Columbia Sportswear’s Grim Reaper Is ‘Killing It’ on Social This Halloween

The Grim Reaper is the unlikely face of Columbia Sportswear in a comical new Halloween social activation, offering followers the chance to win a limited-edition Powderkeg II Remastered Interchange jacket, with a legally binding Will and Testament stitched into the lining.

The Grim Reaper is reimagined as a TikTok and Instagram influencer, aka @Reaper_1938, in the irreverent ‘Death Wishes’ activation, which highlights the durability and longevity of the brand’s outerwear.

The social and influencer campaign, created with adam&eveDDB London, kicks off with a film starring the Reaper in full on influencer mode, chatting to fans about the limited-edition jacket, sharing that 'Columbia makes its gear so tough it could outlive you.'

@Reaper_1938 will be populated with organic content ahead of the launch to establish the influencer profile, while he will also be modelling the jacket on Columbia’s website. A series of teasers showing the Reaper hanging around potential accident spots, waiting for his next victim, will run ahead of the main film drop.

Fans can win a ‘Death Wishes’ jacket via a competition hosted on Columbia’s social pages. The Grim Reaper will call out for users 'nearest outdoor near-death experience’. Winners based in the US will be selected at random. The limited-edition jackets will also be gifted to selected influencers, who will receive their jacket in custom coffin boxes signed by the Reaper himself.

The Powderkeg II Remastered Interchange Jacket is an iconic Columbia style that has been in the line for decades. The classic jacket offers 3-in-1 versatility featuring a reversible insulated liner and a waterproof breathable outer layer that stands up against anything that Mother Nature has in store on the mountain.

“This idea came from real stories we receive frequently from people telling us that their Columbia jackets are being passed down from one generation to the next,” said Matt Sutton, head of marketing at Columbia. “We wanted to celebrate this in a way only Columbia would, by adding a Will and Testament to one of our most iconic styles and enlisting the Grim Reaper to bring it to life…or death in this case.”

Ant Nelson, chief creative officer, adam&eveDDB London added, “’Death Wishes’ continues to build on the brand’s ‘Engineered for Whatever’ platform by showcasing the durability of Columbia’s gear via its trademark irreverence. Halloween gave us the perfect hook to push the Powderkeg II on social, turning the Grim Reaper into an influencer and offering a limited-edition drop, making gear that will outlive you feel like the ultimate flex.”