The 2021 Ford Bronco is marketed as “built wild.” The promo videos were aired on national television. Each one featured someone known to have a special affinity and connection with rock climbing. But why is it that casting these particular adventurers in roles helps market the wild nature of new Ford Bronco?

Climbers are special people. Any of us who have climbed before know that it’s not a sport for everyone. Climbing takes us to special places––specials heights. We get to see some of the most remote places on Earth and the route that climbers take is a bit less conventional than a footpath.

Is rock climbing hard?

Rock climbing is never going to be listed as an “easy” sport. That said, nearly anyone could lock into a harness at the gym and belay up and down a few runs with a coach. But climbing up a sheer rock face hundreds of feet about the ground is an activity that a certain group of people seeks out. According to The Rockulus, “climbing is considered an extreme sport by the general public.” This is one reason we can assume the Ford marketing team decided climbing tied in with the ideology they are creating for the new Ford Bronco family. It’s wild and a little exotic, but accessible.

Climbing does have an extreme reputation, it’s actually a sport that can be approached by a wide range of skill and fitness levels. Even if you aren’t super fit or super experienced, you can go out and have some fun. You don’t have to be an everyday climber to go out and enjoy yourself. Just like there are several different Ford Bronco options that vary depending on the scale of your immediate need to go off-roading.

The new Ford Bronco goes deep

Similarly, the new Ford Bronco doesn’t have to mountain climb every day, but it’s always ready. We all have a little primitive blood in our veins, even if we are stuck in the 9-5 grind. And that is part of the draw of the all-new Ford Bronco family.

It’s there to take you into the wilderness on a whim when you need to get away. Also, like outdoor climbing, it will take you to places that not every vehicle is capable of going. The Bronco goes deep into the wild. It drives far off the beaten path.

Climbers and Ford marketing

In the videos that aired on the night of the Ford Bronco reveal, we saw three different people united by a passion for climbing. Country singer Kip Moore, pro climber Brooke Rabatou, and pro climber/photographer Academy Award winner Jimmy Chin. All three of these climbers would probably want to spend most of their time out in the wild, climbing rock walls and breathing in the earthy smell of sunrise over the mountains.

Jimmy Chin and the 2-door Ford Bronco

Jimmy Chin ending up finding a way to turn his outlandish photography of extreme athletes in nature into a way to make a decent living. His photography captures images that most photographers wouldn’t have the chance to. That’s because, as a climber, he goes deeper and farther than many others. Just like the new 2-door Ford Bronco.

Jimmy Chin, in the Ford Bronco promo film, explains how he has climbed most of his life. Also about how he spent years living in his car chasing seasons for climbing and skiing. It’s easy to imagine how the 2-door Ford Bronco would tick most of the boxes for Jimmy Chin’s ideal vehicle.

Kip Moore and the 4-door Ford Bronco

Kip Moore is a country singer. However, he also fosters a passion for climbing. He works well in the position of marketing the 4-door Ford Bronco. His lifestyle is busy, but at any given moment he probably wants to be ready to through the doors in the back and hit the trail.

Kip Moore even recently opened a lodging facility in Tennessee for men and women seeking time in the outdoors, according to Lauren Laffer with Sounds Like Nashville. Called, BedRock At The Red, the lodge is located in Red River Gorge in Kentucky, which is home to some of the best rock climbing and hiking trails in the world.

Brooke Rabatou and the Ford Bronco Sport

Brooke Rabatou is an extreme athlete. She is, according to Climbing, the first US athlete to qualify for climbing’s Olympic debut. However, her lifestyle doesn’t necessarily demand an extreme off-roading SUV. Enter the Ford Bronco Sport. It’s a great daily driver with plenty enough capability for hitting trails on the weekends.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is marketed as a versatile small SUV that can handle daily city driving. But it also has enough capability to load up with ropes and climbing gear and blaze down a dirt trail to a remote outdoor climbing location. It’s the best of both worlds.

The perfect adventurers

When you think of people with a taste for adventure and a love for the outdoors, climbers easily come to mind. As people that get in touch with their wild side, the Ford marketing strategy is obvious. If you buy a Ford Bronco or Ford Bronco Sport, you can be wild too––just like one of these climbers.