Transforming a fishing legend into a diversified holding company
client Rather Outdoors
date 2019-2021
Lew’s Fishing is a brand with a rich history and loyal consumer audience. When they decided to expand into a more diversified landscape as a holding company, they needed a distinct, modern brand — without straying from the tried-and-true formula they've maintained for nearly half a century. Eyeing other outdoor retailers, Lew’s wanted a brand of its own, poised to find and staff outdoor enthusiasts with real experience in the space.
- Brand + Visual Identity
- Brand Strategy
- Thought Leadership
To fill that niche, Rather Outdoors was born — a brand that aims to take best-in-class outdoor retail businesses and elevate them for an international audience. Outcast partnered with Rather Outdoors to build their identity from the ground up — starting with a name.
Through collaborative naming workshops, our team found a way for the holding company that pays homage to the legacy brand while distinguishing itself as something new. Derived from the term “I’d rather be fishing.”
Our team facilitated creative audit workshops, key stakeholder interviews, and voice + tone workshops to fully define the Rather Outdoors identity and cultivate a brand by and for outdoor enthusiasts.
The Outcast team pushed the creative towards rich outdoor landscapes paired with bold statements — grounding the brand in a future-forward ethos that respects the environment it relies on.
Using an iconography-rich system, universal symbols and shapes come together to tell a visual story that is accessible to all.
Rather Outdoors was looking to build their business both in credibility and in staff. To achieve this, we had to present the right message to a passionate audience — a message that was authentic to the outdoor experience.
Through our approach to establishing Rather Outdoors as a unique brand, we broke through the expectations that come with such a longstanding brand. We broadened the client’s ideas on where this new brand could go, and effectively delivered something entirely new — supporting their new mission while maintaining the qualities beloved in the Lew’s brand.
