Vivobarefoot unveils new global campaign: Free Your Feet – because when you literally can’t feel the ground, how do you know where you stand?

A collective call to reconnect with the ground beneath us

Vivobarefoot launches its latest global campaign, a powerful and unifying statement challenging the dominance of “big shoe” culture and inviting a return to something more instinctive: feeling.

At the heart of the campaign is a collective of global ambassadors - each a pioneer in their field - who have arrived at barefoot footwear through deeply personal journeys. Featuring Mack Hollins (US), John John Florence (US), Eva Zu Beck (US) Tati Gabrielle (US), Gerald Demolsky (DE), Ross Edgley (UK), Laura Crane (UK) Daisuke Ichimiya (JAPAN) the campaign brings together voices from sport, exploration, and culture in a shared moment of reconnection.

Set against raw, elemental landscapes - wind, earth, water, and stone - the visuals strip everything back. Each ambassador stands grounded, holding bold banners emblazoned with thought-provoking statements such as: “If you can’t feel the ground, how do you know where you stand?”

This is more than a campaign – it is a manifesto

In a world dominated by over-engineered footwear and disconnection from natural movement, Vivobarefoot challenges the status quo. The campaign confronts the idea of “big shoe” head-on, rejecting excessive cushioning and control in favour of sensory feedback, natural strength, and a deeper relationship with the environment.

Each ambassador’s story reflects this shift. From the precision and flow of surfing to the endurance of trail running, from elite sport to extreme exploration, their paths converge on a singular truth: reconnecting with the ground changes how we move, think, and feel.

This collective moment captures a quiet rebellion - one that reclaims autonomy from an industry built on disconnection. Together, they take back power not through more, but through less: less interference, less barrier, less noise.

The campaign underscores Vivobarefoot’s ongoing mission to reconnect people to the natural world - starting from the ground up. By restoring the foot’s innate ability to feel, adapt, and respond, barefoot footwear becomes more than a product; it becomes a tool for awareness.

Actress Tati Gabrielle

Vivobarefoot asked me, “What does freedom mean to you?” And I thought, “Well that’s a loaded question…” Freedom means different things depending on where you are in the world.

For some, right now, it is safety. Dignity. Survival. STABILITY. Quite literally, having solid ground beneath their feet—and I don’t take that lightly. For me, freedom is both physical and spiritual. Coming back into my body. Slowing down. Feeling the earth beneath me and remembering I am here. When you can feel the ground, you move different. And when you can’t, even stillness carries weight. So I think about those who don’t have the luxury of that question—those whose ground is shifting, uncertain, or gone… I believe that freedom can come from a fire within even when the outer world feels oppressive—but that’s a privileged ideal.

True freedom isn’t about ignoring what’s happening around us—it’s about staying grounded enough within ourselves to remain clear, present, and HUMAN… and to keep moving in a direction that creates more of it for others too. So I try to hold both truths. Gratitude for the ground I can feel. And deep empathy and awareness for those fighting for theirs. Because when you literally can’t feel the ground, how do you know where you stand?