Zac Efron joins Cotopaxi and Yeti in partnership to support grizzly conservation
Healthy, nutrient-rich breakfasts and healthy, wildlife-rich landscapes: sounds like a match made in heaven, right? Or at least one made in the Rocky Mountains, where longtime conservation champion Kodiak is once again teaming up with Vital Ground and numerous other partners on their annual Keep It Wild campaign to protect key habitat in grizzly bear country.
A Vital Ground partner since its early days in 2017, Kodiak’s conservation impact has grown alongside its brand. Based in Park City, Utah, near the home of Vital Ground co-founders Doug and Lynne Seus, Kodiak is now a regular on grocery shelves and in backpacks worldwide. For the last three years, the Keep It Wild campaigns have offered limited-edition outdoor gear and merchandise alongside Kodiak’s famous breakfast staples, with all proceeds benefiting Vital Ground’s mission to protect and restore grizzly bear habitat and prevent conflicts between bears and people.
And they’ve done it with some major star power helping spread the word.
“Kodiak continues to stay true to its mission of feeding epic days and wilder lives while making sure to inspire people to get outside and leave the world better than they found it,” says actor Zac Efron, Kodiak’s Chief Brand Officer. “Programs like Keep It Wild are a huge part of why I became a part of the Kodiak brand, and I’m so excited to see the impact of this year’s campaign.”
In addition to Efron helping launch this year’s campaign via his popular Instagram channel, the push to protect habitat features sustainably-designed outdoor gear and merchandise from the brands Cotopaxi and Yeti—everything from versatile daypacks and lunchboxes to hats, t-shirts and water bottles. The limited-edition items are available for online purchase today, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting grizzly conservation.
“Here at Kodiak, we’re always encouraging folks to enjoy the great outdoors while living epic days and wilder lives, which is why we’re thrilled to kick off this year’s Keep It Wild campaign, which is a direct reflection of our mission and values,” says Cory Bayers, Chief Marketing Officer of Kodiak. “By working together with incredible brands like Cotopaxi and Yeti, and contributing to The Vital Ground Foundation, we encourage consumers to get outside while also educating on the importance of land conservation and bear protection.”
Vital Ground’s partnership with Kodiak (originally Kodiak Cakes) has advanced numerous conservation projects protecting thousands of acres over the past seven years. Thousands more are on tap as Vital Ground is on track to conserve more land in the next two years than we have in the past decade and a half. It adds up to Kodiak leaving a tangible and sizeable impact on wild landscapes, a legacy that will last far longer than any piece of gear or pantry item.
But in the meantime, those hot-off-the-shelf items are a wonderful way to show your support of grizzly conservation while providing your own contribution to Vital Ground’s next win for wildlife. So don’t wait: grab some new gear that you can feel great about and help keep it wild today!