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TNF, Girl Scouts Encourage New Era of Female Adventurers

margo hayesMargo Hayes shows off a hazard of her profession. Photo by Greg Mionske
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More visibility, representation, and celebration of women who dominate: That’s the goal of a new initiative from The North Face and Girl Scouts of the USA.

fernanda maciel
Fernanda Maciel. Photo by Tim Kemple

It’s time to recognize rad outdoorswomen. And a new collaborative campaign by The North Face and Girl Scouts of the USA aims to do just that.

Announced today, TNF and Girl Scouts launch Move Mountains. The campaign highlights female leaders and adventurers, reboots women’s product offerings, and provides more outdoor opportunities to Girl Scouts.

According to a press release, the campaign will impact how both entities operate going forward. For TNF, Move Mountains means launching women’s-specific stores, modifying its female product lines, and focusing on equal gender representation in its marketing materials.

Girl Scouts, meanwhile, will create 12 new outdoor adventure badges to further immerse young girls in adventure and exploration.

America Ferrara with Girls Scouts of the USA
America Ferrara with Girls Scouts of the USA

To help spearhead the initiative, TNF tapped Girl Scouts alum and women’s empowerment advocate America Ferrara.

“The time is now to begin leveling the playing field so that young women and girls grow up seeing women who are already out doing incredible things in the world,” Ferrara said. “I have no doubt women have been doing it for generations, but those stories don’t tend to get told.”

The North Face ‘Move Mountains‘ Campaign

Ashima Shiraishi joshua tree
Ashima Shiraishi crushing in Joshua Tree. Photo by Tim Kemple

At the forefront of Move Mountains is a push to highlight kickass outdoorswomen. This means women like climbers Ashima Shiraishi and Margo Hayes, alpinist Hilaree Nelson, and ultrarunner Fernanda Maciel.

But TNF promised Move Mountains will go beyond the outdoors and promote “women who are explorers beyond physical exploration.” In addition to Ferrara, that currently includes NASA scientist Tierra Guinn Fletcher and musician and activist Madame Gandhi.

To launch the campaign, TNF produced a sizzle reel vid (below). It also released a Move Mountains website with info on its female athletes. The Move Mountains site encourages people to interact on social media using the hashtag #SheMovesMountains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No6qzzMq-eU


The North Face: Female Representation

“The North Face is making a commitment to equal representation of women in all advertising, social media, and content moving forward,” the brand said in a press release.

margo hayes
Margo Hayes sending the El Pati wall in Siurana, Spain. Photo by Greg Mionske

In addition, beginning this year, TNF announced “increased investment” in women’s product design, closure of its own gender pay gap among athletes, and expansion of its women’s-specific offerings.

Starting this month, TNF’s Perfect Core High-Rise Tight, Contoured Tech High-Rise Tight, and Beyond the Wall Free Motion Bra will feature designs more in tune with female customers’ needs.

Plus, TNF announced it will launch two women’s-specific stores this year. The first will open in Edina, Minn., focusing on running and training apparel. And the second store, in San Francisco, will “carry all women’s product lines.”

Girl Scouts of the USA: Outdoor Badges

TNF will also support the creation of 12 new “outdoor adventure badges” for Girl Scouts.

“We are excited to partner with The North Face to help girls challenge themselves, learn about the natural world, and continue the Girl Scout tradition of having life-changing outdoor experiences,” said CEO Sylvia Acevedo.

hilaree nelson
Hilaree Nelson on India’s Papsura. Photo by Chris Figenshau

Additionally, TNF announced it will boost its own Explore Fund grants to $750,000. That includes a new $250,000 grant aimed at encouraging women and girls to explore the outdoors.

The new grant will honor Ann Krcik, a former TNF leader and cofounder of the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition, now Camber Outdoors.

We’re excited to see the push to include and celebrate more outdoorswomen gather momentum. And we applaud both The North Face and Girl Scouts of the USA for promoting more women and girls venturing into the wilds!

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