ASR Blog

Post show cool stuff, like videos and media coverage

The rocking Woolrich Fashion Show at the Industry Party !!!  You'll never see that brand the same way again after watching this.  Three of the models were actually dancers from HSM3 (for those of you who aren't parents of young kids that's High School Musical 3).  It seems a brand can be both authentically hip AND heritage.

The second season of Project OR .... the winning design was pretty dang cool, but check out the also-ran designs for some serious out-of-the-box thinking from the designers of the future. 

Exclusive Podcast interview with filmmaker Ken Burns.... must listen to this!  "Land and Water set aside not for kings, not for noblemen, or the very rich, but for everyone."  America's best idea for sure, my country tis of thee...  thanks to James Mills and the Joy Trip Project.

KSL-TV footage of BD AvaLung Live Burial; see Kenji emerge from under the snowpack Alive!  Bruce Tremper also with some sage words about Avy safety, a big deal this year in-bounds and out.

Winter Market 2009 OR Show Daily Digest Online version shows fresh content live from the show floor, in paperless glory.

SHOW DIRECTOR'S SPECIAL SHORT

This Winter Market was a testament to an industry that intutively knows how to 'move into the challenge' of a tough economic period; no hand-wringing, sky is falling dialogue here.  From Mike Wallenfels' revelation at the opening breakfast of projects that the OIA is taking on to serve the industry up more powerful business tools, to line showings firing at 3pm on the final day in several booths, the show revealed a vibrant and forward facing marketplace chock full of innovative new products and an embrace of technology leaning into the second decade of the millenium.  We should all be proud to be part of this market, and be motivated to do our part as individuals to increase participation, support the advocacy groups that support our collective mission, and remind ourselves why it is we do this thing called Outdoor. 

Take a look at some of the recorded evidence of what I'm talking about above, and feel the pride swell inside... then get out there and get more people fired up about the Outdoors and getting their taxpayer share of it!  Ken Burns is going to do his part in September... it's our legacy as Americans to enjoy our open spaces preserved for the PEOPLE.  All of us.

KH

OR Daily digest online!

Updated Sunday night 1/25

At Summer Market we experimented with posting stories from the OR Daily on our website... got some good attention, and we knew we wanted to continue with that.  This time around, we've changed the whole look and feel of the site, and will be rocking the OR Daily online version once again to deliver the freshest of fresh news from the industry, as well as product launch information, contest updates and results, interviews, and insight from leaders in the outdoor industry.

Check back often on the OR blog, or feed it to your device here.

Inauguration Day

It's setup day in the Salt Palace, but in DC and around the world, the foundation of our government has just shifted.  We left our homes on one presumption of government, and return after the show to a new regime.  Whether friendly of not to your business or family probably depends on your position, I suppose... but there is no doubt that there is a palpable sense of hope across the show floor.  Let us brave once more the icy currents,...

If you were here setting up, check out President Obama's self-written speech to us (and the world) here

Rock/Creek continues commitment to local team support despite economy

A great example of a committed retailer continuing to push the local community awareness through event partnership, surely something all specialty outdoor retailers can benefit from.  I'm sure it was no small amount of work for DW, but the payoff in differentiating his shop, spreading influence and good will in the local running community, and making his store a destination stop  for runners was well worth it.  Endurance sports is a growing segment that is tangential to traditional outdoor specialty, but fits the multisport profile oftoday's consumer well.  Rock/Creek is capturing that demographic for minimum bucks.

You can see what other events the store has on the calendar right on their front page.
I wonder if he used social media, or what other method, to grow his dbase of community runners?

Hunkering down and rope-a-doping may get you through (it may not), but consider activating your community during this doldrums to come out the other end stronger, more connected, and poised for profitability.  With the new tools at your disposal, you can spend little but put some more distance between you and the Box down the road.

KH

Stuff to pack for OR and other up to date news

We're going to try and deliver you more up to date stuff, more often, as the show nears (Next Thur-Sun).  More short bytes as they happen and blow by blow at the big trade show in Salt Lake City, UT. 

Bring hats, gloves, socks, boots, toothbrush yadda yadda you know what to bring.  Boots and skis and poles... there's 6 ft. base at Snowbasin, more up Little Cottonwood.  Transceiver, fresh batteries, if you're backcountry bound.  Goggles and shades. 

