The Northface Pops Up "In the Middle of Nowhere"

Knowing when to pivot …

Source: The Northface

This is an interesting turn of events and a great case in flexing your plans when something takes them off course.

I’m not exactly sure why or how, but evidently The Northface had to shut down its pop-up store near the Olympics Village in China this year. Again, not sure why but I’m guessing the Olympics committee hadn’t granted sponsor status.

So in a quick pivot, the brand opened up an outpost “in the middle of nowhere” in China on a remote mountain where the weather is harsh and the products are put to the test. You’d essentially have to be a big time winter athlete to reach it.

Smart or what?!?

Now truth be told, the brand has some experience in creating this kind of “retail” experience when in 2018 it opened up a pop-up store on a mountain in Italy which could only be reached by hiking. It featured a curated short-list of products for the atmosphere it was in. Smart or what?!? The brand called it Pinnacle Project.

Love it when you see a brand stay true to its brand, creating experiences that only it can fulfill. So much The Northface, it’s right in the name!

What’s your experience? JIM