Snowgum rolls out $5m brand ID and store refurbishment programme via IdeaWorks

Adventure wear retailer Snowgum has launched a new brand identity and a major refurbishment of its chain of stores.

The $5 million program, developed with leading retail marketing specialists, IdeaWorks, will commence with the opening of Snowgum’s new store in the Westfield complex in Belconnen ACT.  The refurbishment will roll out across the 36-store chain over the next three years.

“The travel and adventure wear category is a highly convergent market.” says Matt Newell, strategy partner at IdeaWorks. “The opportunity for Snowgum was to develop a retail experience that is both distinctive and engaging.”

“The Snowgum tree itself underpins the brand’s new identity and store experience. The colour palette is derived from the bark of the tree and the ‘rings of experience’ form the graphic foundation which supports the brand’s adventurous spirit.”

“The new design, which will rollout across all aspects of the Snowgum brand, from signage to swingtags, is the result of a 12 month investment in category research and strategy planning.” says Ross Elliot, managing director of Snowgum.

Adventure wear accounts for an estimated $1billion in the Australian market and sales in the category have largely trended in line with other retail sectors with little significant growth.  The category is dominated by well-established players, Kathmandu, Mountain Designs and Paddy Palin. Mass retailers, Rebel Sports, BCF and Anaconda have also added adventure wear

ranges as part of a strategy to capitilise on the growth of the adventure travel market.

“The Adventure wear market is typically middle-aged, affluent professional couples with children who are looking to recapture the spirit of their back backer adventures of their 20s. They still like to get off the beaten track and consider themselves as travelers rather than tourists.” says Elliot

“They expect knowledgeable customer service and technically advanced products. They are familiar with online channels so the digital space will be an important element of Snowgum’s ongoing strategy.”

Snowgum started designing and producing outdoor clothing and equipment in 1974 under the Scout Outdoor Centres, rebranding as Snowgum in 1992.