Outdoor Retailer - January 2021 - 27

THOUGHT LEADER

Setting the Pace
Backcountry's chief of marketing officer, Sarah
Crockett, sees a lot of opportunity for brands
to embrace the new customers who are coming
to the outdoors to escape the pandemic.
by Bevin Wallace
Name: Sarah Crockett
Title: Chief Marketing Officer
Company: Backcountry
Founded: 1996
Location: Park City, Utah
Downlow: Sarah Crockett knows a thing or two about working with iconic

brands. Before joining Backcountry this spring, she was at Burton,
and before that, she was at REI-after getting her start in the industry
at Vans/VF Corp. She credits Vans' Doug Palladini with teaching her
the importance of authenticity and engagement. " Doug taught me that
knowing who you are as a brand, and overinvesting in your community
of loyalists, is a must, " says Crockett. " This requires a level of confidence
and integrity-as a brand and as a leader-to help guide any organization through growth while not losing your focus on who you are at the
core. " Now, she uses that advice as she oversees the largest online outdoor retailer's North American marketing efforts. " I see tremendous
opportunity for Backcountry to reengage the modern outdoor consumer, especially at a time when so many people are using the outdoors as an
outlet. I am excited to be a part of this new journey, " she says.

Courtesy of Backcountry

There is no handbook here. The consumer and the world in which we
are all operating is changing at an unprecedented pace, and it's up to us
to stay relevant, ahead of the curve, and connected to them if we want to
be here tomorrow.
Every bit of knowledge and experience I have is the result of listening, asking, trying, and failing. This doesn't happen in a room by
myself, and I'm beyond grateful for the relationships I've built over the
years that enable me to be surrounded by the best in the business.
Consumers are flocking to the outdoors. There's an opportunity to make
the Great Outdoors more approachable, and, as an industry, we need to
enable this by being more connected to our customers, understanding
their motivations, and ensuring we are a part of their community as they
reach out to experience more of what they love, or to try something new.
There's a level of seriousness and intimidation that customers observe in our industry, and we all should remember that we are here to
enable people to have fun, disconnect, feel alive and free.

On my first day at Vans, I wore a pair of Converse ... enough said.
The outdoors is where I go to feel alive. Focus, alertness, and a healthy
level of fear are things that only the outdoors can bring me.
I've worked in a couple of different industries now, and I hear it all
the time from others who come from consumer package goods, fashion, or finance industries-the passion in our industry is palpable and
so inspiring.
I'd like to think that everyone is capable of change. The challenge
will be pace of change, given the industry is made up of so many different players and spaces, and change can only happen when scale is
achieved. There are organizations working hard to ensure this scale
is possible-like Diversify Outdoors and the Outdoor Industry CEO
Diversity Pledge (of which Backcountry is a part)-offering businesses
and organizations guidance, resources, and accountability to impact
representation in the outdoors. If we can actively listen, learn, and hold
others accountable to act, I am confident we can see change happen in
our industry, along with many others.
Upon reflection, I think there is a lot to be thankful for in 2020. We
are having discussions and seeing action for positive change in ways
that we haven't seen before. This isn't ubiquitous, nor complete, but it's
something to see, honor, and keep pressing on. O.R.

January 2021 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 27

https://www.backcountry.com/

Outdoor Retailer - January 2021

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