80s and ’90s. There’s something nostalgic here, but it’s not stuck in the past. It feels like a confident evolution: smartly engineered products paired with storytelling that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The durability demos are ridiculous in the best way—part product proof, part fever dream. While it’s chaotic, there’s precision in the madness. The humor never undercuts the gear’s credibility; it enhances it. You believe this stuff can take a beating—and you’re entertained while finding out.

Visually and tonally, the campaign is refreshingly unpolished, a curated mess that feels purposeful, not precious. It’s confident. It’s fun. And it doesn’t try to be cool in the usual outdoorsy way, which somehow makes it even cooler.

In a category often stuck in stoic, sepia-toned sameness, Columbia is carving out its own weird, wonderful trail. “Engineered for Whatever” is more than a tagline—it’s a mission statement with a wink.

I give it a solid 4 out of 5 and can’t wait to see where they take it next. Hopefully somewhere unexpected and slightly unhinged.