The other day, I popped into a season preview sale at the Tretorn store, the classically Swedish brand (read: simple, functional design) specializing in sneakers and tennis balls, of all things.
Hailing from Boston and having snuck into a country club or two in my sad-attempt-at-rebellion youth, I’ve always known Tretorn as a purely for-the-prepster brand—you know, tennis rackets or maybe some croquet accoutrements. So I was pretty surprised to stroll into their store to see kayaks and longboards (both for sale, mind you) hanging from the ceiling.
I mean, who goes from the tennis court to a quick paddle down the river to a skate up the West Side Highway?
But then I got it. Maybe we’re not all kayaking, per se, but we certainly don’t define ourselves by only one thing. In fact, we’re doing the exact opposite.
Thanks to Facebook Open Graph
and the like, our world continues to shrink. We connect with others on the idiosyncrasies that make us individuals—like the head nod you got from the guy on the street who recognized your vintage Reeboks or the retweet you gave that fellow dachshund puppy lover—not on the generalized faux personality handles like “prepster” or “hipster.”
And now brands are doing the same.
It’s not about diversifying their product set. It’s about getting to know themselves a little better. Showing a more layered personality, their inner complexities, so that we consumers have more to relate to—tangibly and intangibly.
It’s a great move. The better and deeper I know a brand, the more I’ll engage—transactionally or otherwise—and the more brand loyalty I’ll have.
That’s what Tretorn has done. It isn’t just preppy. It’s clean, yet outdoorsy. It’s timeless cool, quiet confidence. It’s put together in a real, natural way.
It’s a brand I’d like to get to know a little better.
Tags: tretor, preppy, prepster, hipster, tennis, reebok, croquet, longboard, kayak, new york, manhattan |
Categories: Verbal Identity, Verbal Identity News
