Logos to Focus on Community Building

 By Antoine Azoulay and Bernard Thompson

First established in 1928, Logos Corporation is an outdoor brand that caters to three main areas of the outdoor goods industry, providing camping gear, clothing and backpacks to eco-conscious, family-oriented consumers.

With the outdoor goods industry forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate of seven percent from 2024 to 2032, it's clear that business is as good as it's ever been.

Company President Shigeki Shibata confirms that the outlook is optimistic: “There is an increasing tendency among our customers to combine products that were conventionally used for a single purpose. “People are getting more sophisticated and fusing activities together, meaning we are seeing a growing interest in our products across different categories.”

Equally important for Logos, of course, is its brand. Mr. Shibata again: “Brand positioning is vital because outdoor and camping brands occupy different niches in each region.”

For Logos Corporation, the target demographic is families with children in kindergarten or elementary school. “We make consumables such as fuel, and generalist products which are easy to assemble, use and disassemble,” Mr. Shibata says.

Accessibility, however, is not about catering to novices. “There's a reason we value accessibility so highly,” Mr. Shibata continues. “Manufacturing accessible products helps to increase connections and engagement, and gives families the chance to have a memorable experience.”

Meanwhile, the corporation's evolution from outdoor lifestyle brand to community builder can be seen most clearly in its decision to open two new theme parks, LOGOS LAND in Kyoto in 2018, and LOGOS PARK in Kochi in 2022. Increasing community engagement is one of the pillars of the corporation's sustainability strategy, as well as a way to showcase its products to a growing domestic audience.

“The entrance fee of theme parks is free,” Mr. Shibata confirms. “People go there, enjoy time with friends and family, maybe have a meal, and go back home. As a company, we have to benefit from these interactions, which is why we are building accommodation, cafes and barbecues on site.”

Looking to the future, and with an existing market presence in China and South Korea, Mr. Shibata is open to the prospect of international expansion. “Our strategy towards overseas expansion is to use local distributors,” he says. “We don't open up our own operations in foreign countries. Thus, we are always seeking new distribution channels.”

Logos is looking for like-minded, innovation-driven partners, something which Mr. Shibata is passionate about: “What I'm really interested in is foreign companies that might want to develop the Logos brand in their country. Then I long to develop with them the Japanese sense of hospitality around the world."