About Outside Now
Outside Now isn't just a business – it's a calling. Founded by Tory Campbell and his teenage son, Tillman, who are devoted to addressing a critical need in the marketplace and on a mission to improve the world.
As a parent, Tory saw firsthand there are fewer opportunities for carefree outdoor play now than he had enjoyed as a kid. But he’d also seen his brother and close friend nearly hit by cars while playing outdoors. As an adult, Tory took an interest in the subject, and once he did a little research, saw alarming statistics including increased pedestrian risk and decreased participation in outdoor play.
Teaming up with his son Tillman, a student with a fresh perspective on the problem, they founded Outside Now.
Following intensive development and refinement, including collaboration with industry experts and feedback from the community, Outside Now proudly unveils the Play It Safe Tower System for pre-order.
the OUTSIDENOW Journey
Inspired to make a product that could literally stand for something better, the Campbells joined forces with Oregon State University's renowned Capstone Engineering Team, collaborating to realize their vision of a new approach to traffic safety around play.
Gathering insights and data through consumer testing and market analysis, this partnership resulted in a prototype product, unveiled on August 2024.
The Oregon State University Capstone Program for the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering partnered with Tory Campbell to provide senior engineering students with an opportunity to create and innovate a truly new and important product. The motivation of the engineering students was spurred greatly by the importance of providing a safer environment for children to play outside. The program benefits from a wide variety of sponsors and project topics, and it is a rare treat for those projects to turn into something so real-world and impactful. We are excited for the future of this project!”
–Dr. Sarah Oman
Senior Capstone Instructor for School of MIME at Oregon State
With momentum building and a prototype to work with, the Campbells were invited to join the adidas Community Lab Accelerator to continue the process of turning their vision into reality. They brought in more experts – engineers, designers, and branding professionals – to refine the product and build a brand identity for Outside Now and the Play it Safe Tower System that's truly a force for good.
At adidas, we believe that through sport, we have the power to change lives. It’s innovative ideas like Tory’s that help us reimagine the future of sport at the intersection of access and equity. Working with a host of community partners and leaders across the US, we know that creating safe, engaging spaces to play sport – for fun – is increasingly important to the wellbeing of young athletes.
–Ayesha Martin
Senior Director at adidas | Purpose Innovation, Social Impact
Today, Outside Now is poised to transform the way we think about outdoor play and community safety. Their mission is to bring back the simple joys of being a kid playing outside.
Following intensive development and refinement, including collaboration with industry experts and feedback from the community, Outside Now proudly unveils the Play It Safe Tower System for pre-order.