Helly Hansen chief digital officer unzips the retailer’s mobile-first approach to personalization
It may try to stand out from competitors by its materials, designs and variety of sports and outdoor apparel, but the notice at the top of the Helly Hansen web site is almost word-for-word the same those published by its retail peers.
Citing concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the company informs visitors that it has closed its physical locations in Europe, the U.S. and Canada, though online shopping is still available.
The one caveat? Helly Hansen recognized that its customers crave new experiences — so much so that they might find it particularly difficult to stay home.
“If you are going out to ski, explore the outdoors or sail — remember that emergency services are strained,” the notice says. “You could be taking resources from someone that needs it.”
It’s easy to assume that, like most brands in its category, the novel Coronavirus has put most of its operations on hold.
Behind the scenes, however, the company has been making major changes to the way it creates, publishes and manages content. Part of the decision was simply to deal with a technology issue, but a larger part was to create a more customer-centric approach to commerce.
Read on or, if you’re not a subscriber yet, sign in to learn from Helly Hansen’s chief digital officer what the retailer is doing to ensure a particularly strong post-pandemic comeback.
Scaling new heights for a global customer base
Speaking from his home in Olso, Norway, Chris Hammond noted that Helly Hansen is no ordinary outdoor brand. Its customers’ interests range from 
