Marketing and packaging adventure as a commodity

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Outdoor Education - Marketing and packaging adventure as a commodity

Marketing and packaging adventure as a commodity

An example of how the marketing of adventure equipment and experiences can
be seen in Chouinard Equipment. Lincoln Hall, in his interview with Yvon
Chouinard in _Out There_ magazine, explains that in the 1970s Chouinard
Equipment was the Harley Davidson of climbing hardware; a brand with class,
quality and charisma. Harleys are making a resurgence. Chouinard Equipment
was allowed to die in 1989 before being reborn, independently owned, as
Black Diamond. Meanwhile, Patagonia - Chouninard's clothing business - is
thriving, to the extent that Yvon Chouinard could be called the Yves St
Laurent of the outdoor world. For outdoor clothing to win the approval of
hard-core outdoor practitioners, and hence marketability to all outdoor
enthusiasts, it must be durable, no-nonsense gear. However, on the flip
side, to sell to the young upwardly-mobile the clothes must look good and
have style. This shows the new marketing push in the adventure industry.
Fashion, colour and style are important. This marketing has not only
increased participation, but has also widened the range of people involved
in adventure activities.

In October 1995, independent environmental consultants Chris Harris and
Bob Burton floated the idea of a conservation alliance which would provide
a way for the outdoor industry to put some of its profits back into the
wild; not just in an occasional, haphazard way, but with consistency and
commitment so that funds would always be available to support chosen
conservation campaigns. Those manufacturers and retailers who decide to
become part of the Alliance donate 0.1 per cent of their gross annual
revenue to it. Although the idea of giving back to the environment that
sustains your industry isn't a new one, it does show how management and
marketing of outdoor adventure activities is tied very strongly into the
notion of sustainability and wilderness [1]. This has been a big shift in
the concept of adventure and those who profit from it. Before, companies
and people used the land with little regard for its survival. Now companies
and people who work in the wilderness try hard to develop a conservation
ethos and understanding. This notion has greatly affected the participation
and the environment in outdoor adventure.

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[1] http://alison.com/#