Insight Out: Manfred Meindl – Head of Marketing at VAUDE

Marketing’s boldest voices: decisions that combine values, processes and KPIs

In our series, “Insight Out: Marketing’s Boldest Voices,” leading figures share their experience and ideas on the interactions between purpose, organization and measurability – and what it means to make bold decisions in practice.

What’s been your boldest marketing move so far – and why would(n’t) you do it again?

One of our boldest steps at VAUDE was definitely the decision to significantly reduce our marketing budget so that we could use the funds we’d freed up to invest in climate-related projects. We focused on measures that would lead to a quantifiable improvement in our carbon footprint and offset remaining emissions. So instead of running conventional campaigns, we acknowledged our responsibilities and made an active contribution to combating climate change.

However, the real challenge was communication: How do you talk about these kinds of initiatives without being accused of greenwashing? It was important to us that our communications were transparent, fact-based and readily understood … and that we drew a clear distinction between VAUDE’s actions and purely symbolic gestures. Our approach was successful: the projects were launched and our communications were pitched effectively and perceived as credible by our target groups. We would only repeat a measure like that today under different conditions and with an adapted strategy. Back then, it was just the right moment – the circumstances were more favorable and budgets were more flexible. Today, while there is still interest in sustainability, public opinion has become more polarized, which makes the task of communicating candidly even more challenging.
Nevertheless, it was the right step to take and important, because it showed that marketing can also assume responsibility and doesn’t just have to be about attracting attention.

When was the last time you stepped outside your marketing comfort zone – and why was that necessary?

One very concrete step was when we withdrew from X, formerly known as Twitter, and ended our paid advertising on Meta platforms. In making this decision, we consciously chose to do without the reach and advertising power of these channels – in favor of taking a clear stand against hate speech and disinformation. It wasn’t an easy step to take, as social media continues to be a core component of many marketing strategies.

At the same time, we had to completely refocus our activities – in particular by placing greater emphasis on performance marketing so that we could carry on supporting our direct-to-consumer sales effectively. It was a leap into the unknown: out with the tried-and-tested channels, in with new approaches. We had to think differently, test faster and be more agile.

It was an uncomfortable step, but a necessary one. It’s not enough to simply post on social media about your values; you need to make concrete decisions that put them into practice. And that’s exactly what we did at VAUDE.

Where do your best ideas come from – when you’re not in marketing mode?

Definitely when I’m doing sports out in the countryside. As soon as I put some distance between myself and the computer screen, meetings and emails, my thoughts start to fall into place again. Free from sensory overload and constant external input. That’s where I get my best ideas – not at my desk, but somewhere on a trail, a mountain ridge or a climbing route. My head clears, and suddenly thoughts come to me that I would never have had in the office. Distance gives you perspective – and often also the clarity needed to trigger really good ideas.

What message would you like to send to your colleagues throughout the marketing business?

Given the budgets available in the industry, there’s a surprising amount of marketing that – while it looks nice and has been well thought out – is ultimately neither relevant nor helpful to the target audience. At best, people ignore it; at worst, it annoys them. And now artificial intelligence can produce a lot of that output just as well – or better. What’s missing is a genuine connection. No campaign, no trend, no perfectly targeted advertising can replace an authentic communicator – someone who has something to say, takes a stand and remains credible even when things get uncomfortable. That’s exactly where we need to develop as an industry. Less superficiality, more substance.

Commitment pays off

As VAUDE demonstrates, standing up for your values goes beyond mere slogans – influencing budgets, channels and key performance indicators. The company has directed funds into climate-related projects, showed commitment to its principles by quitting X and paid Meta ads, and is redefining performance for D2C. While this strategy has come at a cost in terms of reach, it has paid off through increased brand credibility and differentiation – thanks to transparent, fact-based communication with no hint of greenwashing.

And Manfred Meindl’s message holds true: you can’t build relevance simply by sitting at a keyboard. Less superficiality, more substance – that’s how marketing becomes a force for responsible action, creating culturally relevant moments, delivering measurable impacts and enabling decision-making.