The objective of Discovering Yellowstone was to position Yellowstone Bourbon as a premium, purpose-driven brand with a meaningful connection to America’s national parks, while delivering deep audience engagement through cinematic, editorial-first storytelling.
Rather than relying on traditional product-forward advertising, the campaign set out to immerse audiences in the landscapes, people, and conservation efforts that define Yellowstone National Park. We also wanted to showcase Yellowstone Bourbon’s longstanding partnership with the National Parks Conservation Association and commitment to protect the parks. The goal was to build brand affinity and trust by aligning Yellowstone Bourbon’s origin story, values, and commitment to preservation with Outside’s authority in outdoor adventure, environmental storytelling, and culture.
What makes the series truly noteworthy is how substantive they are. Yellowstone sits at the center of a deeply complex balancing act, where federal and state agencies, tribal nations, conservationists, ranchers, and local communities must continuously negotiate how to protect wildlife while sustaining livelihoods and public access. And Yellowstone Bourbon gave us the greenlight to delve into a handful of contentious debates and different approaches to stewardship and conservation.
The campaign aimed to elevate brand perception through high-quality video and editorial content, drive sustained engagement across digital, social, linear, and CTV platforms, and integrate product storytelling naturally through food, cocktails, and local culture.
Success was measured not only by reach and impressions, but by depth of engagement, time spent, and meaningful interaction with the Discovering Yellowstone content ecosystem.
Discovering Yellowstone was executed as a multi-platform storytelling experience anchored by a five-part hero video series. Each episode explored a different dimension of Yellowstone National Park, including adventure, wildlife, ecology, art, and conservation, through the perspective of a creator or local expert to ensure authenticity and a strong sense of place.
The series was distributed across Outside’s digital platforms, social channels, Outside TV, and CTV to meet audiences wherever they consume premium video. An immersive microsite served as the campaign hub, bringing together the full video series with supporting editorial stories, custom photography, cocktail recipes, food pairings, and product integrations tied directly to Yellowstone Bourbon’s heritage and conservation mission.
The campaign extended beyond video through sponsored articles, paid social promotion, and first-party data retargeting, supported by social-forward content from Outside’s Creator Network. Custom email distribution across Outside, Backpacker, and National Park Trips helped drive consistent traffic and repeat engagement.
Throughout execution, careful attention was paid to balancing brand presence with editorial integrity. By integrating Yellowstone Bourbon within moments of culture, food, and celebration, the brand felt like a natural part of the Yellowstone experience rather than traditional advertising.
Discovering Yellowstone exceeded expectations across content, social, and video, and remains in market with Outside TV placements continuing through February.
The custom content program outperformed goals, driving strong engagement and meaningful interaction with long-form storytelling. Paid distribution through the Outside Creator Network and social advertising expanded reach through trusted voices and broad platform visibility.
Video performance met or exceeded objectives across channels, with YouTube and Outside TV placements continuing to build incremental reach. Custom email and programmatic distribution supported sustained awareness and engagement throughout the campaign.
Overall, the campaign highlights the power of premium, editorial-first storytelling to deliver both deep engagement and broad reach for a purpose-driven brand.
