Eddie Bauer Sponsors Adventure Travel Trade Association, 2009 Adventure Travel World Summit
(SEATTLE) – (August 24, 2009) – Forty-six years ago, Jim Whittaker, donning Eddie Bauer mountaineering gear, became the first American to summit Mount Everest.
Today, Eddie Bauer is in the midst of its significant launch of a new adventure and mountaineering gear and apparel line. To reclaim its mountaineering heritage, Eddie Bauer has launched major promotional efforts, including a year-long Key Sponsorship of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and its 2009 Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS).
Cooperative marketing exchanges are central to the Eddie Bauer-ATTA agreement, which includes financial backing for the ATTA and cross-promotion. The partnership provides Eddie Bauer with branding exposure and direct access to the association’s trade network, which includes hundreds of outfitters and agents worldwide who serve millions of adventure travelers annually.
For its part, the ATTA receives branding exposure for its consumer initiatives such as www.adventure.travel within the retailer’s print and online distribution channels. The exposure includes Adventure.Travel exposure in Eddie Bauer’s fall 2009 catalog, which is distributed to more than 2.1 million households.
In support of the ATTA’s October 19-22, 2009 ATWS in Charlevoix, Quebec Province, Canada, Eddie Bauer is the presenting sponsor of the ATWS opening Day of Adventure on Oct. 19 ahead of the event’s opening ceremonies. ATTA’s Summit Day of Adventures, presented annually, sees hundreds of Summit delegates participating in physical, cultural and nature-based adventures. In addition to brand exposure, Eddie Bauer will deliver product demonstrations and give away First Ascent and Eddie Bauer product to the hundreds of adventure travel industry professionals attending the ATTA’s global conference.
In a bold return to its heritage, Eddie Bauer recently partnered with a highly accomplished group of mountaineers to build a new line of outerwear and gear called First Ascent. First Ascent combines Eddie Bauer’s legacy as the original expedition outfitter with the expertise of some of today’s most renowned mountain guides and climbers, including Everest veterans Peter Whittaker, Ed Viesturs and Dave Hahn.
“Eddie was an authentic adventurer. A champion of many adventurous pursuits, he also outfitted everyone from world-class mountaineers to archaeologists on major expeditions around the world,” said Eddie Bauer President and Chief Executive Officer Neil Fiske. “With the launch of our new First Ascent line of gear, we return to our roots as a premier adventure outfitter.”
The First Ascent Guide Team is led by Peter Whittaker, son of acclaimed mountaineer Lou Whittaker and nephew of Jim Whittaker. Also part of the team is Emeritus ATTA Advisory Board Member Ed Viesturs, the only American to summit all fourteen 8000-meter peaks without bottled oxygen, and Dave Hahn, who has summited Everest eleven times, more than any non-Sherpa. Joining Whittaker, Viesturs and Hahn are three accomplished guides from Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI).
“ATTA’s leadership brings more than 40 years of experience from within the outdoor industry, including years of direct experience with Eddie Bauer, Ed Viesturs and Jim Whittaker,” said ATTA President Mr. Shannon Stowell. “The integrity of the Eddie Bauer brand, its leadership and deep connection to worldwide travel, adventure and mountaineering, combined with its support of guides and travelers, makes this a promising partnership.”
Prominent active gear brands including ExOfficio, Eagle Creek, Teva, Keen and Osprey in recent years have stepped up efforts to harness the influence and market potential of the adventure tourism sector. Outdoor and adventure travel segment collaboration is designed to provide productive cross-selling environments for retailers, manufacturers and travel companies, which, in the end, brings more value to our businesses, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers.
Forthcoming efforts to back the strategic alignment of the outdoor and adventure travel industries includes the first ever dedicated adventure travel presence within the Nielsen Business Media Sports Group (NBM). At NBM’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in 2010 the ATTA will introduce and establish innovative adventure travel-oriented conference content, exhibitions and sponsorship initiatives.
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About Eddie Bauer
Established in 1920 in Seattle, Eddie Bauer is a specialty retailer that sells outerwear, apparel and accessories for the active outdoor lifestyle. The Eddie Bauer brand is a nationally recognized brand that stands for high quality, innovation, style and customer service. Eddie Bauer products are available at approximately 370 stores throughout the United States and Canada, through catalog sales and online at www.eddiebauer.com. Eddie Bauer participates in a joint venture in Japan and has licensing agreements across a variety of product categories.
About the Adventure Travel Trade Association
Established in 1990, the Seattle-based ATTA (www.adventuretravel.biz) is a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, networking, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market. ATTA members include tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, specialty travel agents, guides, accommodations, media and service providers. Host of the annual Adventure Travel World Summit executive trade conferences (www.adventuretravelworldsummit.com), the ATTA also makes possible www.Adventure.Travel, the traveler’s hub of physical, cultural and nature-based adventure travel and guide to trusted tour operators from around the globe.
