Yonder Rewinds Moments of Adventure in New Holiday Campaign for REI

Full-service content studio Yonder rewinds unforgettable outdoor moments in REI Co-op’s new holiday campaign, revealing how every adventure begins with the perfect gift from its stores. Collaborating on creative and handling production and post from end to end, Yonder delivers a fresh, cinematic campaign that ties holiday giving to the spirit of exploration.

Directed by Matthew Gamlen, the spots are joyful, kinetic, and grounded in real moments. By reversing time, viewers are guided from peak experiences in nature back through laughter, reflection, and connection, to the moment an REI gift is unwrapped, and finally, back to its origins on REI’s shelves. The result highlights REI as the catalyst for discovery and shared experiences.

The campaign underscores Yonder and Gamlen's ability to develop compelling narrative devices that serve dual purposes: highlighting products in authentic contexts while reinforcing core brand values. Working as REI’s integrated content partner, Yonder managed the entire creative pipeline from brief through delivery, demonstrating the efficiency gains brands achieve when working with a single, full-service studio.

“REI’s in-house creative team came up with this idea and I immediately thought, wow, this is brave!” said Gamlen. “The concept brought me back to the music videos that first inspired me to pursue filmmaking, experimenting with production techniques and asking a little more of the audience. At a time when many brands are chasing trends and producing content simply to fill the feed, this felt truly refreshing. Collaborating with their team was seamless because we speak the same language. We’re all passionate about the outdoors and committed to pushing how stories in this space are told.”

"The beauty of working with Yonder is their expertise in shaping brand DNA into visual storytelling," explains David Clancy, Managing Producer at REI. "Rather than simply showcasing products, we created an emotional journey that connects the intention behind gift-giving with the transformative power of the outdoors."

Developed through Yonder's brand-direct partnership model, the campaign leverages comprehensive brand knowledge accumulated through ongoing collaboration with REI. This approach allows for more nuanced creative development and faster execution cycles compared to traditional agency structures, while maintaining the creative excellence and production values that drive meaningful consumer engagement.

By blending bold creative ideas with nimble production practices, Yonder demonstrates how modern content studios can partner directly with brands to deliver campaigns that inspire, engage, and scale across today’s media landscape.

Credits

REI
Managing Producer: Dave Clancy
Senior Producer: Linda Nordstrom
Creative Director: Jonathan Springer
Art Director: Angie Tomson
Senior Designer: Matt Neylon
Senior Tech Advisor: Joe Saksa
Tech Assistant: Gaby Guyman
Store Manager: Jimmy Ridgeway

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Yonder
Director: Matthew Gamlen
Managing Director: Adam Bagger
Executive Producer: Mike Repasch-Nieves
Senior Producer: Matt Drumm
Production Supervisor: Emily Alexander-Wilmeth
Production Coordinator: Ann Allsopp
1st AD: Jamal Page
DP: Joey Schusler
1st AC: George Knowles
2nd AC: Tim Hardy
Photographer: Ali Vagnini
Photographer Assistant: Zeke Bogusky
Gaffer: Zach Lewis
Key Grip: Ted Goble
Prop Master: Brandon Reyes
Prop Assistant: Amanda Gostomski
Prop Assistant: Heather Smith
Wardrobe Stylist: Holly Gits
Assistant Wardrobe Stylist: Erica Clum
Sound Mixer: Cameron Hodge
Location Manager (Motion): Miranda Canessale
Location Manager (Stills): Josh Vignery
PA: Laura Lounge
PA: Erick Banks
PA: Miranda Cheatham
PA: Madi Cover
PA: Fiona McNeal

TALENT
Hannah Reeves
Erika Moncada
Cody Carter
Paul Montague
Nikki Shrestha

POST
Post Production Company: Yonder
Editor: Matt Coddaire
Post Producer: Mike Repasch-Nieves
Colorist: Grant Benesh
Sound Design / Mix: Andrew Miller
Music: Monster Rally