YETI wanted to make a big splash with the relaunch of one of its most beloved products — the newly improved Hopper M-series backpack cooler. Our team set out with a simple mission to create a compelling and efficient way for people to take the Hopper — YETI's most versatile product to date — on epic adventures in the outdoors. Inspired by the recent opening of the Google Maps API, YETI set out to map untapped, hidden trails that Google Street View had yet to chart.
At YETI we find that many people want to live the wild lifestyle, but simply don’t know where to start. Map The Gaps threaded that needle — a custom built and designed digital experience that’s accessible and easy to use for YETI loyalists and new outdoor enthusiasts too. ** one of our brand pillars is making the wild more accessible to everyone.
Google has mapped 98% percent of the world. 100 countries, and 10M miles of concrete roads. But naturally, wilderness enthusiasts prefer the path less paved.
For YETI, this posed an opportunity to take the Hopper M20 — our most versatile backpack yet — and map hidden trails across the globe, making the outdoors more accessible for everyone.
Introducing Map The Gaps, a YETI campaign designed to take the “street” out of Google Street View — by locating, and integrating, some of the world’s last uncharted trails.
We started by tracking down an array of untapped international trails that have gone under Google’s radar. Having our missions mapped, we then equipped 13 of our global ambassadors with GPS-enabled 360º cameras and the YETI Hopper® backpack, and sent them to make the treks.
By doing so, Map the Gaps made these previously hidden gems discoverable, by allowing users to preview and explore unmapped landscapes through video walkthroughs, and immersive 360-degree views.
We tapped our ambassadors who trekked through the rainforests of British Columbia, hiked up hillsides in Victoria, Australia, and crossed the deserts of Santa Fe. Through Map The Gaps, their adventures now have a forever-home on Google Street View. In this way, we essentially hijacked a platform with over a billion active monthly users, and transformed it into an interactive advertisement and demo for the YETI Hopper.
We capitalized on attention by doubling down with strategically placed in-store ads, social videos, digital, and paid media — all to reach and resonate with our YETI loyalists and newcomers alike. Turning every ad into a portal to the wild.
Not only are we making trails more accessible, our digital experience was built to be the most accessible possible.
We partnered with digital agency Code and Theory to meticulously craft an immersive 360° solution for Map The Gaps, transforming hours of raw GoPro footage. This experience allows visitors to 'take the hike,' enabling them to watch, pan around, navigate to key moments — and plan their next adventure, all from their device.
Our dedication extended to numerous video players and streaming solutions, ensuring seamless responsiveness across platforms. Committed to making an impact for assistive technology users, we adhered to AA guidelines — keeping our promise of truly making the wild more accessible, to everyone.
In the end, we unlocked more of the world, by revealing more of it to an audience obsessed with exploration — all while ensuring the YETI Hopper was officially, and firmly placed on the map … forever.
The YETI brand encompasses a diverse set of outdoor pursuits and passions, and Map The Gaps delivered on its brand promise of making the wild more accessible to all — giving people a tool to explore trails that they desired, or didn’t even know they wanted.
+300% Increase in Hopper Sales
#1 Viewed product page on Yeti.com after launch
1B Monthly users accessed through Google API
73M Impressions from press across Forbes, Ad Age, Gear Junkie and more
78 miles of trails charted (and counting)
“The outdoors are for everyone to share. Go try a trail you haven't tried, then wonder where else you could go. Search and find." - Robin Van Gyn, Pro Snowboarder and YETI Ambassador
“When you commit to a trail, you want to make sure it’s beautiful and awesome, but you also want to check out the terrain. Map The Gaps helps people feel confident and takes a bit of the scariness out of it.” Conrad Anker – American rock climber, mountaineer, and author YETI Ambassador
