SNOW & SKI JAPAN

content residency

Hokkaido JAPAN | January 2026 (Dates TBD)

The Outsiders’ next Snow & Ski Content Residency will take place in Hokkaido, Japan, in January. This residency brings together 4 athletes across ski and snowboard and 4 crew across film and photography.

The trip will open with a couple of iconic days in Tokyo, then move north into Hokkaido to film across resort terrain, side-country zones, and backcountry locations with a trusted local operator. Throughout the trip, content will be shared across a combined ~1.5M following across athletes, brands, crew, and aligned partners — creating a cross-pollination effect between aligned audiences already engaged in snow, performance, and mountain environments. This is what makes The Outsiders Content Residencies so effective for reach: the aligned multi-brand approach allows budget investment to stretch further and delivers strong ROI.

We handle all logistics, athlete management and contracts, production, and delivery. You also know which brands are involved before committing, with careful consideration around alignment and no conflicts — only upside across the group.

Our pilot Snow & Ski Content Residency in August in Wānaka, New Zealand (check it out here), delivered with Defender (Land Rover NZ), Helly Hansen, DB Journey, Nikon, and more, proved the model works — with more than 812,000 combined following across athletes, brands, and crew. Teaser content alone on our new Outsiders IG account, with only a couple of hundred followers, delivered 50,000+ views, 1,600+ engagements, 123 shares, 40 saves, and drove strong inbound interest. These numbers exclude the reach of athletes, brands, and crew — all of which will be captured and reported for upcoming residencies.

With everyone contributing and sharing from within one production block, each investment reaches further — generating high-value assets, broader reach, and significant outcomes for partners.

Program Overview

  • Filming across resort, side-country and guided backcountry locations in Hokkaido

  • Athlete-led shoot days shaped around conditions and missions

  • Brand-aligned content captured naturally across the trip and tagged across everyone’s socials

  • Tokyo opener to anchor the content before heading north

  • Integrated shooting approach across 4 athletes and 4 creatives

  • Food & culture captured through the eyes of the athletes and crew

  • Recovery built into the schedule — tapping into Hokkaido’s natural onsen and wellness culture after big days on snow

  • Selective stills and vision provided where naturally captured off the back of the trip

  • All logistics, athlete management, contracts, and production handled by The Outsiders - all you need to do is provide the budget investment, and kit out where relevant. We make sure to align the athletes to the partners who come on board to provide further sponsorship value for existing athlete sponsorships.

Distribution & Reach

  • Minimum 1.5M — up to 3.5M combined following across athletes, brands, crew and aligned partners

  • Natural cross-pollination through daily posting and partner re-sharing

  • Full reporting on performance and reach across all partner accounts post-residency

Partnership Opportunities

Outdoor & Lifestyle Brands
Align with athlete-led winter content captured in authentic adventure experiences, integrated across a multi-brand creative environment - with all alignments confirmed in advance and no brand conflicts.

Tourism Organisations
Feature your region through authentic on-snow and location-based content within an aligned multi-brand production block.

Accommodation, Automotive, Airlines & Local Operators
Visibility and tagging through the residency narrative, daily posting environment and partner re-sharing.

itinerary

We are finalising a two-location snow arc for this residency. The main block will take place in Hokkaido, with the second location selected in partnership with athletes and brand partners. This will either be Furano (Hokkaido), offering aligned Ikon Pass access and seamless logistics, or Shiga Kogen (Honshu), which provides a contrasting terrain profile and broader Japan coverage. The final destination will be confirmed once partners are onboard to ensure alignment, smooth logistics, and no conflicts.

Days 1–2 — Tokyo
Short opener in the city to set the tone, ground the narrative, and establish the start point before moving north.

Days 3–7 — Hokkaido
Five-day primary snow block based out of one location with access to resort terrain, side-country zones, and a guided backcountry days with a trusted local guide and operator. Filming shaped around conditions and athlete preference.

Day 8 — Transition Day
Shift into the second snow location.
Either a seamless move within Hokkaido into Furano, or a transfer to Shiga Kogen in Honshu for a contrasting terrain profile to support tourism partners where this is a benefit to showcase.

Days 9–13 — Second Location
Five-day filming block at second location

Day 14 — Depart
Wrap and departures.

want to get involved?

If you would like to explore partnering for this project Book a Meeting with Michelle Bates (LinkedIn) and Justin Mayers

Let’s go.

Pictured in Kingston, New Zealand at Snowmoto: Justin Mayers (L) lead film maker and production partner (WestBank Media, US) and Michelle Bates The Outsiders Founder (R) - Photographer credit: Scott Ruzzene (AUS)