Merrell is looking to the silver screen to spread its message of benefits of the great outdoors.
On Thursday, the Wolverine Worldwide-owned footwear brand revealed that it has inked a new three-year partnership with Sundance Collab, the Sundance Institute’s digital learning platform for filmmakers worldwide, to expand Merrell’s “It Starts Outside” brand platform.
Merrell noted that the goal of the partnership is to bring the campaign to life through original social-first films created by filmmakers around the world.
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Merrell and Sundance Collab first came together in June to launch the Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program for “It Starts Outside,” inviting filmmakers from around the world to submit original concepts inspired by the transformative power of stepping outside.
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More than 1,200 filmmakers from 90 countries submitted proposals. Applications were reviewed by a committee of Merrell executives, athletes, creatives and film experts, with six filmmakers ultimately selected to bring their ideas to life.
Each selected filmmaker will receive $20,000 in support from Merrell to produce an original 60- to 90-second social-first film, alongside mentorship, education, guidance and feedback throughout a three-month production program with Sundance Collab.
The six filmmakers selected for the inaugural program are Sharon Liese, Ciril Jazbec, Jean Luke Miraflore, Laura Basil Duncan, Gabriella Canal and Quinne Larsen.
Their films will explore the meaning of “It Starts Outside” through personal perspectives, demonstrating that there is no single definition of the outside, or of what it can unlock, from connection and creativity to personal transformation, Merrell added.
As part of the partnership, the program will culminate at the 2027 Sundance Film Festival, where these six filmmakers will join Merrell for a live panel exploring the intersection of film and the outdoors, and the role both can play in inspiring connection, creativity and personal growth.
The Festival will also mark Merrell’s debut as the official footwear partner of the 2027 Sundance Film Festival.
Together, the three-year partnership reflects Merrell’s ambition to broaden the conversation around the outdoors and create space for new voices, perspectives and stories, reinforcing the belief at the heart of It Starts Outside: sometimes the first step outside can be the start of something much bigger.
Richard McLeod, chief marketing officer at Merrell, called Sundance Collab in a statement on Thursday the “perfect partner” for this new initiative.
“When we introduced ‘It Starts Outside’ earlier this year, we shared our belief that even the simplest moments outdoors can spark something meaningful,” McLeod said. “Through this partnership, filmmakers from around the world will bring that belief to life through human interest stories that show what the outside can unlock in us, how it connects us and the many ways it can shape our lives.”
As for Patty West, director at Sundance Collab, she believes that the new partnership “bridges a vital space” for emerging artists.
“This initiative offers filmmakers a rare opportunity to not only learn the fundamentals of brand-supported storytelling and discover new career pathways as directors, but to actually receive the funding and mentorship needed to make and release their films with the support of a world-class brand like Merrell,” West added. “Sundance Institute has always loved supporting storytellers as they unpack the power, connection, and personal transformation that comes with stepping outside, and we look forward to watching this global cohort thrive.”
This new partnership comes as Merrell celebrates its 45th anniversary amid a period of growth. In the brand’s most recent second quarter 2026 earnings release, Merrell saw sales jump 11.1 percent to $175.5 million in the period.
As for Merrell parent Wolverine Worldwide, the company said its overall revenues grew 6.8 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 to $506.4 million from $474.2 million. Net income in the period rose 7.6 percent to $31.2 million, or 37 cents a diluted share, from $26.8 million, or 32 cents, in the same year-ago period.
