SGB-Outdoor-Nov09-pg12-13:SGBGolf_NEW_template 13/11/2009 16:07 Page 12
SGB Columbia
Columbia
SGB Outdoor spoke to Dan Trapp,
Country Manager for Columbia, UK and
Ireland, about the big and positive
changes the brand is going through…
C
olumbia the company has been around quite... scary, I think, for consumers, and
since the late 1930s, evolving from a many people don’t see themselves as that.
small family-owned hat distributor to We’re about people following and enjoying
become one of the world’s largest outerwear their own passions in the outdoors, whether
brands, and the leading seller of ski-wear in the that’s walking the dog or getting out with
US. In 2008, the company reported net sales of the family at the weekend. We offer a broad
$1.32bn, and is available in over 100 countries. range of products and democratic
But in the UK, the brand has struggled in the technologies that enable people to do that;
past – Dan explained to SGB how that’s going so our position is about being inclusive rather
to change in the future, and why. than exclusive; it’s more about attitude
rather than altitude.
SGB: From your point of view, where are It’s a long road, there’s a long way to go
you in the British market? but we’re building good relationships with
DT: To be very direct, we’re very small in specialist retailers in the UK and re-building
the UK; we’re under-represented. There are the credibility of the brand. We’re seeing
many reasons for that. There have been past some success with it at the moment, so I’m
distribution decisions that may have very confident that in Spring 2010, we’ll see
damaged the integrity of the brand, but some good growth in a marketplace that will
we’re now very much clear of those and probably stay flat or see a little growth at
focussing on our specialist distribution in the best next year. We think we’ll be taking
market. In the sense of long-term potential, market share from some other brands.
there is no reason we can’t be as big or There’s a lot of good things happening
bigger than the big players in the market, with us right now.
like The North Face or Berghaus.
How are we going to do that? First, we SGB: What like?
make sure we have products that are DT: We’ve just opened our flagship store in
relevant to the market. So we have two the UK (in High Street Kensington, London);
product teams based in our Geneva office, one of our biggest issues in the UK has
who are currently focussing on the German always been brand awareness. We’ve been
and UK markets, to ensure we have the right known more as a ski brand than an outdoor SGB: What’s exciting for you for Spring
products for those markets. brand, so it’s about getting the message out 2010 then?
that we are a serious outdoor brand, and the DT: Spring 2010 is a season where people
SGB: Explain the brand to us… What’s the store allows us to communicate what we’re will see products that maybe they won’t be
brand ethos, has it evolved in recent times? all about very effectively. expecting from us. We’ve got some really
DT: We have to make sure we have product Something that’s having a lot of positive innovative products coming to the market. In
that’s right for the end consumer, for effects on our brand awareness is the fact two of those products recently won
whatever they need. Historically, I think we sponsorship of Team Columbia, a pro cycling innovation and design prizes at Friedrichshafen
might have lost sight of that a little bit. team. They’re the most successful this past summer – the Ravenous trail running
But now we’re back on track, with some professional cycling team across all levels of shoe and the Mobex backpack, a trail
great technologies coming through. the sport. Mark Cavendish got us massive running/mountain biking backpack. Not things
One of our great strengths is that we don’t coverage last year during the Tour de France, Columbia have maybe been known for before,
see ourselves as, and we’re certainly not, an for example, and this year he won more but a couple of the many positive things
elitist, a top-of-the-mountain brand. stages too. The great thing about sponsoring around the brand at the moment.
We’re an inclusive brand. Our ethos is ‘taking a cycling team is that while we don’t make There’s a lot going on. I’ve seen more
the outdoors back for everybody’. specific cycling products, two out of every change in the last two years with Columbia
There’s a lot of marketing BS out there that three cyclists consider themselves to be than the preceding six or seven years I’ve
makes the outdoors seem very extreme and outdoor enthusiasts, so it’s a good crossover. been with the company.
12 SGB OUTDOOR NOVEMBER 2009
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