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The North Face Store

As the premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, The North Face is recognized and revered by outdoor enthusiasts across the U.S. However, despite the company's significant popularity among consumers, outdoor enthusiasts on the East coast have been historically unable to find the entire line of apparel, footwear and equipment in one retail outlet.

That all changed on March 28, 2003, when The North Face opened its first east coast retail store in the heart of one of the world's premier shopping locations, New York City.

 

 

OBJECTIVES

• Position The North Face Store as the premier New York City retail destination for technically advanced, authentic outdoor apparel, equipment, footwear and accessories.
• Present the store as a unique, interactive environment designed to inspire shoppers to venture outside and follow The North Face creed: Never Stop Exploring™, no matter what their level of outdoor experience.
• Secure consumer awareness in a notoriously crowded retail market and create a lasting impression to drive in-store traffic well beyond opening weekend.
• Create opening events utilizing The North Face executive team and the company's team of sponsored athletes.

PROGRAM

• Store Opening Press Preview- Ruder Finn coordinated a press preview brunch to give key local and long lead media an advance look at the new store and complete product line. Along with executives, The North Face sponsored mountaineer Pete Athans spoke respectively about the company's retail expansion and its deep heritage of working with elite outdoor athletes. A wide range of media attended the event, including editors from The New York Daily News, Brandweek, Lucky, Teen People, Shape, FHM, National Geographic Explorer, Outside Magazine and Runners World.
• Store Opening Party- In keeping with The North Face's desire to make the store opening a unique and organic event, Ruder Finn coordinated a large-scale opening night cocktail reception at the store, featuring The North Face executives, renowned athletes Conrad Anker and Pete Athans and a representative from the non-profit environmental organization Leave No Trace. More than 200 guests, including The North Face and VF Corporation executives, political leaders, celebrities and media, celebrated as company executives highlighted the store's unique environment and complete product line. Media attendees included The New York Sun, Allure, ESPN, Essence, Field & Stream, Glamour, GQ, Men's Health, Men's Journal, MTV, National Geographic Adventure, Outside Magazine, Self, Teen People, XXL and YM.
• Opening Day- The Ruder Finn team planned a casual kick-off to the store's first day with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The North Face "friends and family" were on hand as company executives and a representative of New York Governor George Pataki's Empire State Development Corporation cut a red ribbon to officially open the store. The K-Rock Radio Street Team was also on hand the afternoon of the store opening to attract consumers via on-air mentions and in-store games, significantly increasing store traffic and sales on opening day.
• Athlete Slide Shows- Ruder Finn continued to draw consumers to the store after opening weekend through a series of talks and slide shows by The North Face athletes including Conrad Anker, Rick Armstrong, Pete Athans and John Griber

RESULTS

• Ruder Finn garnered coverage of the store opening on the front page of The New York Times Real Estate Section as well as in the New York Daily News, New York Post (twice), Newsday, Time Out New York (in 3 consecutive issues), Women's Wear Daily, Chain Store Age, New York Sun, Footwear News, DNR, Display & Design Ideas, Adweek Online (twice), Brandweek Online, CNN-Money, The Washington Post Online, CBS Market Watch and Journal du Textile, allowing the store to surpass its opening sales goals.
• Ruder Finn continues to promote the store as New York City's preeminent outdoor retailer. It was recently described in New York Magazine as, "One of [the only] stores in the U.S. offering a comprehensive selection of what is arguably the best camping and hiking equipment in the world."