End of an era for the 93-year-old South African retailer behind K-Way and Old Khaki

Cape Union Mart has announced the launch of a new brand platform, called ‘Live Life Outside’, with the aim of positioning the brand for a new generation of outdoor consumers.

This new platform marks a shift away from Cape Union Mart’s ‘Adventure Starts Here’ era, as the retailer wants to cater to evolving consumer behaviours and demands.

Cape Union Mart was founded over 90 years ago, in 1933, by Philip Krawitz Senior, who wanted the brand to cater to servicemen and tourists passing through Cape Town.

At the time, the retailer’s product offering was more diverse and extensive than many of its competitors, with Krawitz wanting the store to be known as the “Tavern of the Seas”.

In the years to follow, Cape Union Mart would cement its position as South Africa’s leading outdoor adventure destination.

The retailer is behind the launch of various well-known South African brands, including K-Way, Poetry, and Old Khaki. Collectively, the group has over 200 stores across South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia.

On Wednesday, 27 May, Cape Union Mart announced that the retailer is now set to enter a new era to better align with the changing needs of its customers.

The retailer said it is evolving beyond its long-standing ‘Adventure Starts Here’ positioning with the launch of Live Life Outside.

Live Life Outside is a new brand platform intended to reflect how the outdoors and Cape Union Mart have changed, and how South Africans themselves are choosing to live, move, and connect today.

“For decades, Cape Union Mart has been synonymous with adventure,” it said. “The brand has equipped generations of South Africans with trusted, high-performance gear designed to withstand the demands of the outdoors.” 

“Cape Union Mart has earned its reputation as a trusted companion for every kind of adventure. But today, outdoor living looks different. It’s broader, more personal and more woven into everyday life than ever before.”

The retailer explained that the way in which customers now interact with the outdoors has changed, with “adventure” contained in more everyday moments like coffee walks, ocean swims, and neighbourhood runs.

“Whether epic or everyday, planned or spontaneous, the brand is recognising that outdoor living means something different to everyone,” Cape Union Mart said.

The brand said its new positioning marks one of the most significant brand evolutions in Cape Union Mart’s history, “shifting the conversation from where adventure begins to how life is best lived”.

“Adventure Starts Here served us incredibly well for many years because it captured the spirit of exploration that has always defined Cape Union Mart,” said Cape Union Mart strategic brands director Martine Vogelman.

With the brand update, Cape Union Mart is essentially seeking to expand its definition of adventure, positioning itself for a new generation of outdoor consumers. 

“It’s about wellbeing, connection, community, movement and making the most of everyday moments,” Vogelman said. 

“Live Life Outside reflects a broader, more inclusive vision of outdoor living that feels deeply relevant to South Africans today, while remaining rooted in the quality, technical performance and trusted expertise that our customers have always relied on.”

“Through Live Life Outside, Cape Union Mart is inviting South Africans everywhere to reconnect with the outdoors in ways that feel authentic, accessible and uniquely their own.”