OUTDOOR RETAILER
SNOW SHOW 2020
My first expo as a designer.
To say the least, I was overwhelmed by the stoke.
Everywhere I turned, there was a new booth with a unique brand experience & a sustainability story that showed we can play in the wild & take care of it too. The educational events expanded my inspiration & guided my thoughts as to how the industry will continue to evolve. I could not be more excited to be a developing designer, searching for a place to make an impact in an industry such as this one. It is important to be a lifelong learner, & I am grateful to have attended some great events that took place throughout the show.
From the different areas where panels were hosted, to the individual experiences they shared, it was obvious to me that the outdoor industry strives for growth. Regardless of whether each brand focuses on recreation or competition, it is incredible to see them come together in an event such as this one.
At the Camp:
I caught the end of the ‘Unlocking the Digital Growth Your Brand Deserves’ discussion, pictured here. After that talk, I grabbed a seat & settled in for The Editors’ Top Gear Picks presented by GearJunkie.
It was an incredible experience to hear what the show-stopping products were at this year’s show straight from top journalists from groups such as Men’s Journal & Elevation Outdoors!
At the Trend + Design Center:
A pressing discussion took place regarding the design process & how it is beginning to be influenced by evolving technology, AI.
We cannot ignore the strides AI is making in creating more efficient processes for all different industries, but the relationship that they described it having with the design process was fascinating. The presenter, Andrew Deceuster, said it best, just like the computer was new to the draftsman, AI is new to our generation. It’s used to speed up the time it takes to create a meaningful design, so long as there is a human designer to teach the AI what is meaningful.
At the Ranger Station in the Venture Out Area:
A group of panelists consisting of emerging brands described the value of networking & sharing their brand stories to establish themselves in an evolving industry.
The Modern Outdoor Movement was what they titled the discussion as, & as a young designer, I felt inspired to be hearing from creators leaving their mark in such a relatable, innovative way.
At the Overland Experience:
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The overland industry has such a captivating story. The Overland Experience presented by Overland Journal talked about how the vehicle is just a larger backpack, and with proper kitting, it can bring you to locations more remote than you could have dreamed.
Given the various ways you can customize your rig, I was not surprised by how well the overlanding industry can cross over into helping consumers expand their boundaries. No matter what your hobby is, overlanding can help you venture further to places where the wilderness is virtually untapped.
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