UP361 The Buy Side - The North Face, brand purpose and racism in climbing

Today we’re heading to the mountains, or at least, the Peak District, in the company of Molly Thompson Smith and Julian Lings.Molly is a star of one of the climbing scene, which since Tokyo has been an Olympic sport. Born in Ladbroke Grove in London, she one of very few people of colour in the sport, which becomes more relevant when you see the data, that 90% of the UK’s black population have never considered climbing or mountaineering as a hobby. A five time national champion by the age of 20, Molly is currently preparing for the qualifying events for Paris 2024.Julian Lings is a senior marketer at VF Outdoor, one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies with a revenue of $12billion, and a brand portfolio that includes The North Face, Vans, Timberland and Dickies. Julian leads on the company’s policy on sustainability.So this is a conversation about competitive mountaineering, racism and inclusivity, greenwashing, COP28, brand purpose, culture wars and the delicate relationship between authentic athlete activism and corporate marketing strategy.Molly opens up about being one of the few people of colour in professional climbing and her mission for inclusivity in the sport. Julian details The North Face's commitment to sustainability and the brand's efforts towards addressing inclusivity and environmental conservation. Molly also shares her training and preparation plans ahead of the Olympics.00:00 Introduction and Greetings00:02 Discussing Sheffield and Personal Backgrounds01:06 Understanding Climbing Disciplines02:10 Exploring the World of Speed Climbing04:06 The Impact of Climbing Becoming an Olympic Sport05:31 Personal Journey into Professional Climbing06:42 Introduction to The North Face and Its Mission09:36 Balancing Brand Ethos and Business Realities12:05 The Role of Brands in Environmental Advocacy15:54 The Challenges and Opportunities in the Textile Industry20:57 The Role of Athletes in Brand Advocacy24:36 Understanding and Addressing Challenges in Branding25:30 Molly's Perspective on Inclusive Exploration27:59 Experiences of Racism in Elite Climbing29:34 Identifying Barriers in Climbing for People of Color32:04 Embracing Identity and Creating Space in Climbing34:17 Brand Responsibility in Supporting Athletes37:25 Balancing Brand Purpose and Commercial Challenges44:25 Molly's Journey Towards the OlympicsUnofficial Partner is the leading podcast for the business of sport. A mix of entertaining and thought provoking conversations with a who's who of the global industry. To join our community of listeners, sign up to the weekly UP Newsletter and follow us on Twitter and TikTok at @UnofficialPartnerWe publish two podcasts each week, on Tuesday and Friday. These are deep conversations with smart people from inside and outside sport. Our entire back catalogue of 500 sports business conversations are available free of charge here. Each pod is available by searching for ‘Unofficial Partner’ on Apple, Spotify and every podcast app. If you’re interested in collaborating with Unofficial Partner to create one-off podcasts or series and live events, you can reach us via the website.