Brands We Love: Yakima

[At BAKER, we’re passionate about branding – not just the brands we have the privilege of working on – but all sorts of brands that we engage with on a daily basis. In ‘Brands We Love’ one of our infatuated brand stewards takes a deeper look at one of the brands they are passionate about; examining what the brand means to them and why.]

YAKIMA

By Trent Johnson (@trentjdesign)

I love Yakima– not the city (unfortunately I haven’t yet had the pleasure, just heard great things) –but the purveyor of those most excellent rack systems you see adorning the tops and rear ends of outdoor enthusiasts’ cars, loaded up as they head out of town on their next great adventure. I’m not a lifelong user of their products by any means. While my affinity for outdoor activities and appreciation for the wild blue yonder is well documented, it was not until about 5 years ago that I was introduced to the Yakima product line and even then my relationship with the brand could have been described as a casual acquaintance at best. Over time however, I have come to love Yakima, appreciate not only their equipment, but their point of view and find a deep seeded respect for a brand that is able to succeed in the marketplace by doing what they love and loving what they do.

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Right off the bat, the fact that Yakima has a design philosophy at all gives them a leg up as a brand in my eyes. Just by having that alone lets me know exactly what to expect in every encounter I have with their brand – 3 simple tenets: functionality, durability and beauty – 3 qualities that I too prize very highly. Maybe I have a greater appreciation for this aspect of a brand than a typical consumer, due to my daily occupational proclivities, but the way that Yakima describes themselves so articulately, so genuinely and so candidly is something that I appreciate in a brand… and they have some fun with it, which I also appreciate.

“At Yakima, our designers constantly follow around outdoor enthusiasts like you (in a totally non-stalker way) to find out everything you could ever want in a rack. This causes many light bulbs to hover over our heads, and lots of nifty features to be incorporated into our products. We call this process “Insight-Inspired Innovation.” And as a result, every one of our products has the following fundamental elements:

Functionality. Durability. Beauty.
Thanks to these special ingredients, you can rest assured when you buy a Yakima you have the finest gear-hauling solution money can buy. And, in your little corner of the universe, Rack Envy will be a thing of the past.”

Not over the top or hokey, just easy going and genuine. Personable. Awesome. Which leads me to another thing I love about Yakima…

TAKE IT EASY

As most anyone who knows me can attest, I am a complete sucker for well written wordplay, but in just 3 words – just 10 letters total – Yakima can sum up both who they are and what they do – “take it easy.” How cool is that? So simple yet profound. In those 10 letters they’ve found the magic, that special sauce, that makes them who they are both in attitude and in merchandise. Their message resonates with me and I can align myself with them. Well done team Yak.

THEIR PARTNERS

More than just a company out to make a buck Yakima is a brand that enjoys a certain lifestyle and they’re proud of it. So naturally, in their casual and easy going way, they align themselves with a number of other organizations that have similar interests like Carbonfund.org and the Conservation Alliance (full list here). More importantly though they go to great lengths to do more than just say that they are “…dedicated to helping people get out and enjoy this beautiful planet of ours. And [wanting] to keep it beautiful for generations to come. ” They back it up. Simply visit their website and you can check up on exactly who they are partnering with and how they are making a difference. Maybe this kind of thing isn’t your kind of thing, and that’s fine, but it’s Yakima’s kind of thing and that’s exactly the point. More than just a business, Yakima stands for something, and that’s a big deal in my world.

THE PRODUCTS

Finally, you wouldn’t think the actual products would fall to the end of my list of reasons to love Yakima, but they do. That’s not to say the products aren’t excellent – they are. I myself have a King Joe 3 for a bike rack and have loved to use it every chance I get. They really back up their brand promise to “take it easy” too and I appreciate it. I can’t speak for all of the products in their line, but as far as the KJ3 goes it’s easy to set up, easy to load and truly does let me take it easy. Whether I’m off on a quick trek to the local bike trail or a weeklong adventure to the northern shores, Yakima has my back (and my bike) and that’s just one of the many reasons I love the Yakima brand.

Thanks Yakima, keep up the great work.

– Trent

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