Building a proposition from the landscape up
The starting point was the landscape itself. Saariselkä's competitive advantage isn't manufactured — the open fells, taiga forest, and extended winter snowpack are genuinely distinctive. But a natural asset only becomes a destination when it's shaped into a clear proposition that tells potential visitors exactly what to expect and why it's worth the journey. We worked with local entrepreneurs to surface what made the area unique and to define a value proposition that was honest about those strengths. The "Open Fells and Taiga Forest" concept became the foundation: a frame that captured the landscape's character and translated it into something legible for an international audience. Co-creation with local businesses was central to the process. The proposition had to be something the entrepreneurs in Saariselkä could own and build on — not a strategy handed down from outside, but one they had shaped and believed in. That buy-in was essential for a destination brand that depended on multiple local operators working under a shared identity.
One euro invested in cycling brings eight back to society — the economic case for developing Saariselkä as a cycling destination was strong from the start. The strategic work was about building the proposition to capture that value.
Brand, identity, and four-season activation
The Open Fell Biking brand was designed to be classic and timeless — not a niche cycling club aesthetic, but an internationally legible lifestyle brand. The goal was to appeal to cyclists who travel for the experience of a place, not just the sport. That meant positioning felt biking as something you'd plan a trip around, not just try if you happened to be in the area. The landscape supports a genuine four-season offer. In summer: organic and e-fat bikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes across open fell trails. In winter: fat e-biking on trails through an exceptional snowpack. Both seasons have distinct appeal for different audiences, and both needed to be represented in the brand and in the practical artefacts that support the visitor experience. We created summer and winter maps and brand touchpoints designed to support the local entrepreneurs in making the concept operational. The two-year engagement meant we could build, test, and refine — moving from proposition to brand to operational toolkit in a way that gave the concept a real chance of becoming a durable destination.
The brand was built for international audiences from day one — designed to travel beyond the Finnish cycling community and position Saariselkä as a destination worth flying to.
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(2016-25©)