Bring an old plastic coffee mug and exchange for a new one at Stanley (#15011, next to Superfeet, Chaco and Cascade Designs).  C2C-ish, we like it.

Here's something cool if you have some old ski gloves to recycle (polyester knit) and you can put 'em in your ski bag on your way to SLC (actually don't have to bring 'em you can mail 'em off)

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/company-news/teijin-fibers/newsdetails.aspx?News_id=68184

Project OR design competition updates

Linkup party with Nuwa, Fabriclink, and Texbase

Sports & Fitness top holiday product categories for Online spending

According to comScore and SpendingPulse (two market research firms), Sports and Fitness category showed the biggest increase in online sales over 2007.  Overall online and offline spending in other home and luxury-goods categories decreased across the board.  E-commerce data with overall (online and offline) consumer spending data showed the top growing online product category for the season was Sport & Fitness, which grew 18% vs. 2007.  The category continues to benefit from consumers' focus on health and fitness and higher comfort levels with purchasing more expensive fitness equipment -(such as treadmills and elliptical machines ) online. 

The second fastest-growing category was Video games, Consoles & Accessories, which grew 14% on continued demand for popular systems.  Apparel & accessories was the only other category (besides Sports and Fitness and Video Games) to show positive tracking against last year.  In the report, Music, Movies and Videos was the worst performer, tracking 32% negative vs. 2007.

This research from Ken Rutkowski and KenRadio at http://www.kenradio.com/content/view/1672/35/

Twitter live from OR and be 'in the know' on site at Winter Market

By signing up for a Twitter account and following 'ORShowLive', you can get the latest and greatest news and event info from the show floor, the seminars, and around town in the evenings.  Click here to sign up for Twitter, or if you already have a twitter account click here to follow ORShowLive .

If you want a more intimate peek into the inner workings of the show, see through the eyes of the Show Director by following Outdoorretailer on Twitter.  But it won't be quite as spot on for official events, so we recommend ORshowlive. 

This is going to be fun....

KH

Driving to Mammoth? Industry history awaits you!

Here's a little something to stop and see on the way up or back on the 395.  Anyone who comes back with pics gets mad press on the OR blog!

 

Past Tents: The Way We Camped

Past Tents, a traveling exhibit about “The Way We Camped” from the Gold Rush to the mid 1900s, can be seen at the Eastern California Museum in Independence from Dec. 1 to Feb. 22, 2009.  This free exhibit shows how people camped from Death Valley to Yosemite by using 50 historical photographs  and other artifacts  from the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley  and other California museums. The Museum is located at 155 N. Grant Street, in Independence, and is open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekends and weekdays. For more information, call (760) 878-0258, www.inyocounty.us/ecmuseum.

Pre-show planning primer for retailers

I do get to be in touch with some of the best retailers in the country, and so I consider it my duty to share how they tell me they use the OR website for show planning... with our new floorplan and exhibitor listing technology, there should be a noticeable improvement on how you can plan your show and insure you get maximum value from the show experience.

1) Scan the exhibitor list in advance and see who is going to be there that you've been meaning to sidle up to, or go eye to eye with the CEO.  All the core brands are there, but notice 180 new companies to the show.  Even if 10% are going to be of great interest to you, that is 18 visits you need to plan!

2) Use the event 'planner' to note exhibitors and seminars you want to remember to visit; print that planner before you go and it'll be a simple, one or two sheet list you can scratch things off on.

3) Plan your visits 'regionally'; by cross referencing your list (including booked appts. with key vendors) with the online floorplan.  You can save hours of show floor time by grouping your appts. by area of show.

3b) Understand the mysterious logic of numbering on the show floor... increasing left to right (1000 - 40000), front to back (1001 to 1049 for example), and even across from odd (like street addresses).  Very few companies actually show their booth #, so look at neighborhoods.

4) Walk the whole show first.  This is a technique that assures you see everything, get inspired and informed about who is doing what, see some great merchandising, and make notes about return visit.  Like a recon mission for your business flying at high altitude before diving down for detail.

5) You can save time by staying in the building and going to the OR-ganic cafe (lunch only), on the 3rd level with 4-5 options of foodstuffs.  Rounds and plenty of room to talk turkey over lunch.  Directly above the Design Center in MR355.

More tips to come as it approaches showtime!

KH