On the Basque Trails

For INTERSPORT and Columbia, SPK conceived an outdoor activation designed to bring hiking to life in a different way — combining a shared experience, product testing and genuine immersion in the field. The project responds to a strong trend: a more accessible outdoor practice, driven by participants seeking nature, authenticity and moments worth sharing. The recommendation positioned the experience as a way to live the outdoors rather than simply showcase it, with an immersion centred on hiking, equipment and the discovery of a territory. The activation was built around a simple, tangible journey: a briefing in-store, kit collection, departure into the outdoor experience, and then real-conditions testing of Columbia products throughout the stay. This approach connected the retail activation to actual practice in the field, placing the INTERSPORT store as the entry point to the adventure and Columbia equipment at the heart of the experience. The goal was to create a shared, purposeful and embodied moment where participants could discover the products in their natural environment. SPK supported the design of this activation by working on the overall experience, the role of the store, the product testing logic and the production of social media content to capture the key moments. Photos and videos documented the stay, the landscapes, product usage and collective moments — without content creation becoming the centrepiece of the activation. Without specific figures to report, the project is grounded in a concrete sports marketing logic: creating a direct link between brand, retailer, outdoor practice, local community and digital communication.