New Work: Kirstie Ennis in DieHard’s The Climber

In 2020, Advance Auto Parts helped relaunch the DieHard® brand with an action-packed two minute film starring Bruce Willis and indicating that “DieHard is back.” The successful relaunch was followed last year by the debut of a campaign touting “Diehards Choose DieHard” that showcased the power of diehard people who choose DieHard batteries and a unique, fantastical connection between them.

Now, Advance Auto Parts is debuting a companion ad to the “Diehards Choose DieHard” campaign. The new advertising tells a real-life story about a hero who epitomizes what it means to be a diehard. The commercial stars Kirstie Ennis, a former Marine sergeant, world-renowned climber and action-sports diehard who has overcome all odds to scale six of the world’s tallest mountains. Titled “The Climber,” the :60 film is a mini-documentary that celebrates Kirstie’s story, highlights her endless fighting spirit, and champions her return to conquer Mt. Everest – the “seventh summit.”  

Shot in a single day in Lake Perris State Park in Riverside, California with Natural Selection Productions, the shoot faced its own logistical challenges, including a harnessed DP dangling off the side of a cliff to film the climb. Harris Wilkinson, TMA’s Chief Creative Officer, said “Kirstie spent a very long day—and part of the night—climbing up and down that cliff, and never once stopped smiling. She absolutely crushed it.”

Jason McDonell, Advance’s executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and eCommerce, said “Kirstie is one of the most inspiring figures in society today. We’ve witnessed first-hand how Kirstie defines what it means to be a diehard. There is a strong correlation between her relentless drive and the hallmarks of our DieHard brand – reliability, durability, and specifically, power.”  

To match the epic nature of the film, Advance Auto Parts plans to run this new advertising in movie theaters next month. It will appear before such highly anticipated releases as Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, to be followed by Creed 3 in March. It will also run online on YouTube, paid social media, and Advance Auto Parts social media channels. 

WATCH “THE CLIMBER”