In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Taryn Olsen, Director of Brand Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Parks Project. Parks Project creates fashion-forward goods inspired by national parks while operating on a give-back model that funds conservation projects. After learning that traditional volunteer content performs poorly while landscape imagery drives massive engagement, Taryn has pivoted their marketing strategy from highlighting conservation work to focusing on inspiration and awe – moving backward in what they call their “wheel of conservation” to drive deeper emotional connections with parks before asking for conservation support.

Topics Discussed:

• Transitioning from documentary-style conservation content to inspiration-focused marketing

• Building emotional connections through the “wheel of conservation” framework

• Leveraging partnership opportunities within national park visitor centers

• Creating premium positioning in traditionally commodity souvenir markets

• Developing grant-based give-back models with legal compliance considerations

• Using authentic storytelling to compete against AI-generated content trends

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Test Content Performance Against Assumptions About Purpose-Driven Marketing

Parks Project discovered that their expensive documentary-style videos of conservation projects generated minimal engagement, while simple landscape photos drove massive social media response. This taught them that consumers may feel guilt or inadequacy when shown volunteer content, preferring aspirational inspiration over calls to action.

Build Your Marketing Funnel Around Emotional Progression, Not Direct Conversion

Their “wheel of conservation” framework starts with inspiration before moving to exploration, then conservation. Rather than directly promoting their give-back mission, they focus upstream on inspiring park visits and emotional connections, knowing conservation support will follow naturally from genuine park experiences.

Position Premium Products as Memory Vessels, Not Just Merchandise

Parks Project doesn’t compete on product features but on emotional resonance – they’re “selling memories” rather than apparel. Their Yellowstone geyser fleece translates park experiences into wearable artifacts, creating deeper value than traditional logo-based souvenirs through design that captures the essence of specific locations.

Transform Potential Competitors Into Strategic Partners

Instead of viewing park visitor centers as competition, Parks Project partnered with them to become the premium offering in their stores. This channel strategy provides park conservancies with higher-margin products while positioning Parks Project as the elevated choice for discerning park visitors.

Use Physical Retail Experiences to Understand Emotional Purchase Drivers

Working in their Culver City store revealed that gift-giving is a major use case – customers frequently ask for items representing specific parks their friends love. This insight showed that purchase intent extends beyond the moment of park visitation into ongoing relationship-building around shared park experiences.

Anticipate Consumer Demand for Authenticity in an AI-Saturated World

Taryn predicts the future of marketing will emphasize genuine emotional connection and in-person experiences as consumers become more sophisticated at detecting artificial content. She points to Gen Z’s preference for gritty film photography and authentic TikTok content as evidence of this authenticity premium.