The Challenge
Gregory has been trusted by serious outdoor enthusiasts for years — but outside of niche circles, most people didn’t know the name. The brand’s biggest problem wasn’t product quality. It was relevance. How do you get a new generation to care about backpacks and gear they’ve never heard of?
The answer wasn’t a glossy ad campaign. It was authenticity. Gregory needed to show up in the real moments where lifestyle meets performance — the “in-between” places where everyday life overlaps with adventure.
The Strategy
We built the campaign around Life in Motion: Gregory as the pack that empowers a generation to carry what matters, wherever life takes them.
To bring this to life, we leaned heavily on micro-influencers (10K–100K). Why? Because they have credibility, niche communities, and the trust that Gregory needed. Instead of relying on traditional “hiking” or “van-life” creators, we partnered with adventure-adjacent talent whose lives naturally blurred culture, creativity, and the outdoors:
Ryan Tu (@ryantucreative): cinematographer and storyteller
Sabrina Bloedorn (@sabriinab___): active-style fashion creator
Alex (@alexandr_ford): motocross and adventure rider
L. Renee (@urbanclimbr): photographer/videographer
This mix positioned Gregory not just as a hiking brand, but as part of broader culture. Products featured included Gregory’s packs (Nano, Kiro, Maven) and Alpaca Gear Organization, built for camping, van-life, garages, and anywhere gear goes.
The Execution
Content style
We gave creators freedom to make content that felt like them. The only ask: integrate Gregory as naturally as possible. The result was cinematic, authentic storytelling that looked more like lifestyle inspiration than ads.
Micro-influencer highlights
Ryan Tu (@ryantucreative): used FPV drone shots to create immersive, high-energy adventure clips, driving 99%+ hold rates on Meta.
Sydney (@sydneysky_): delivered a relatable “what’s in my bag” lake trip video with a 7.23% CTR, more than double benchmarks.
L. Renee (@urbanclimbr): produced vibe-driven, scrapbook-style YouTube content that hit a 72% completion rate, nearly double industry norms.
Alex (@alexandr_ford): blended motocross lifestyle with cinematic flair, extending Gregory’s reach well beyond hiking culture.
Wah (@wahwu): proved the efficiency of micro-creators with the lowest CPV ($0.17) and CPE ($4.65) on YouTube, while also delivering the highest impressions among micros.
Alpaca Gear Organization was a key differentiator. Creators showed how Gregory’s storage solutions fit seamlessly into camping setups, van-life, and even garages — proving the brand’s relevance in everyday adventure and long-term gear care.
Paid amplification
We scaled influencer content nationally through Meta and YouTube. Expansion audiences (Travel, Commuters, Motorcyclists, Street Fashion.) surprisingly outperformed core outdoor audiences, proving Gregory’s story resonated far beyond its loyalists.
We also tested creative optimizations through Splice Lab™, a systematic approach that uses AI to analyze influencer content and identify specific optimization opportunities for paid media performance- experimenting with text overlays vs. voiceover. The takeaway: hybrid formats work best when driving clicks, while immersive formats maximize long-form attention.
The Results
The campaign didn’t just reach people — it outperformed across the board:
10.3M+ impressions and 30K+ engagements
Engagements up 575% vs benchmarks
172K paid clicks (3x forecast)
72% YouTube completion rate (vs 40% industry benchmark)
77% Meta hold rate (vs 35% benchmark)
And micro-influencers drove the impact: Ryan hit 99%+ hold rates, SydneySky delivered a 7.2% CTR, L. Renee reached a 72% YouTube completion rate, Wah led efficiency with $0.17 CPV, and Alex expanded Gregory’s organic reach through cinematic motorcycle storytelling.
The Breakdown
Organic (Instagram)
Impressions: +332% vs benchmark (588K vs 136K)
Engagements: +575% vs benchmark (30.4K vs 4.5K)
Engagement rate: 4.28% (vs 3.25%), with micro-creators leading the way.
Paid performance
Meta Awareness KPIs: 4.7M impressions (+15% vs forecast), 77% hold rate (vs 35% Benchmark).
Meta Traffic KPIs: 2.1M impressions, 172K clicks (3x forecast), CTR 4.93% (vs 3% Benchmark).
YouTube Awareness KPIs: 2.9M impressions, 72% completion rate (vs 40% Benchmark).
Hold Rate: 15 Second Video View / Impressions
CTR: Link Clicks / Impressions
Completion Rate: Video Views at 100% / Impressions
Note: the context for the Completion Rate is that the YouTube ads were Skippable after 6 Seconds.
Micro-influencer impact
Ryan Tu (@ryantucreative): 99%+ hold rate.
Sydney (@sydneysky_): 7.2% CTR.
L. Renee (@urbanclimbr): 72% completion rate.
Wah (@wahwu): top YouTube efficiency ($0.17 CPV, $4.65 CPE).
Alex (@alexandr_ford): expanded organic reach through lifestyle-first storytelling.
Big picture
The campaign delivered 10.3M+ impressions and 30K+ engagements, consistently beating benchmarks across every channel. Most importantly, it proved that micro-influencers weren’t just an add-on — they were the engine of brand relevance, turning Gregory from a little-known name (outside of the outdoor community) into a credible player in culture.
Gregory builds world-class packs and gear — but until recently, most people didn’t know the name. The challenge was clear: raise brand recognition in an authentic way that would stick.
The solution wasn’t glossy ads. It was micro-influencers. By partnering with creators who live at the intersection of lifestyle and adventure, Gregory could show up in the “in-between” moments where performance meets culture — and where credibility matters most.
The Takeaway
Gregory moved from being a little-known outdoor gear company (outside of the outdoor community) to a brand people could see themselves carrying — whether on trails, city streets, or in everyday life. The campaign proved that micro-influencers aren’t just cost-efficient — they’re culture builders who can make a brand relevant in ways traditional ads can’t.
