Authenticity is a word that’s bandied about in marketing circles all the time. In the outdoor industry, brands large and small zealously remind us how authentic they are. At Backbone, all of our clients use the word authentic to describe themselves. It’s even one of the four guiding values for our agency (advocacy, growth and well-being are the other three if you were wondering).
But what does authentic really mean? And more importantly, how valuable is authenticity to a brand?
Last week, the New York Times published an interesting story about The North Face that ultimately posed the question: can a brand appeal to the masses and still maintain its authenticity? Or as the writer wonders, “how did The North Face manage to pull off that marketing miracle?”
In the story, Todd Spaletto, president at TNF says, “I think a big mistake other brands make when they find a wide variety of different consumers like their product is that they try to change the way they position their brand. We have never done that.”
While every brand that we represent at Backbone wants to grow, like Spaletto they all recognize how vitally important it is to stay true to their roots and remain authentic to their core customers.
Case in point: I just returned from the Chaco sales meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Chaco was founded 25 years ago down the road from Carbondale in Paonia. In 2008, Wolverine Worldwide acquired the brand. Their shoes are no longer made in Colorado, but the quality of the product is better than ever and now they’re backed by an ironclad warranty.
So the company ownership is different from where it started and most of the manufacturing is now overseas. Does that make Chaco less authentic?
I don’t think so. Every single person I met at Chaco was passionate about the brand and their customers. They know they have a special bond with their community of Chaconians–they celebrate it and protect it fiercely. I know because I saw tears of pride on several faces as a slideshow of customer-submitted photos scrolled across the big screen during the opening session of the sales meeting.
Furthermore, with Wolverine’s investment, last year the brand launched MyChacos.com, allowing customers to completely customize their sandals. The MyChacos sandals are sourced and made in the USA. It’s been wildly popular.
Chaco continues to make great product designed and supported by passionate people who believe in the brand. To me, that’s the very definition of authenticity. Like TNF, Chaco proves that a brand can grow and reach new markets, without sacrificing authenticity.
The Times article hits the nail on the head in this quote:
“They [TNF] are really authenticated by their relationship with climbers and people who camp in frigid weather,” said Marie Driscoll, an apparel industry analyst. “So in New York City, people think, if such-and-such athlete is willing to trust this on the hills of Latin America, I’m willing to pay a little more for the brand.” She added: “With sports apparel, unlike fashion apparel, there’s not the same negativity that big is the enemy of cool. It means we’re part of the same clique or team.”