These coats have evolved into a status symbol. The North Face has come to represent prosperity, being cool, and being outdoorsy through branding and marketing. The North Face's success is heavily influenced by its branding. They produce many different types of jackets for various activities, which creates brand recognition. The North Face was founded in 1953 by T.C. "Tom" Coleman who wanted to make an outdoor clothing company that stood out from the rest. He did this by using innovative materials and designing products that were functional but also looked good. The first jacket created by The North Face was called the "Arctic Frog," it was yellow with green stripes and had webbing on the back for amphibiousness. This jacket sold well so The North Face continued to create new designs. In 1962, The North Face introduced their now-famous black polyester coat. This coat became so popular that today almost every other company uses this material in some form or another. The North Face continues to come up with new inventions such as heat-resistant fabrics which help them remain at the forefront of the outdoor clothing industry. The North Face's popularity is due to their effective branding and marketing. They promote themselves as a high-quality company that you can trust and they offer lots of apparel for men, women, and children.