GARMIN & MERRELL’S TREASURE HUNT COMPETITION GOES LIVE!

Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation*, has teamed up with Merrell to launch a nationwide treasure hunt campaign titled ‘It’s Out There’ which is geared to encourage people to get outside and enjoy the experience of the outdoors goes live today. As an added incentive to take part, treasure seekers will also have the chance to win a series of prizes including a 5 star UK family adventure holiday in the Lake District. 

The treasure hunt, which runs from 1 September until 31 October 2010, has been launched by Garmin, and Merrell, the outdoor footwear and apparel specialist. The activity will draw on the worldwide phenomenon of ‘geocaching’ – an outdoor pursuit in which adventure seekers use a GPS device to hide and seek containers called ‘caches’. These ‘caches’ are hidden in both rural and urban spaces with varying levels of accessibility and will therefore provide the perfect outdoor adventure challenge for everyone, from families and groups of friends to individuals both young and old.   

Chris Merrell, UK Marketing Communications Manager, Garmin, commented: “ ‘It’s out there’ is much more than just a treasure hunt as it teaches about the geography of land we live in, Garmin and Merrell are encouraging people of all ages, backgrounds and genders to have fun and get more active”.

He goes onto say “It’s also an investment of both time and money that keeps on giving, especially when you compare what the adventure you can have with Geocaching costs versus a family theme park visit every weekend.”

Jonathan Pennington, UK Marketing Manager, Merrell, added: “A treasure hunt is a timeless game that everyone can participate in – you don’t need to be an ardent outdoor enthusiast. With over 65,000 official treasure items hidden in various locations, “It’s Out There” will give treasure hunters as much of a challenge as they desire, be it a walk in the park or a trek in Snowdonia. Get your boots on, get involved and enjoy the hunt!” 

To enter, simply visit www.itsoutthere.co.uk and select 3 ‘caches’ in either urban or rural locations. Once found, log your finds on itsoutthere.co.uk. Entry to the competition is completed by receiving a code from one of the supporting retailers in return for trying on a pair of Merrell shoes or receiving a Garmin GPS demo. Participating retailers include: Blacks, Snow and Rock, Go Outdoors, Cotswold, Field and Trek, Ellis Brigham or various independent stores. The code then needs to be submitted on www.itsoutthere.co.uk to confirm your entry into the competition. You can also use the website to share pictures and stories of your hunt with other participants.

Each qualifying participant will be entered into a draw to win a series of prizes including, a 5 star family UK adventure holiday in the Lake District, Garmin automotive, fitness and outdoor GPS and Merrell footwear and apparel. Winner will be announced on the website www.itsoutthere.co.uk shortly after the competition closes.

For more information on Garmin products which can be used for geocaching and getting families together and outdoors please visit www.garmin.co.uk, To see Merrell’s latest footwear and apparel ranges, visit www.merrell.co.uk

*According to Canalys report for sat nav sales made in 2009

About Garmin

The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – most of which are enabled by GPS technology.  Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information visit Garmin's media centre at http://garmin.blogs.com/ukpr. Garmin and Forerunner are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.  All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company’s future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2009 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). A copy of Garmin’s Form 10-K can be downloaded at www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Merrell

Merrell was founded by Clark Matis, Randy Merrell and John Schweitzer in 1981 and has provided outdoor enthusiasts with quality performance footwear ever since. The company’s philosophy is based on encouraging and equipping everyone to Get Outside to seek adventure, exhilaration and new experiences. As the concept of ‘outdoor’ has broadened to include all types of activities and environments – both natural and urban – Merrell has evolved its product range and categories to accommodate ‘The New Outdoor’.

The company was founded on the principle of developing bespoke footwear and has invested heavily in research and partnered with other forward-thinking companies such as Gore-Tex®, Polartec®, Thinsulate™ Insulation and Vibram® to provide consumers with revolutionary high-performance footwear.

Matis and Schweitzer sold the private company to Karhu USA and in 1997 Wolverine Worldwide acquired the company. Since then, it has grown in the ‘aftersport’ and fashion footwear categories and in 2006 Merrell launched a performance and lifestyle clothing line. 

Merrell is ranked by Sporting Goods Intelligence as the Number 1 Worldwide Performance-Orientated Outdoor Footwear Brand for 2008.

The Merrell brand is wholly owned by Wolverine World Wide Inc. which was founded in 1883 in the US and now ranks as the world's largest marketer of branded work and outdoor shoes and boots.

Wolverine World Wide Inc. houses a number of work and sport footwear brands including: Caterpillar, Coleman, Hush Puppies, Patagonia, Sebago, Harley-Davidson Footwear & Bates (uniform footwear).