Cotswold
Fforrest – Change Comms / Brand Activation
Cotswold Outdoor was and is an established and admired brand with a reputation for quality and service. The problem was that the retail market was changing at a rapid pace (or rather customer preferences to be more specific) in that online, DM and bricks and mortar had to part of an integrated solution not three distinct channels. And to make things more complicated, the market was set for spectacular growth, but beyond the usual accepted gnarly fingered mountaineers and expert ski-ing contingent. The potential was in families, the ‘silver’ market and everyday wear – people who don’t want to climb the Matterhorn but still want to look and feel the business on holiday, on a walk or in a pub garden. We had to instil both the rationale and desire for rapid change into the business, so that the managers who held the essential levers would and could pivot.
We took over the managers’ annual-ish get-together in West Wales and collated a hard hitting, entertaining and interactive conference. We wrote or helped write each of the keynote sessions delivered by the senior team to ensure flow and focus; we facilitated a customer journey exercise (written on surfboards!) to open managers’ eyes to the gaps in the current touch points and the potential if we got it right; and invited the managers to prescribe the investments in both processes and people if we were to make effective change happen quickly. We also branded the event, with a pre and post event comms programme to ensure the right preparation before and proper cascade and change after.
They came. They saw. They understood. They contributed eagerly and designed the change they wanted to see. They had games, beers and campfires and enjoyed coasteering, canoeing and mountain biking to relax. They left with smiles on their faces and took the experience and intent back to where it mattered – and made change happen.
Video
Watch the video and you’ll be able to see what happens when DNA takeover an annual manager’s getaway. Spoiler: it’s the furthest thing away from a boring meeting.
Watch the videoIn categories: Employee Engagement, Brand Activation, Culture