My studio partner, Jeff White (Radiant Imagery), invited me to go with him to this closeout sale from a company called Icebreaker. It was before Christmas and I wondered if I could get anything interesting. I know that Jeff's taste in lifestyle is a little more expensive than my taste but he always comes up with some dandy deals. The kicker what really sucked me in is that they were giving away free beer. What the hell, I'll give it a shot.
I never heard of this company before but I talked to one of the employees that was assisting at the event and she said that Icebreaker has been around since 1995. She also went on to tell me that they have an office and a retail outlet in the Pearl District (NW Portland) since 2008. After looking at some of their retail prices and marketing materials I wondered if they were an offshoot from Nike or Adidas. Very polished brand. Their product is made from a New Zealand's sheep wool called, merino fiber, a very insulative material. Products include tight fitting underwear, socks, hats, and coats that you can wear in layers.
What was even more amazing is that I looked around the crowded warehouse and all I saw is men & women in their late 20's to early 40's. They all looked like marathoners with 5% bodyfat. I said to Jeff, "Do you notice that we are very different than everyone else here?" The majority were probably very single, or as we used to call in the Old Days, "DINKS" (dual income and no kids). Their target market is promoted for having luxurious items, trips, food, electronics, and personal services. I guess that I would never of noticed if I it wasn't a big part of my business life.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Learn your target market or who would be your perfect client. I will share mine with you in another blog post.
© 2010 Michael Johnson - Inkspot Graphics. All rights reserved.
