Press Releases
Fluid and The North Face Launch Revamped TheNorthFace.com
San Francisco, CA., March 10, 2004 - The North Face, a subsidiary of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), announced today the launch of its updated website at www.TheNorthFace.com. Fluid Inc., a San Francisco-based interactive design and development firm and The North Face's web agency of record, developed the new website, which includes comprehensive "Gear Shop", "Events and Expeditions", and "Athlete" sections.
The site has many new consumer features created to help the user find the exact The North Face products for his/her needs, and locate specific online or local dealers for those products. The "RD&D" (Research, Design & Development) section of the site introduces new products and, explains new The North Face innovation and technologies which make these products "best in class". The "RD&D" section allows consumers to understand their potential product in depth before making their purchase decision. In the "Gear Shop" consumers can search for products by activity, by collection, by category, or by keyword. The site provides maximum choice with shopping efficiency. Shopping-cart functionality provides direct integration with The North Face's online channel partners, providing links from each product in a visitor's Gear List to only the online stores that have that product in stock.
"Features such as the enhanced information architecture, the 'Product Finder' and 'My Gear List' were created to enable The North Face website viewers to find and then keep track of what they might need for an upcoming trip to Kilimanjaro, for example," explains Kent Deverell, Director of Client Services at Fluid Inc. "Our goal in designing The North Face website was to engage the consumer and provide the best possible online product research and shopping experience in the category, ensuring that they are always just a click away from the gear they need. On top of that, we wanted to provide access to the spectacular content resources, from athletes to expeditions, that The North Face has developed over the years of pursuing its philosophy of 'Never Stop Exploring.' I believe we have achieved this."
The new website also offers consumers the opportunity to sign up for The North Face monthly email update newsletter, and for opportunities to win The North Face products and trips. This newsletter, as well as the "Athlete" section of the site, keeps viewers informed about The North Face athletes and their outdoor endeavors, and allows the viewer to get to know the athletes as individuals. In their bios, the athletes share their individual thoughts on their lives, opinions and experiences in general. For example, in the new "Tricks & Training" section this month, Megan Pischke, The North Face Snowboarder, explains how specific yoga postures can enhance your snowboarding ability and endurance. One can also learn about Sage Cattabriga-Alosa's most incredible ski tricks of the 2003/2004 winter season. This month depicts Sage's "Unnatural Spinning 360°" and "360° Toxic Grab."
"In conjunction with our new agency Fluid, we've created a web design containing rich content that we believe will enable our customers to find the products that will make their outdoor experience more enjoyable", explains Sarah Gallagher, The North Face online manager. "We also believe our new site will provide outdoor enthusiasts with inspiration that may encourage them to attempt a new summit climb, travel to a new destination or take their skills on the slopes into the backcountry."
About The North Face®
The North Face, a subsidiary of VF Corporation, was founded in 1966. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, extreme skiers and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking and skiing retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains. Additional information about The North Face® can be found on the company's website, www.thenorthface.com.
About VF Corporation
VF Corporation is the world's largest apparel company and a leader in jeanswear, intimate apparel, playwear, workwear and daypacks. Its principal brands include Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Rustler, Vanity Fair, Vassarette, Bestform, Lily of France, Lee Sport, Healthtex, JanSport, Eastpak, Red Kap and The North Face. VF Corporation's press releases; annual report and other information can be accessed through the Company's home page, http://www.vfc.com.
About Fluid, Inc.
Fluid is a San Francisco-based digital solutions firm that has been providing experience design and Internet application development since 1990. The company makes essential use of interactivity and the Internet to build or extend a business or brand, from industry-specific projects in areas such as financial services, entertainment, and consumer goods, to complex technology solutions that draw upon the company's background in distributed application development, broadband and rich media. Fluid's clients include companies such as Charles Schwab, Macromedia, Amerada Hess, Mattel, Yahoo!, Avery Dennison, The North Face and The Leakey Foundation. More information about Fluid is available at http://www.fluid.com/.
FLUID CONTACT: Kent Deverell, deverell@fluid.com, 415 369-3204.
THE NORTH FACE CONTACT: Jill Pagliaro, Jill_Pagliaro@vfc.com, 510.347.3447