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This brand hid a treasure somewhere on earth that wins you free gear for life.

It wasn't that hard to figure out.

By: Kyle Frost + Save to a List

The outdoor brand Vollebak launched a campaign today for their "extreme discount card". The premise had me excited: a cool 'treasure' item, hidden somewhere in the world, that gives you free Vollebak gear for life if you find it. Kinda like the Forrest Fenn treasure, but without the millions of dollars, and instead of a poem, the clue is a video. The video, produced by an Oscar winning director, is your only clue to locate the treasure. I love this kind of stuff. I've spent hours trying to break down the Forrest Fenn poem (still have no idea). I'm thinking, man, what great marketing, this is gonna be fun.

So, let's break down the video.

Let's break it down!

The first 45 seconds or so are in some sort of workshop, with drilling, etc. followed by a plane flight. Vollebak is based in England.

 1:02


Godammit I already know where they are. I've never even been to this country and I'm 95% positive. Of course it would be here.

1:02-1:43


A bunch or random running/climbing/rapelling. I'm already worried this is gonna be one of those things where only the last scene matters.

1:47


Yep, pretty sure I know where that is.

Another random running intermission.

3:30


*Facepalm*. Why would you hide something in such an iconic destination, and also in a place where so many people can't get to it without a very specific skillset? You might need to do some poking around, but it's pretty apparent where it is. Man, I was so excited about this; I just wish it wasn't so obvious; the challenge in this kinda stuff is always in figuring out clues, having hypotheses, people being wrong about where they think it is, etc. That's why Forrest Fenn's treasure has captivated so many people (also the money). 

Anyways, props to Vollebak on an interesting campaign, they seem like a cool brand and I'm sure this will get them some great marketing play! It definitely got me on their site and checking out what they're all about. Fun idea, even if it feels a bit too straightforward. Can't wait to see who actually finds it/how long it takes.

TLDR: It's in exactly the country you'd think an adventure-focused brand would hide it, in an iconic destination that requires a scuba certification. So, if you happen to be visiting right now, which is probable, since this country currently has 7x more tourists than locals, maybe head to a local tour shop and get between the plates to get your free gear :)

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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