Columbia Sportswear excited about Omni-Heat campaign

23 Sep '10

4 min read

Columbia Sportswear Company, a leading innovator in the global active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment markets, announced that it will celebrate the public availability of its new Omni-Heat technologies with the launch of the largest and most integrated global marketing campaign in the company's history.

Omni-Heat delivers industry-leading warmth and superior regulation of body temperature without added bulk. The innovative reflective technology keeps people 20% warmer than ordinary liners while allowing excess heat and moisture vapor to escape, making Omni-Heat perfect for almost any outdoor activity.

"Omni-Heat's distinctive reflective silver-dot lining is the most innovative warmth solution to hit the outdoor industry in decades and allows consumers to see the technology as well as feel it," said Sue Parham, Vice President of Global Apparel. "In addition, the space between the dots allows heat and moisture vapor to escape through the breathable, moisture-wicking liner so the wearer doesn't overheat."

At the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, members of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team were equipped with custom Columbia Omni-Heat gear that helped them stay warm and limber in successful pursuit of the first Canadian Olympic gold medal ever won on home soil. Now, the technology is available to consumers around the world in nearly 100 styles of apparel, footwear and accessories.

To share the benefit of this groundbreaking advance in the world of outdoor apparel, Columbia created a global ad campaign as innovative as Omni-Heat itself. The marketing launch features print, online, web broadcast, social media and event marketing that introduces Omni-Heat to the public in an interactive and experiential way.

"We're excited about the breadth and innovation of the Omni-Heat campaign," said Dan Hanson, Vice President of Marketing at Columbia Sportswear. "In coordination with our retail partners around the world, we will be telling the Omni-Heat story through a vast array of media channels and creative executions that will make it nearly impossible for any consumer to miss the significance of this innovative warmth technology."

Key elements of the marketing campaign include:

• A flash-based microsite, located at www.columbia.com/omni-heat, offers a closer look at the science behind the technology and features videos of Omni-Heat technology in action, with commentary and reviews by professional skiers from around the globe.

• Six thirty-second television spots feature people testing Omni-Heat technology in ridiculous and brutally cold situations, including a boxer-clad man being blasted by snowballs. The spots will broadcast internationally and are available for viewing on the microsite as well as the Columbia YouTube channel. In addition, they'll run extensively online on networks such as Hulu, NBC and CBS.

• A print campaign featuring Omni-Heat technology and models experiencing the cold first-hand. The campaign will be supported in over 14 major print publications, and includes several multi-page high impact executions in both traditional outdoor-oriented magazines and broader reaching technology and sports publications.

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