REI x NYT FOOD FESTIVAL

Challenge
REI’s competitors – Patagonia and DICK'S Sporting Goods – made headlines year after year for their values-driven brand behaviors, while REI was perceived as a brand for older, affluent suburbanites, focused primarily on gear. REI also had values at the core of the company, but was failing to connect with a new generation of purpose-minded outdoor enthusiasts. REI needed to change perception from “gear brand” to modern lifestyle choice, driving engagement with a younger, more diverse audience.

Insight

To attract a younger and more diverse audience, REI met them where they were: in urban environments and through lifestyle touchpoints that mattered most to them. Food, Wellness and Urban Exploration were the top three areas of opportunity for the brand.

Solution

To join the food conversation and encourage people to think of the “urban outdoors” as part of the REI universe, REI activated at the New York Times Food Festival, asking the question: “Can a Picnic Save Your Soul?” The physical interpretation of our Outdoor Pantry was a pop-uppable snacking destination with build-your-own-picnic shelves featuring REI’s products. We also provided a breadth of content about the best NYC parks to picnic at, the physical and mental health benefits of the urban outdoors and enter-to-win giveaways for products that make it easy to enjoy the green spaces in the city.

The activation was also fully reusable and sustainable and the REI team was able to pack it up and bring it to life in other locations.

Results
2000+ people passed through the activation
1300+ emails collected for enter-to-win