Opt in to #OptOutside with REI

Mention Black Friday to anybody and I’m sure that you’ll get epic descriptions of discount prices, long changing room queues and endless elbowing to push ahead to the till.

But outdoor retailer REI will be different.

All 143 REI stores will close this Black Friday, November 27. And all of its 12,000 employees will be paid to spend the day outside.

Instead of succumbing to Black Friday madness, REI together with Venables Bell & Partners has launched #OptOutside; an initiative to get workers and consumers into the great outdoors.

In an open letter penned by REI president and CEO Jerry Stritzke (below), he explains why the store will close all of its business activity – to practice what it preaches.

The campaign will encourage Americans to rethink how they spend their Thanksgiving holiday while also redefining what the brand stands for.

Targeting REI’s 5.5 million customers, the campaign will be distributed on digital media and features an interactive website with trails and treks for consumers to follow.

To mark the spectacular day outdoors, REI’s site will be concealed behind a black screen to reflect its stand on Black Friday.

“We think that Black Friday has gotten out of hand and so we are choosing to invest in helping people get outside,” says Stritzke.

So, if you don’t need another excuse to get out into the wild, check out the website for information and inspiration about getting to grips with nature.