The inside tips from the outdoors

Andrew delivered a brilliant presentation linking the climate crisis with the Outdoor Industry whilst James Blake of the YHA (Youth Hostels Association), discussed the positive impact of young people from all backgrounds experiencing the outdoors. They have a shared goal to connect more people from different backgrounds to nature and the outdoors.

Both talks included a great David Attenborough quote, “No one will protect what they don’t care about and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” 

This made the point that if you want your prospective buyers to care about what you do, it’s important to first help them experience it. Whether you’re campaigning for something, building a movement or simply have a stand at a trade show, true engagement happens when people feel connected to your brand.

By creating immersive, hands-on experiences, whether through storytelling, sampling or live demonstrations, you can inspire as well as inform. 

On day two, Andrew led the sustainability discussion sharing his thoughts on the Outdoor Industry’s journey so far. It’s a topic on the minds of every business leader but especially those in the outdoor sector, where brands are rooted in nature and the environment. 

The Outdoor industry is currently grappling with the changing legislation surrounding Gore-Tex. This technology has been used to sell outdoor clothing brands for years, but it’s made using PFAS—forever chemicals that are damaging to the environment. As brands scramble to find viable alternatives this is proving challenging for most.

However, the lesson from the Outdoor sector that can be applied to all industries is that the real winners are those who see this as an opportunity for category innovation. Developing sustainable products is a key differentiator and can open doors for new brands who show they’re ready to be disruptive in a saturated market. 

Established brands should focus on sharing their core principles alongside technical innovation, showing how their experience meets the sustainability goals of today’s conscious consumer. Authenticity sharing your ethos helps to build trust and loyalty in the long-term. 

Finally, Marc Anderman, Head of Cycling at Sporting Insights and Scott Nelson, Operations Director at European Outdoor Group, delivered an insightful presentation on Outdoor Market Intelligence Services (OMIS).

They revealed some interesting sales figures and trends from the Outdoor Industry in the UK from the past three years. Scott, in particular, asked the room questions based on the data regarding top performing brands. 

This revealed that the brads making the biggest moves in the market aren’t always the ones you’re watching. Many leading brands look to similar sized companies as their closest benchmark, yet cheeky challengers can be lurking in the most surprising places. 

For instance, nobody identified Jack Wolfskin as one of the fastest growing brands in the outdoor sector. Instead, leaders were too focused on the obvious big players, such as North Face and Patagonia. 

The main learning here is that brands need to be wary of having their blinkers on. Think like a customer and try to mimic their real decision making process. Start your research on Google – if you were suddenly in market what would your first search be? Go the the bricks and mortar stores where your product is sold to see what people are searching for and buying. Have conversations with sales assistants. Get a feel for how the land lies. 

It’s crucial for brands in any sector to put themselves in their customer’s shoes. This is the only way to create the products people actually want and to understand how they buy. 

That’s a wrap for the Outdoor Industries Association AGM and conference 2025. We have some exciting work in the pipeline where we’ll be applying these insights to help clients take market share. 

If you’d like to know more about how we can help you sell your brand experience, tell your sustainability story and beat the competition, get in touch.