Getting closer to nature used to be synonymous with camping gear and mosquito repellent; a Cub Scout’s headlong dive into the rugged terrain, with a touch of survivalism thrown in to put life into perspective. Now, Nature has become soft. Too soft, perhaps? Nature’s tagcloud used to read: “untamed,” “wild” and “raw.” Today, the great outdoors are seen and sold as a retreat, an oasis. Earth’s spa, if you will. In hospitality, Nature as a Sanctuary has become the dominant positioning, largely leaning into familiar platitudes: “reconnect with nature,” “let nature be your escape,” or “luxury in harmony with nature.” These phrases, though serene, fail to distinguish one experience from another. Looking outside hospitality, there are many new flavors and personalities for Nature, most defined by category:
“Nature has become soft. Too soft, perhaps?”
Nature as a Tastemaker
Clothing brands have taken a new lens on Nature and made it distinctly fashionable, inventing gorpcore: the fusion of outdoor gear and streetwear, as seen in North Face x Gucci, North Face x SKIMS and Columbia x KITH. Serving a stylish twist with heart is sustainability vanguard Arc’teryx, who has dug deep into the roots of their indigenous past, celebrating stewardship and traditions of the Coast Salish territory to create a new sort of reverence for Nature–not as an activity or spa, but as a sacred treasure to covet.
Nature as a Performer
Museums and parks have long put Nature’s characters on stage. From corpse flowers to jewel beetles, certain species are given personalities of strength and resilience or mischievousness and cunning, showcasing Nature as a vibrant theatre of life and discovery.
Nature as a Bougie Adventurer
Car brands have almost always highlighted the great outdoors as a trail awaiting exploration. Subaru best typecast the outdoorsy persona and utilitarian perspective on Nature. Lately, that same positioning has turned more lux. With $500 coolers from Yeti and $5,000 tents from Heimplanet, adventure has never felt more high-end.
“We must ask ourselves, what version of Nature is ours to uniquely own?”
Nature is not one thing; it is everything. Moving away from hospitality’s commodification of Nature as a Sanctuary opens roads to fresh and unexpected ways to harness its equity. We must ask ourselves, what version of Nature is ours to uniquely own? Is there a deeper cultural lens to embrace? Can Nature be both restorative and brimming with character? How can we better establish our distinct lifestyle while incorporating Nature into the story? Many brands add signature, Nature-forward experiences–like forest bathing or celestial stargazing–as ways to craft differentiation. But we need to dig deeper into the fertile ground of Nature’s messaging and extract more personality to inspire our work.
One example of Allis Studio’s comes from harnessing the natural opulence of the Willamette Valley for Gwendolyn Hotel. Allis unearthed the valley’s original moniker, Eden West, and positioned Nature as a seductive temptress of Earthly delights. With Gwendolyn as its preeminent host, she whispers to every guest seeking its fruits to “reach out and pick.”
We need to move beyond category-specific positioning of Nature and find each brand’s own, unique path. There’s ample territory out there beyond the tired tropes of calm and serenity–if we’re willing to explore.