2008 Outdoor Sales Gain 5% Despite December Decline
BOULDER, CO (January 29, 2009) - Outdoor sales for the entire year in all three core outdoor store channels (chain, internet, specialty)* totaled $5.2B, a 5% gain over 2007, according to the most recent edition of The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Outdoor Topline Report, produced for OIA by the Leisure Trends Group. For the entire year, internet stores and chain stores grew a healthy 18% and 7% respectively, while specialty stores were down 2% in dollars.
December Decline
According to The OIA Outdoor Topline Report, December retail sales for all core outdoor stores (chain, internet, specialty)* fell 1% in dollars ($1,078,598,888) compared to December 2007 ($1,094,277,086). All declines came from specialty stores, which lost 10% in dollar sales for the month. Positively, chain and internet stores both saw dollar sales increase; chains grew 7% and internet retailers were up 13%.
Christmas was tough for retailers across the country, as retail sales fell by record amounts and retailers big and small shuttered doors coast to coast. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, total retail sales fell 2.7% in December, more than double the anticipated decline of 1.2%. Although the outdoor industry felt the effects of a tough Christmas season along with the rest of the country, results were better than most industries, a cause for cautious optimism heading into 2009.
Specialty Bright Spots
Although overall sales were down slightly for specialty in 2008, many categories emerged as clear winners in a tough year. Winter boots, fueled entirely by women’s styles, were up 11% in full-year dollar sales. Woman-specific sportswear categories such as dresses, skirts and sports bras were also good sellers. Other footwear and apparel categories with strong growth included softshell tops, casual shoes, trail running shoes and multisport shoes.
The hands-on hydration category, which consists mainly of water bottles, was on fire in 2008, refusing to slow down after huge growth in 2007. With environmental and health concerns continuing to shape the category and fuel product innovation, this growth is expected to continue in 2009.
A renewed interest in economical, close-to-home vacations helped fuel sales of camping-related items in specialty stores this year. Sales of items such as tents (+2%), sleeping bags (+3%), camp stoves(+4%) , climbing gear (+3%), water purification (+11%), mattresses (+2%) and miscellaneous camp accessories (tent accessories +28%, sleeping bag accessories +7%, pack accessories +4%) all benefitted, each outpacing 2007 dollar sales.
Online Skyrockets
Online sales totaled $973M in 2008, grew 18% and fueled a significant amount of buzz in the outdoor industry. Black Monday was on December 1 this year, and the dollar sales that would have been in November gave a boost to December sales, contributing to the 13% dollar growth for the channel as a whole. Combining November and December together to include the entire holiday season, 2008 came out 7% ahead of 2007 in dollar sales. In December, Internet sales were up in all four major categories. Equipment was up 18% in dollar sales, equipment accessories were up 10%, apparel was up 8%. Footwear was up 40% in dollars on the strength of winter boots. Winter boots grew 73% in dollars from last December.
Chain Sales Strong
All Chain dollar sales were up 7% both in December and for the entire year while average retail prices saw nearly across-the-board declines for both periods. In December, retail prices for the entire channel declined 4% and nearly every category saw prices drop. Smaller and lower price-point items such as equipment accessories and apparel accessories saw especially strong growth, but every major category increased dollar sales in December as consumers took advantage of good deals and sales. Holiday sales and cold weather may well have been the catalysts for the growth in dollar sales in December. Combining November and December to include the entire holiday season, all chain dollar sales dropped 1% compared to the same period in 2007.
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To access the OIA outdoor retail sales Topline data and to review trends by industry channel and category, OIA members can log in at www.outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353 for assistance.
For additional brand growth and brand and model market share reports, please contact Leisure Trends Group at 303.786.7900 x107 www.leisuretrends.com.
*OIA Topline Report Outdoor and Paddle channels include: outdoor and paddle specialty, national outdoor chains, regional sporting goods chains and outdoor (and paddle) internet specialty merchants.
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About Outdoor Industry Association
Outdoor Industry Association® (OIA) is a national trade association whose mission is to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. OIA provides trade services for over 4000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives and retailers in the outdoor industry. OIA programs include representation in government/legislative affairs, market and social research, business-to-business services and youth outreach initiatives. Educational events include the annual RendezvousTM, Outdoor University®, and the Capitol Summit. Outdoor Industry Association is based in Boulder, Colorado, and is the title sponsor of the Outdoor Retailer tradeshows. For more information go to www.outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.
