Outside for 19 Years
We’ve been outside for 19 years as a brand. Our first large rebrand effort was with Red Wing Shoes working meticulously on refeathering their identity. Around that same time we helped rebrand Fox River Socks, launching a line of socks made from corn fiber. We called them “Shucking Awesome” socks. This bountiful effort led to a complete repackaging of Smartwool socks.
From boots to socks, our creative agency nearly cornered the “foot” market.
Then we wrote a couple books (Design Matters: Logos & Design Matters: Packaging) and a few more outdoor brand names showed up at our door. It started with the complex effort to redesign the Yakima experience inside retail – one of the most intense buying experiences we’ve redesigned, to date. At about this time, the phone rang and on the other end of the line was the big leagues – Patagonia. They had a complex system problem to solve and we were commissioned to go figure it out. And we did, to the tune of a +70% increase in sales for the product line.
It launched, we celebrated and then went back to work.
Our successes for clients turned into more opportunities, with AlpineAire, Stansport, Leatherman Tools, Hydro Flask, Buff, Outdoor Research, Gerber, Pistil Headwear, Brilliant and a few other notables. We’ve had a great run outside with a group of people we remain friends with today. As a special projects team, we’re always amazed by the people who are willing to trust us with these challenges. And, we are grateful.
The outdoor retailer community is a great place to work and we continue to enjoy sharing our story with those who need a talented team to come in and help. Each of these clients comes to the table with a great story attached, some with spectacular outcomes.
We are at that time again when we head west to a meeting of great minds in the outdoor market, the Outdoor Retailer event. If you’re there, we’d love to meet up, grab coffee or walk the show. If you’re missing this one, feel free to reach out. We’d be happy to share our stories.
Thank you for reading.
Aaron Keller
Columnist, TCBmag.com
Co-Author, The Physics of Brand
Co-Founder, Capsule.us