Oregon is home to an environment that is ripe for innovation. It may stem from that shred of the pioneer spirit we all house in our DNA, or maybe it is that rebel attitude that causes us to have a chip on our shoulder. These traits are what push us to redefine industries. We are rarely the ones who create something from scratch, but we are eager to redefine something in existence: a “one up” to the rest of the country.
Michael Morrow from Nutcase Helmets mentioned that one of his ambitions is to one day see the Tour de France winner wearing a Nutcase helmet. Morrow, along with Philip Mascher, pride themselves on their unique helmet designs. They saw the bicycle helmet as a canvas and turned it into one. They brought their natural Oregonian soul to life on a helmet. Nike didn’t invent the shoe just as Nutcase didn’t invent the helmet, but what made them have a sense of Oregon-ness was their choice to redefine the athletic and helmet industries. In Oregon, it is not about being first or winning the game, but rather how we can change the game and make it memorable. This eagerness to find an uncharted path acts as gasoline to the fire of innovation giving our creative’s and strategist a unique strength.
Sitting in between Seattle and San Francisco, arguably the main hubs of the West Coast, allows for a David vs. Goliath battle, and, if my biblical knowledge serves me well, I believe David wins by changing the game with a slingshot. What an Oregon thing to do!
