People are emerging from lockdowns. The joy of the outdoor life, about which they’ve been dreaming for months, is suddenly available. On top of that, in the northern hemisphere summer has arrived. During the lockdown, polls showed nearly 70% of French people said they were looking forward to getting outside again. Something they once took for granted, or ignored, was suddenly a deep longing.

French brand, Decathlon, wanted to make the most of the opportunity presented to it by finding a new way to connect with people  and bring them fresh ideas to get active. It turned to Sid Lee Paris to design the look of its new app, Decathlon Outdoor, to encourage users, from families to young urbanites, to find new ways to get outside, because every minute outside counts. 

Decathlon Outdoor was born from a platform the retailer created in 2018 with travel app developer, Mhikes. Quechua Hike Finder was a first, regional test to gauge consumer interest in local activities and recommendations. Following its successful launch, Decathlon acquired Mhikes and created Decathlon Outdoor – a digital pocket guide with over 5,000 experiences, with real stories and pictures sent in from outdoor enthusiasts. Whether mountain biking in the world of Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence, strolling through Paris’s Luxembourg gardens, or playing pétanque in a park, every 60 seconds is another minute and that’s another minute to clear your mind. 

The re-branded app and site support the brand’s positioning as the reference for all things outdoor and mark a turning point in the brand’s communication towards a more conversational tone, giving more depth to their content and creating a stronger bond with users. The brand will also transition to a new visual identity over the next year, with softer colours and a more intimate approach to bring people closer.

“We wanted to give people genuine ideas for ways to get outside, even if it’s just a few minutes. Decathlon Outdoor is based on experiences from actual users – from big ideas to micro-adventures that give you a chance to destress,” stated Celine & Clement Mornet-Landa, creative directors at Sid Lee Paris.

“Decathlon Outdoor considers Netflix its competitor. Our platform makes nature more attractive than on screen and our technology is positive, because it’s the time that users spend outdoors that drives it, not the time on the application itself,” added Nathalie, product marketing manager at Decathlon.

Decathlon Outdoor launched May 26 with a website, on social media (Facebook and Instagram) and in the Apple store and Google Play in France. 

Explore the website. Facebook Instagram

Credits 

Advertising Agency: Sid Lee Paris  
President: Johan Delpuech  
Executive Creative Director: Sylvain Thirache 
Creative Directors: Céline and Clément Mornet Landa 
Art Director: Hugo Demazière
Copywriter: Max Harrington
Head of Strategy: Bruno Lee
Strategic Planner: Heloïse Dung
Account Manager: Nicolas Boivin
Account Executive: Eva Lo-Ré

Client: Decathlon
Co-fondateur of Mhikes & CEO of Decathlon Outdoor: Rémi Thébault  
Leader Quechua: Fabien Brosse
Product Marketing Manager: Nathalie Beugé
Product Manager Web: Marjorie Maury
Communication Manager: César Bygodt