Ready to explore in the Year of the Horse
To mark its 60th anniversary, The North Face continues to put their mission of "Never Stop Exploring" into practice.
From Dec 23–25, 2025, The North Face followed a 3-city, 3-day Silk Road route covering 500–520km. Around 120 participants took part, including; brand teams, scholars, media, and KOLs.
With the horse as its narrative core, the journey connected ancient trade routes, nomadic culture, and modern outdoor exploration — a fully embodied lead-in to the upcoming Year of the Horse AND a great example of a brand practicing what it preaches.
Rather than chasing mass awareness, the activation focused on depth:
- Cultural forums with the Gansu Provincial Museum
- Snow-covered mountain crossings and nomadic trekking routes
- An immersive finale at Shandan Military Horse Farm
Two takeaways...
Credibility over reach.
The North Face continues to build real authority in China’s outdoor space through action-first activities that prioritize authenticity over scale.
Earlier in 2025, they launched an Asia-first Member Center in the middle of Shanghai’s Xintiandi ...to feature just these types of activities/adventures.
Zodiac symbolism, lived.
Instead of decorative Lunar New Year motifs, and CNY capsule collections ... the Year of the Horse has been translated into real action.