The Coleman Company held its first Global Outdoor Summit in Park City just before Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. More than 125 retailers from all channels of distribution, who were invited to participate and learn how Coleman is working to expand the outdoor market beyond its current penetration in the consumer market place. With this strategy, the company seems to be taking the familiar track of smaller companies, like Tubbs Snowshoes, who have found that their market-share is at the point where they must grow the category in order to grow the company.

Coleman’s president and CEO, Gary A. Kiedaisch said that the company will become a more vocal advocate for the outdoors and will try to market the outdoor lifestyle as successfully as the indoor lifestyle is being marketed.

Coleman’s intent is to spread this message to an ever more sedentary public using new advertising and merchandising through all of its distribution channels, as well as working with its retail partners and outdoor ambassadors.

“We believe it is our social responsibility to get people outside, away from their day-to-day routine, to an active outdoor lifestyle that promotes health and happiness,” Kiedaisch said. “Our campaign is designed to reach existing outdoor participants, but also the uninitiated and the young. It’s especially important to get young people outdoors-to learn those lifetime skills early, benefit from those experiences, and create memories that last forever.”

Coleman will also ramp up its outdoor advocacy campaign by becoming more involved with issues that impact the outdoors and strengthening its ties to several organizations. The company has worked with Leave No Trace and the Appalachian Mountain Club to create two new youth-oriented outdoor programs.

In addition to the campaign, Coleman has simplified its product offering and presentation by merchandising product according to end use. Coleman has nearly doubled its investment in global new product development and has added 40 new people to work in this area. At the same time, Coleman has targeted three different levels of consumer – the weekender, the enthusiast, and the expert.

“Coleman’s advertising messages in the coming year will translate to a consumer call to action. Coleman’s ‘Let’s Go Outside’ message is designed to drive consumers of all ages and demographic profiles off the couch and into the great outdoors,” Kiedaisch said.