Founded in 1958 in Japan, Snow Peak has grown into a beloved camping brand, cherished by enthusiasts for its distinctive combination of Japanese craftsmanship, known as ‘Monozukuri (ものづくり),’ and its community-focused fan marketing. In particular, the support of Snow Peak's true fans, called "Snow Peakers," who resonated with the brand's philosophy despite the high price, played a big role. Meanwhile, GAMSUNG Corporation, a small and medium-sized Korean company, also played a role in Snow Peak's popularity in Korea. In 2021, GAMSUNG Corporation acquired the outdoor apparel business license from Snow Peak's Japanese headquarters and launched a clothing brand called “Snow Peak Apparel” in Korea. The brand's premium product image, combined with simple, outdoor-appropriate quality and design, has helped expand brand awareness to the general public beyond campers. Consumers were exposed to the brand through apparel, and then were able to try out camping gear and more at Snow Peak's experiential stores, creating a virtuous cycle of campers and Snow Peak fans.
One of the industries that has benefited from the COVID-19 pandemic is camping. Camping has gone from being a hobby for a select group of enthusiasts to a "national hobby" during the pandemic. This is largely due to the demand for camping as traveling and outdoor activities have been restricted. As a result, the number of campers in Korea has grown rapidly from around 1.5 million in the mid-2010s to more than 7 million, and equipment such as tents, chairs, tables, and utensils have sold like hotcakes. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the domestic camping industry has grown to about 7 trillion KRW as of 2021. Compared to 2 trillion KRW in 2017, the market has more than tripled in less than five years.
The pandemic has led to the rapid premiumization of camping products as the MZ generation has entered the camping market in large numbers. The younger generation has been enjoying camping not just for survival, but also for enjoyment, such as enjoying “bulmung”(neologism for gaining peace by staring at the fire) in a secluded space away from the city center and “mukping” (neologism for eating and drinking while camping), which is a leisurely meal in nature. As a result, high-end brands with high prices have become very popular in the camping market. Snow Peak is one of them.
Snow Peak is a Japanese manufacturer of outdoor equipment and camping supplies, and is known as the "Hermès of camping" among camping enthusiasts. Despite its high price tag, the company's original product line and lifetime warranty have earned it a loyal following. During the height of the pandemic, many of its most popular products were sold out, and customers had to wait more than a year for them to be restocked.
Snow Peak, in particular, has been called "the epitome of a community platform business.” The company doesn't do much marketing, but instead builds its fan base and maintains a community by camping with customers and listening to them through offline events like the Snow Peak Way and the Snow Peak Festival every year. Through these community activities, Snow Peak has been able to build a large number of brand advocates called "Snow Peakers". Thanks to their brand loyalty, Snow Peak has seen steady growth in the Korean market year after year, even in the wake of the "boycott on Japanese product" since 2019. It's also quite common to see people lining up outside stores at the break of dawn to grab limited-edition items that are only available at offline events like the Snow Peak Festival.
Especially in 2021, Snow Peak positioned itself as a brand that appeals to the general public, rather than just a brand for a selected group of camping enthusiasts. This is due to the popularity of Snow Peak Apparel, launched in 2020. In 2008, Snow Peak entered the Korean market directly with a subsidiary called Snow Peak Korea, and licensed its apparel line, Snow Peak Apparel, to a local company called GAMSUNG Corporation, allowing Snow Peak Korea and GAMSUNG Corporation to operate under one brand name in the Korean market. Snow Peak's "two-track strategy" is interesting because foreign brands usually have to decide whether to enter the Korean market directly or indirectly through licensing. In fact, Snow Peak Apparel, launched by GAMSUNG Corporation, has become very popular as an outdoor apparel brand among non-campers, which has had a positive impact on Snow Peak's camping product sales. As a result, Snow Peak Korea is projected to reach 38 billion KRW in 2022 and Snow Peak headquarters is projected to reach 30.77 billion KRW in sales, both record highs. DBR met with Kim Nam-hyung, CEO of Snow Peak Korea, to learn more about Snow Peak's customer engagement strategy and its symbiotic relationship with GAMSUNG Corporation.
This content was translated into English by AI (using DeepL) from an article that was originally written in Korean in the DBR (Donga Business Review). Therefore, please understand that there may be some awkward expressions.
The DBR has all legal authority over this content. Please note that unauthorized use and distribution may be subject to legal sanctions
