Every day is better when you #OptOutside
For the past three years, REI (Recreational
Equipment, Inc.) has skipped the Black Friday frenzy by closing their stores
and giving employees the day off with pay. Millions of people have joined
them outside. On REI’s website, they have included this link with
pictures of outdoors submitted by customers under various hashtags -
#getoutside, #utah, #pnw, etc. with the caption “#OptOutside is all about you.”
“Let’s get outside every day. Join us.” With the earned media
attention they received for closing on Black Friday, REI keeps the adventure
going.
REI is an outdoor sporting goods company founded
in 1938 by a group of 23 Pacific Northwest mountain climbing buddies who wanted
better ice axes. It
is now the nation’s largest consumer cooperative, meaning it is a company owned
by its members. Each eligible member is entitled to vote in the election
of the Company’s Board of Directors. Members receive dividends - approx.
10% off non-sale items, plus member-only discounts twice a year. In 2016, the number of eligible voting
members was 6.3 million. They have 154
retail stores and sell online at rei.com.
REI’s value proposition is a life outdoors is a
life well lived. Quality outdoor gear and clothing - 100% satisfaction
guarantee - and a cooperative that puts people first. They gave 70% of
profits to the outdoor community by funding grants for non-profit organizations
to make the outdoors accessible to all. Members, employees and customers
volunteer together to build outdoor trails, restore local habitats, and clean
up beaches. Their core purpose guides everything they do: “We all work
to inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and
stewardship.”
Advertising expense for 2016 and 2015 was $71.6
million and $72.6 million, respectively. Interesting to see they spent $1
million less in 2016 than 2015. Could it be because of their #OptOutside
campaign? In 2016, revenues grew 5.5 percent on 2015 to
$2.56 billion. REI invested $9.3 million
in nonprofits (including one-time REI Foundation grants) and in 2016 gave back
$193.7 million in dividends and credit card rebates to members. They have
been on
FORTUNE magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” every year for
the past 20 years.
I think their marketing is strong with the
continued use of social media and sweepstakes and have no recommendations to
the marketing team. Their website includes their blog with stories
of life outdoors in addition to #OptOutside. They are true to their
mission and show consistently that they care about people. Even their job
descriptions begin with undeniable positivity “What’s cool about this job” and
end with “Why you’ll love it here.”