Now more than ever, it feels good to get outside. For John Mayer, a journey into the Redwoods of Northern California earlier this year underscored that point, as the singer-songwriter-musician explored Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park behind the wheel of his favorite vehicle, the new 2020 Land Rover Defender.
A six-minute film–directed by Eric Ryan Anderson of production house Bindery for agency Atlantic Re:think–anchors the new “John Mayer Goes Outside” campaign, featuring Mayer driving along the golden coastline of Northern California, stopping to hike with a local guide and practice fly fishing along the way. Reflecting on the power and necessity of escaping routine to be outdoors, Mayer says in the film: “I don’t think you can come out here and get any other message from yourself other than, ‘You’re alright. You’re okay.’” The film was shot over a three-day period in March, just before the pandemic took hold of the United States, and the collaboration includes behind-the-scenes images and videos from the shoot.
Developed in partnership with the agency of record for Land Rover, dentsu X, “John Mayer Goes Outside” resonates even more today as Americans look to the country’s natural wilderness for escape from quarantine. The shoot marked Mayer’s first time in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and first time driving the new Land Rover Defender, a vehicle Mayer has history with as he has been a Defender enthusiast and owner for more than a decade.
“We wanted to capture the experience of being outdoors, in a way that didn’t feel forced or scripted. In other words, get John Mayer in his favorite car and show him a good time in the wilderness,” said Jeremy Elias, executive creative director of Atlantic Re:think. “The trip has taken on new meaning in the months since we filmed, and so has the brand’s message of embracing the power and beauty of the great outdoors.”
