North Face Cheated Wikipedia Foundation

But the campaign results are impressive

April 29, 2025

You know that feeling when you Google a place like Cerro Torre?
And the first photo you see looks like it’s from a pro travel blog?

Well, turns out... it wasn’t just travel content. It was an ad.

(A sneaky one)

The North Face pulled off one of the boldest SEO hacks ever.
They secretly swapped real photos on Wikipedia with their own.

And for a while... it worked…. Until Wikipedia found out.

What happened next?

Let's dig in!

Campaign Overview

  • Campaign Name: Top of Images

  • Campaign Dates: May 2019 (ran briefly before getting caught)

  • Industry: Outdoor Apparel

  • Target Audience: Adventure travelers and outdoor lovers searching for famous hiking spots

Top of Images Campaign

The North Face wanted their clothes and gear to come at the top of Google image searches, but they didn’t want to pay for ads. So they came up with a sneaky plan.

They picked famous outdoor places that many search for online, like parks, mountains, and hiking trails. Then, they sent people to those places to take new photos.

Someone wore The North Face jacket, backpack, or other gear in every pic.

These photos looked normal, like travel pictures, but they secretly showed off the brand. After taking the photos, they uploaded them to Wikipedia pages for those places.

That’s where the trick worked.

Google often pulls images from Wikipedia to show in search results.

So now, when people search for places like “Cerro Torre” or “Guarita Park,” the top photo in Google Images shows a person wearing The North Face.

It looked natural, but it was a hidden ad.

The North Face didn’t tell anyone they were doing this for marketing.

They made it seem like they were helping update Wikipedia. When Wikipedia found out, they got upset and called the campaign dishonest.

They took the photos down, and the brand apologized.

Even though the campaign didn’t last long, it got many people talking.

Campaign Objectives

North Face launched the campaign with 6 things to strike off the list:

  1. Show up first on Google without paying for ads.

    The main goal was to be the top image when someone searched for a famous travel spot. They didn’t want to buy ads. They tricked the system by using free methods.

  2. Place their gear in real travel photos.

    The North Face wanted their jackets and backpacks to be seen in real outdoor settings, not in fake photoshoots. That made the brand feel more natural and adventurous.

  3. Connect with travelers at the exact moment they plan trips.

    When someone searches for a hiking spot, they often plan a trip. The brand wanted to be there, showing up in those search moments, quietly suggesting, “Wear us on your next adventure.”

  4. Use Wikipedia’s trust and Google’s power.

    Wikipedia is one of the most trusted sites online, and Google often pulls images from there. The North Face knew that if they could get their photos on Wikipedia, they would show up on Google automatically.

  5. Get attention through a bold and creative idea.

    This campaign was also about getting people talking. Even if the trick got noticed, they would win by creating buzz and news stories.

  6. Spend less, get more.

    Instead of spending lots of money on ads, they explored free visibility. It was a low-cost way to appear everywhere... until it got shut down.

Results

  • By replacing Wikipedia images with its own, The North Face successfully positioned its branded photos at the top of Google Image search results for various outdoor destinations.

  • The Wikimedia Foundation criticized the campaign, stating it violated Wikipedia's policies and the trust of its users.

  • Following the backlash, The North Face ended the campaign and publicly apologized, accepting that their actions were inconsistent with Wikipedia's principles.

  • The incident got extensive media attention, with major outlets highlighting the campaign's ethical concerns.

  • Volunteers removed the promotional images from Wikipedia and restored the original content to maintain the platform's neutrality.

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

  • Create high-quality images or videos of your product being used in real, helpful contexts. Then, upload them to trusted platforms where your audience searches for help.

Step-by-step:

  1. Find top questions your audience Googles.

    Use tools like AnswerThePublic or Google’s “People Also Ask” box.

    For example, if you sell hiking gear, people might search for the Best trail for beginners and what to wear for mountain hiking.

  2. Create helpful visual content.

    Make photos, reels, or short videos that answer those questions AND show your product in action. For example, you can show a photo of a person wearing your jacket on a trail titled Best Trail for Winter Hikes.

  3. Upload it to high-ranking platforms.

    Instead of only posting on your blog, submit content to Quora (with answers), Medium or Substack articles, travel or product forums, Reddit threads, Google Business Profile (if local), or Pinterest (great for GImages).

  4. Add descriptive captions and keywords.

    Label your photo clearly, like a Hiker wearing a [Brand Name] windproof jacket on the Mount Whitney trail, so Google knows what to show it for.

  5. Monitor Google Images and Search

    Within 2–4 weeks, check if your image is ranking. Adjust keywords or re-upload if needed.

Why this works:

  • You help your audience first

  • You show your product in a real-life use case

  • You appear on platforms Google already trusts

  • You get SEO traffic like The North Face tried, but without breaking any rules

Conclusion

The North Face tried to outsmart Google by hijacking trust. Instead of buying ads, they borrowed authority from Wikipedia, and it worked... until it didn’t.

The big takeaway is that distribution > creation.

They didn’t create new content.
They placed their content where Google already looked.

You don’t have to be sneaky to do smart marketing.
You have to understand how platforms work and how people search.

Your turn now!

  • Which site does Google trust most for your niche?

  • What’s one non-ad platform you could use to get seen first?

Drop your thoughts in the comments :)

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Marketers need to build digital relationships and reputation before closing a sale.

Chris Brogan