Great Outdoors Colorado (GoCo) wanted to get kids off the couch and out the door. It was a daunting task, with screens winning out over hiking and Fortnite replacing hide-and-seek.

Working with agency partner Sukle, we brought together a coalition of government, non-profit, and community representatives for a Sparrow Day One session to tackle this challenge. Six hours later, we had a strong consensus around a hypothesis to take into research: to change a generation of kids, we needed to inform and inspire moms to re-prioritize the outdoors.

Then we (Sparrow researcher, agency planner, and client) hit the road, with a video camera and plenty of snacks. Fifty-six moms, seven days, and 700 miles around Colorado later, we returned to the agency with plenty of fodder for the creative teams. 

Out of this process, a brand called Generation Wild (GenWild) emerged, ready to help moms (and dads) get kids into nature.

Three months after launch, brand awareness reached 67.1% of Colorado moms, and nearly 40% of them used Gen Wild’s list of “100 Things to Do Before You’re 12.” “Skip a rock,” anyone? To cap it all off, the governor proclaimed the first day of summer “Generation Wild Day.”

Now entering its seventh successful year, GenWild is a movement embraced by thousands of Coloradan parents and by hundreds of organizations (from REI to Boys and Girls Clubs), sparking an appreciation for the great outdoors in the next generation of Coloradans. 

Generation Wild