Forms of Recreation: Customer Retention

You’ve probably heard of Casa Dragones, the renowned sipping tequila brand founded in Mexico in 2009. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its co-founder, Bertha González Nieves, who turned her passion into a lasting brand—so that you could enjoy the appreciation of tequila as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways hobby-focused brands help you find and reconnect with hobbies...

You’ve probably heard of La Martina, the renowned polo equipment and apparel brand founded in Argentina in 1985. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its co-founder, Lando Simonetti, who turned his passion into a lasting brand—so that you could enjoy polo as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways hobby-focused brands help you find and reconnect with hobbies at formsofrecreatio...

You’ve likely heard our previous backstories featuring renowned brands from around the globe. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the Top Five Backstories of 2025, sharing why founders turned their passions into lasting brands—so that you can enjoy yours as a hobby. Listening to this backstory is just one of the many ways we at Forms of Recreation help you stick with the hobbies you love. Explor...

You’ve probably heard of Gibbon Slacklines, the renowned slackline equipment brand founded in Germany in 2007. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory as to why its co-founder, Robert Kaeding, turned his passion into a lasting brand—so that you can enjoy slacklining as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways hobby-focused brands help you find and reconnect with hobbies at formsofrecr...

You’ve probably heard of La Marzocco, the renowned espresso machine brand founded in Italy in 1927. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory as to why its founders, Giuseppe & Bruno Bambi, turned their interest in an espresso machine into a lasting brand—so that you can enjoy coffee brewing as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways hobby-focused brands help you find and reconnect...

You’ve probably heard of Yonex, the renowned badminton equipment brand founded in Japan in 1946. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory as to why its founder, Misoru Yoneyama, turned his passion for badminton into a lasting brand—so that you can enjoy badminton as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways product brands help you find new hobbies and reconnect with old ones at formsofr...

You’ve probably heard of Frescobol Carioca, the renowned frescobol equipment and menswear clothing brand founded in England in 2009. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory as to why its founders, Harry Brantly and Max Leese, turned their passion for frescobol into a lasting brand—so that you can enjoy frescobol as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways product brands help you find...

You’ve probably heard of Field and Stream, the renowned hunting magazine founded in the United States in 1895. Listen to why its founders, John P. Burkhard and Henry Wellington Wack, turned their passion for hunting into a lasting brand—so that you can enjoy hunting as a hobby. Want more? Explore the many ways product brands help you find new hobbies and reconnect with old ones at formsofrecreatio...

You may know Montblanc, the renowned pen manufacturer founded in Germany in 1906. This is a concept of what Montblanc could choose to design, a type of brand community centered on a shared hobby: creative writing, ultimately turning creative writing hobbyists into members with benefits, including access to exclusive events and unique experiences. Listen to Andre Brathwaite (your host) wherever you...

You may know STIGA, the renowned table tennis equipment brand founded in Sweden in 1934. This is a concept of what STIGA can choose to design, a type of brand community centered on a shared hobby: table tennis, ultimately turning table tennis hobbyists into members with benefits, including access to exclusive events and unique experiences. Listen to Andre Brathwaite (your host) wherever you get yo...

You may know Orvis, the renowned fly fishing equipment brand founded in the United States in 1856. This is a concept of what Orvis could choose to design, a type of brand community centered on a shared hobby: fly fishing, ultimately turning fly-fishing hobbyists into members with benefits, including access to exclusive events and unique experiences. Listen to Andre Brathwaite (your host) wherever...

You may know Gibson, the renowned guitar manufacturer founded in the United States in 1902. This is a concept of what Gibson can choose to design, a type of brand community centered on a shared hobby: guitar playing, ultimately turning guitar-playing hobbyists into members with benefits, including access to exclusive events and unique experiences. Listen to Andre Brathwaite (your host) wherever yo...

In the next four episodes , we will create concepts for Gibson, Orvis, STIGA, and Montblanc, with the potential to design their own branded clubs. Our goal is to help product brands build more brand communities driven by hobbies. How? By turning what they are selling into something people feel a sense of belonging, using a framework we call The Ferris Five . ______ Want to check out the latest epi...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Ferrari, the renowned car manufacturer founded in Italy in 1939. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Enzo Ferrari, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy:hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Scuderia Ferrari Club), locations (Il Cavallino Restaurant), and activities. Listening to...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Oysho, the renowned women’s activewear brand founded in Spain in 2001. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Amancio Ortega, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Oysho Community), locations (Oysho Partner Studios), and activities. Listening to...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Corning, the renowned glass manufacturer founded in the United States in 1851. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Amory Houghton Sr, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (CMOG Community), locations (Corning Museum of Glass), and activities....

Founders. You’ve probably heard of PADI, a renowned scuba training organization, certification agency, and magazine publisher founded in the United States in 1966. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founders, John Cronin and Ralph Erickson, who turned their passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (PADI...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of National Geographic, the renowned editorial magazine brand founded in the United States in 1888. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founders, prominent explorers, scientists, and scholars, who turned their passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (National Geographic S...

What happens when a brand doesn’t just make beehives, but builds a sense of belonging with them? In this episode of Forms of Recreation , we take a closer look at Flow Hive, which uses a Product-as-Access model to welcome backyard beekeepers into a global community. Listen to Andre (your host) wherever you get your podcasts. ______ Want to join or learn from the club featured on this episode? Visi...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Harley-Davidson, the renowned motorcycle manufacturer founded in the United States in 1903. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founders, William Harley and Arthur Davidson, who turned their passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Harley Owners Group), locations (Harl...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of LEGO, the renowned toy manufacturer founded in Denmark in 1932. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (LEGO User Groups), locations (LEGO House), and activities. Listening to this epis...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Swarovski, the renowned crystal brand founded in Austria in 1895. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Daniel Swarovski, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Swarovski Crystal Society) and locations (Swarovski Crystal Worlds). Listening to th...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Leica, the renowned photography equipment brand founded in Germany in 1925. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Ernst Leitz, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Leica Society International), locations (Leica Akademie), and activities. Liste...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Titleist, the renowned golf equipment brand founded in the United States in 1932. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Phillip Young, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Team Titleist), locations (Titleist Ball Plant 3), and activities. List...

Founders. You’ve probably heard of Tracksmith, the renowned running apparel brand founded in the United States in 2014. Listen to host André Brathwaite share the backstory of its founder, Matt Taylor, who turned his passion into a lasting brand that uses a customer retention strategy: hobby-driven experiences, including a club (Hare A.C.), locations (Trackhouses), and activities. Listening to this...