Preserve. Inspire. Repeat: The Archives Fueling Outdoor Brands

Host Erin Narloch sits down with Tara McRae, the new president and managing director of PUMA North America, to unravel the intricate dance between a brand’s storied past and its vibrant future. McRae, a veteran of iconic brands including Bose and Clarks, champions “true authenticity” as the bedrock of a successful brand.

Nina Thomas, director of exhibits and public programs at the Delta Flight Museum, joins host Jason Dressel for an insider’s look at how Delta Air Lines is celebrating 100 years of flight.

History Versus Heritage: Demystifying Brand Storytelling by The History Factory Podcast

In this episode, History Factory’s Erin Narloch interviews longtime employees of the Dickies archives Ann Richardson, director of trend development, and Corinna Wright, senior design manager. Ann and Corinna, who have been with Dickies for 50 and 28 years respectively, discuss their roles in merchandising, product development and the creation of the archives.

What goes into the 75-year legacy of one of the world’s most iconic footwear brands? Erin Narloch interviews Sandra Trapp, senior manager of history management and adidas global brands brand partnerships, on the adidas archival collection, its history and its role in the company. Founded in 2009, the collection holds around 40,000 catalog pieces, including footwear, apparel and file storage equivalent to three kilometers. Erin and Sandra discuss how the archives supported adidas’ 75th anniversary and how pulling out historical assets for the momentous occasion was more than just a blast from the past—it was also a global movement. Tune in to learn more about Sandra and her work at adidas.

Utah State University (USU) owns the Outdoor Recreation Archive, a living archives documenting the history of outdoor gear. Since its inception, it has been accessed by some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including REI, Nike, Columbia and others. Host Erin Narloch sits down with Chase Anderson, industry relations manager for outdoor product design and development and the Outdoor Recreation Archive at USU, and Clint Pumphrey, manuscript curator and program chair for archives outreach and instruction at USU, the duo behind the archives, to discuss what began as a donation of outdoor gear catalogs and has since become a globally recognized resource for students, scholars and leading outdoor brands.

In this podcast episode, we talk with Halley Knigge, REI’s divisional vice president of communications, and Will Dunn, Co-op Living Archive and impact communications program manager, on the creation of REI’s Living Archive and the impact of the collection. The archives includes artifacts from the 1880s to the present day, serving as a portal for business units across the company to access historic gear, oral histories and revolutionary product items. Since its launch in 2024, the archives has fostered employee engagement and inspired product design. Tune in to learn more about how the REI team aims to expand the internal reach and impact of the Living Archive.

In this new episode, Jason Dressel hosts Susan Morrison, author of “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live,” on “The History Factory Podcast.” Morrison discusses Lorne Michaels’ leadership style, emphasizing his intuitive management, remote presence and minimal praise. She highlights Michaels’ ability to maintain SNL’s format while evolving its content, as well as his strategic approach to managing conflicts. Dressel and Morrison discuss Michaels’ influence on American culture and his unique ability to balance work and life. Morrison also shares insights from her extensive research into subjects including Michaels’ decision-making processes and his impact on SNL’s longevity and succession planning.

In our latest podcast episode, we gave the mic to our own people to discuss our recently released report, “The Heritage Gap.” CEO Jason Dressel is joined by Adrian Gianforti, Director of Marketing and Communications, Erin Narloch, Senior Director of Business Insights and Performance, and Andrew Rugg, President of Certus Insights, to discuss key findings from the report and History Factory’s new Brand Heritage Index. The group explores how brands use heritage to engage audiences, the role of nostalgia and the potential of brand storytelling on social media. Tune in to learn how history can drive business success.

Join us on the open road to celebrate the Ford Mustang’s 60th birthday with Ted Ryan, Ford’s archives and heritage brand manager. He and History Factory CEO Jason Dressel discuss the iconic vehicle’s seven generations and its impact on pop culture—including its appearance in more than 8,000 movies and videos—and the most popular models today. Ryan talks about the transformation of the Mustang model, still one of the most popular sports coupes in the world, and its underlying design thinking over the decades. He also shares some stories from Ford’s archives, the Ford Heritage Vault, which has seen 30 million searches and 7.7 million downloads since its launch. Show Notes: As the archives and heritage brand manager for Ford Motor Company, Ted Ryan “has the coolest job,” a comment he often gets when people meet him for the first time and find out what he does for a living. His response is, “Indeed, I do!” In his role overseeing Ford’s archives, Ryan tells stories about the company’s rich heritage to internal and external audiences. While he is not a car collector, his father is and owns a 1931 Model A, a 1940 Lincoln Zephyr Continental Cabriolet, a 1957 Continental Mark II and a 2002 Thunderbird. Two of Ryan’s favorite photos are of him with his father and 1966 Mustang and of him with his three sons with his 2020 Mustang. Ford cars are in his blood.