Our Interactive Director directed his eye for the absurd on this, The Door to Nowhere, during a recent trip to Jay Peak and Newport. We thought it warranted a caption. (And we will pick a winner for last week’s shot of the Debut of the DH Speed Suit, too, as soon as we deal with the Russians who got all hack-happy on our website yesterday.)
Working on developing campaign creative for Jay Peak 2012.12, we sent our AD on a reconnaissance mission. Here’s a peek through his viewfinder.
Last week, our AD had a bad day.
Luckily, we took a screenshot.
The kitten is standing by.
This image by Whistler is Awesome photographer, Patrick Hui, captured at last year’s Air Downhill during Crankworx, is our next challenge for you wit-masters.
For inspiration, we’ll kick you of with Pat’s caption:
Speed Suit
and Whistler is Awesome’s:
This dude obviously forgot his race kit at home…
Our copywriter, Lisa Richardson, came across this feature today about a kids program being co-developed at Sierra-at-Tahoe by Burton and the people that brought us Star Wars. It came to me on the same day we were meeting with the Canadian Ski Council to discuss a new project intended to attract and retain new entrants to the sports of skiing and snowboarding. How does a brand make its way into the hearts and minds of new customers and live there permanently? Check out this video for the answer: a bit of creativity, a chain saw artist, and a group of people willing to think like a kid again. It takes some forward-thinking brands to put this level of attention to a market comprised of 3-6 year olds. Introducing the Yoda Riglet Park. Tell me you don’t want to go there.
What is an outdoor sport? What is an action sport? Historically, we’ve seen a distinct separation between the two categories, both in the consumers that partake in them, and the brands that cater to them.
And while some sports clearly fall in to one category or the other – eg skateboarding is clearly established as an action sport, trail running and road cycling fall under the outdoor sport umbrella – there are a number of activities that blur the line.
Take skiing, snowboarding, surfing, and mountain biking. These specific activities are enjoyed by a variety of age groups, with varying levels of “extreme-ness” to define them as one or the other.
So what is it that defines a sport or activity as outdoor vs. action? How do companies and brands define themselves as one or the other? Could it be that the two terms are really just a way of marketing an activity to different demo/psychographic segments in the same way that Toyota markets a Corolla to a suburban mom, then turns around and markets the same car as a Scion to an urban teenager?
Case in Point 1: Patagonia vs. Billabong
Patagonia. A prominent, established company with a history of building quality products for the great outdoors.
Billabong. A young, fresh and vibrant brand with a strong grip on youth culture and action sports.
Both companies have a long history in building products for surfing, and when you compare the product lines you’ll see essentially the same items: wetsuits, board shorts and lifestyle apparel. The products provide the same function, no matter the brand.
But Patagonia has historically shied away from marketing their products to the youthful, action-sports-oriented readers of Transworld Surf, choosing to focus on the more matured “outdoor” audience of publications like The Surfer’s Journal. On the other hand, Billabong continues to drive the viewpoint of surfing as an action sport by sponsoring competitive events like the Billabong Pro Tahiti.
Key takeaway? Both brands sell the same product for the same use, yet one is an “outdoor sports” brand while the other is an “action sports” brand. The only differentiating factor is the audience they are marketing to.
Case in Point 2: Outdoor Brands Venturing in to the World of Action Sports
As highlighted in a recent article about Amer Sports (parent company of outdoor brands including Salomon, Arc’teryx and Atomic), many outdoor sports brands are looking to opportunities in the growing youth market segment, either through acquisitions of action sports brands, or by redefining their own brands to be more applicable to the younger audience by addressing factors like price point, fit of their products, team athletes, and the marketing vehicles they use.
Action sports is a large and dynamic market driven by young people who skate, surf and snowboard, or who are inspired by these activities and by the lifestyle. This market is becoming one of the key focus areas for us.” Heikki Takala, Amer CEO
It will be interesting to follow these brands as they continue to evolve in an effort to become more relevant to a younger, more “action sports” oriented audience. I’ll be paying particularly close attention to three factors of interest:
1. Will the “core” action sports demographic warm to these brands, or see them as latecomers to the party?
2. How will companies like Arc’teryx become relevant to a youth audience without turning off their core audience?
3. Will action sports brands seek to enter the “outdoor sports” market segment? Brands like Quiksilver, with their Quiksilver Edition, and Waterman lines, have had mixed success with this in the past.
The line between action sports and outdoors sports gets more blurry as brands continue to seek growth in new market segment. But if people are getting off the couch, maybe it doesn’t really matter.
