Case Study: Buffalo
A Royal Welcome.
Tell the story of a reborn Buffalo Systems.
A Royal Welcome was the latest in our popular Stories Behind the Gear series, which digs deeply into a brand, and it went perfectly.
We travelled to Lochnagar in the Cairngorms armed with Buffalo’s tough outdoor gear, two Land Rovers, some terrible weather and a dog. We photographed it and, in this package, gave the photography to Buffalo for their own usage, which we was used as the main banner on their site.
It was a project that was planned and executed perfectly, in spite of, or perhaps because of, the weather.
The client
Buffalo Systems is one of those companies with an almost cult status. The manufacturer is undergoing a resurgence at the moment since being bought by James Sleater (who accompanied us on our Cairngorm expedition) and Ben Fogle, who are keeping most of the manufacturing – and repairs – in Sheffield, where it was founded in 1979 by Hamish Hamilton.
The brief
As soon as we contacted Buffalo, they responded. We loved what they do and the sentiment, we discovered, was mutual. Within days, we had a plan: taking two models – friends of Buffalo – for a bothy adventure in Scotland. Our aim was to showcase Buffalo System in its natural terrain, where it is used as a tool for exploring the outdoors. Within a month, we were trundling to the mountains in a Land Rover.
Our approach
After a couple of meetings with Buffalo, we formulated three plans. Each involved a mountain ascent in Scotland. Why three? Firstly, the weather. We always have options so we can pivot even up to a day or two before. Secondly, we wanted to offer a slightly different vibe for each one. A serious mountain expedition, something more achievable, and one that would be straightforward even if the weather was apocalyptic.
From then on, we produced a call sheet, a very detailed itinerary which is a working document, and shared it with everyone involved. John Summerton would be the photographer, Daniel Neilson the producer. The client would be there, along with two talent. A couple of days before, they asked for a dog as they launch new dog-wear. No problem.
The results
Two days before the shoot, we held a pre-production meeting. Along with the canine request, we decided on a location based on various forecasts. Lochnagar on the Balmoral Estate was the location, and we’d be staying in a remarkable bothy, the stables of a house built by Queen Victoria and still used by the Royal Family. Daniel knew the area well (and had even stayed in the bothy). The plan was simple: hike into the bothy, sleep and then a sunrise attack on a Munro. The weather was poor on day one – great for showing off gear – and then as we arrived on the ridge, nature gave us the results we were looking for with a wall of sunshine.
The project resulted in an article online, two pages in print, and a wealth of assets for Buffalo. A fun project.
“Looks fantastic! Very exciting !”
– James Sleater, Director, Buffalo Systems
“Thank you so much for turning these around so quickly, I've enjoyed a lovely cup of coffee while going through them. Wild day! Great location! Amazing!!!”
– Edward Austin, Marketing Manager at Buffalo Systems
Our job is to tell stories, and we can tell yours. Outside of our tri-annual magazine, we take on a limited number of bespoke projects. If you would like to see your brand story in print – from ads, supplements, and books to bespoke magazines involving editorial, design, and print management- please get in touch, and we can make it happen.