Branding

As my description says, I make my living in marketing and advertising. I find the outdoor space really interesting. Some truly great marketing and some truly awful.

I must say that at the moment, one of my favorites is Simms -- a leading maker of fly fishing gear. From their website (http://www.simmsfishing.com/) to their print ads, to product literature they have this great brand going. Very consistent use of an unconventional look with black-and-white photos of rough-hewn experienced river guides combined with the "Simms orange". They're consistently subtle and tasteful with their use of the logo -- even on clothing and other products. Personally, I'd put this up with Apple as one of my favorite brands.

Contrast this with Orvis, who I think makes great products, but has this sort of L.L. Bean-influenced mass-marketer brand going. By trying to appeal to everyone, they appeal to no one. The brand just seems really unfocused.

Now, it may help that Simms does one thing (fly fishing) while Orvis has a broader set of applications. But I don't think that's a foregone conclusion. Effective branding is about taking appropriate risks -- something I think Simms has done really well. Truly one of my favorite outdoor brands.

-Sean-