Columbia Sportswear has launched “Expedition Impossible,” a humor-driven campaign that dares Flat Earthers to locate and photograph the supposed “edge of the Earth” for a chance to win the company’s entire office inventory. The stunt debuted in a full-page open letter in The New York Times, signed by CEO Tim Boyle. In the letter and accompanying campaign film, Boyle invites participants to attempt what “no one in history has ever done,” while warning – playfully – that Columbia’s gear is “tough enough for pretty much anything, except maybe falling into the abyss.” The prize, clarified in fine print, refers to a symbolic entity called The Company, LLC, valued at $100,000.
Building on “Engineered for Whatever”
The new effort reinforces Columbia’s repositioning under its “Engineered for Whatever” platform, created with Adam & Eve DDB. Recent ads have leaned into darker, self-aware humor, and the Flat Earth challenge marks the brand’s boldest step yet toward reviving its irreverent voice of the 1980s and 1990s. Boyle noted that the campaign highlights the extremes Columbia gear can withstand and the company’s longstanding reputation for durability and innovation. As part of the rollout, Columbia is engaging conspiracy-theory communities on Reddit, YouTube and social platforms, often responding directly to Flat Earth discussions.
The campaign is positioned as both satire and brand statement: Columbia’s apparel may not survive a plunge into the “abyssal void,” but it is built for virtually any real-world expedition – imaginary edges included.
