Roots Store & Brand Analysis

Jamie Tse / 5/26/2019 / Last Update: 3:56PM

My analysis on a local Roots store

store conditions

The date was Saturday, May 25, 2019 at around 4pm. Around me I noticed a lot of adults, mostly aged around 30-40 year old. There were a few young adults but it was mainly parents and older adults. This makes me think that their main demographic is adults and parents or families. But, from their advertisements I can see their target is more young adults and youth, so I can assume they want more young people as customers. That is more likely to happen when their styles become more trendy and stylish, but as of now I feel that their styles are more geared toward working adults and parents. The advertisements in the store are simple and vibrant, using the classic Roots font in white to convey the message of the ad. Most of their ads relate to nature and being “true to our nature”. The mannequins in the store are dressed to showcase the newest styles and products of the season. There is one special mannequin at the front of the store in a glass and wood case.

The pace of the store was very comfortable and open, the shelves and displayed were spaced distantly, giving the customer lots of space to move around and browse. The store did not feel suffocating or overcrowded at all, it was the complete opposite so that someone could walk around for a long/on their own time without feeling rushed. The store I was at was not that busy, only at times, and even then it was manageable. There was not really a rhythm at the store, especially because the music was quiet, but cheerful folk music that I personally disliked but the main demographic probably enjoys. The music also perpetuates the calm, happy and natural vibe that the store is trying to give off. Other than the quiet folk music, there was chatter between customers and employees, but the store is still rather quiet and tranquil. I did not detect any strong smells, but Roots sells maple syrup at the counter which has a strong scent.

STORE (CON’T) & PRODUCTS

The Roots store is made primarily up of oak wood and clean white walls. The displays, tables and shelves are also made of all wood. Some items are displayed on tree stumps – more wood. The change room doors are wooden, and in each of the change rooms is a stump as well. The store has clear and bright white lights and there are even some spotlights on certain focus products. The front of the store is all glass windows to make the store even more well lit with some natural lighting. There are black chalkboards placed around the store as accents and wooden crates, oil lamps and other camping memorabilia are placed around the store as decoration. There are some leather accents and features throughout the store like on the handles and change room doors. Leather is a huge part of the brand and their product lineup – Roots is known for their handmade leather bags, cases, wallets and other products. The textures of the store are very smooth, the only gritty part would be some parts of the tree stumps but every surface is usually sanded to have character but be usable (especially the wood).

The colours of the store are either very neutral or very Canadian and reflect the colours that one would find in a cabin or in the woods: white, brown, beige, sandy tan, grey, green, and red, but some of their products have more pastel and brighter colours (probably trying to appeal to young adults again). Most of the Roots products use colourblocking (one solid colour throughout the entire item) so one rarely finds any patterns like stripes, floral or polka dots that could be more popular with other brands. If there is pattern, it is very small or fine, so much that it could be like colourblocking. Their designs are very simple, they usually have a solid colour and the Roots Cooper beaver logo at the top right corner or a bigger beaver/word/Canadian leaf design in the center as the main focus. Roots has a whole Canada line, being a very patriotic brand, with clothes that are striking red and white with Canadian leaves. All of these points apply to their line of accessories, hats, shoes and sandals, as well. Most, if not all of their clothes are very loose, not form fitting, for maximum comfort to the customer. They promote being stylish without sacrificing style, and their classic or in season promoted products come in a variety of colours.

Brand analysis

The Roots brand was founded in a national park, which is an intrinsic part of their brand and products. Everything in their brand comes back to their roots at the park where the brand was created. Roots claims to be handcrafted in their leather goods, which is a massive part of their brand. They make their clothes in Canada (Toronto), the United States, South Asia, Asia and South America. They do not use sweatshops Roots is very proud to be Canadian and say they are inspired by Canada and Canadian culture. They employ over 2,000 Canadians and support Canada on a large scale. They also place a strong level of importance on good workplace conduct, conditions and labour practices. The brand tries to reduce as much excessive waste as possible, especially when it comes to deliveries and shipping. Online, their social media presence is very strong, they post often and email customers very frequently. They have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even Pinterest to interact with their followers and customers.

Roots is known to have comfortable, long lasting, good quality products but the price point is high. Some people say that the quality is diminishing over time but that is a subjective opinion. Their most popular product would probably be the Original Kanga Hoody, and it is priced at $82. The stores have promotions pretty often so people can still afford Roots products. The same goes for all their leather products, shoes and accessories. Their famous premium leather Banff Bag is a bestseller and another favourite product the Roots brand is known for. It is priced at $468, comes in large or small, and the bag has impressive leather and detailing quality as a staple for Roots lovers.

Established in 1973, Roots is Canada’s leading lifestyle brand known around the world for its quality leather goods, active athletic wear, yoga wear, accessories and home furnishings. … An iconic Canadian company, Roots embodies a distinctive look synonymous with a casual, athletic, hip and outdoor lifestyle.

– the Roots Mission Statement

The core of the Roots brand and their stores come back to nature and growing from “our roots” as a country and people. All the stores and products promote comfort and style and any Canadian will love the devotion Roots shows to the country. This analysis only shows how the brand follows workplace guidelines closely while having safe and ethical manufacturing practices to make their iconic and timeless products.