As an adventurer, you have to be prepared for the expected and the unexpected. Whether it be through the daily task of work or a once-in-a-lifetime risk taking experience, Leatherman allows their customers to hold adventure in their hands with multi tools and more. As a company that was established in Portland, Oregon, they built their brand on the spirit of pioneering. That is why after 31 years of service they have continued to stay with their Oregon roots and support U.S. workers. Anthony Perez, the Creative Director at Leatherman, explained the background and future of Leatherman and how it embodies the adventure, travel, and “ready for anything” spirit that Oregon symbolizes. Perez expressed that Leatherman has Oregon DNA embedded into each of their products and that Leatherman will forever remain an Oregon company.
Perez stated that one of the largest obstacles they have had to overcome at Leatherman was their minimal advertising budget. Leatherman takes pride in their local production and ability to create jobs in Oregon. In a sense, almost all of their budget is dedicated to the craftsmanship that goes into each of their made in Oregon products. Since 1983, Leatherman has used word-of-mouth as their principal form of advertising and they believe it to be the cause for their success today. Their tools are used mainly for camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, outdoor sports, and the military. The products speak for themselves because consumers see how well each individual tool is carefully handcrafted and designed to serve every need under any circumstance. Through word of mouth, stories are told about how their handy dandy Leatherman was used to save the day.
With a relatively small advertising budget, Leatherman had the opportunity to grow their brand through word of mouth and really get to know their customers and their stories. Perez told a story about his friend in the military who had a Leatherman product that saved his life. This is a perfect example of stories that the company can highlight even more. Personal stories that connect with customers allow for a company to be successful in marketing their product and in creating a trustworthy brand that genuinely cares for its customers. So instead of Leatherman looking at their budget as a restriction on their company, it has been seen as a positive – they have been able to find a connection back to the history of Oregon and where their brand was founded. Whether you are a shopper at Walmart, or one at a high-end gift shop, we can all relate to one another through story, and that is something that Leatherman does very well.
