REI Names Former Sephora Exec as Marketing Boss to Revitalize the Outdoors Stalwart

[Pivo]

In April, REI reported a net loss of $311 million for 2023, which it ascribed partly to raises for hourly employees and its dividend for co-op members. Sales decreased 2.4% to $3.76 billion from 2022, when it reported a loss of $164.7 million.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/rei-names- ... _permalink

[garyc57]

$0

[outdoor_lover]

Well, with a senior VP of marketing for a Beauty Products company slated to take over the marketing duties at REI, I won't even bother to attempt to return to REI soon. I imagine that the women's gear will get even more "girlie" and cost even more. But they'll be pretty. I'll stick with the men's departments in non-REI stores. Cheaper both ways.

[Pivo]

@Jim_H
When I was spending my summers in Eagle and Summit Counties in Colorado, they had one in Dillon. I always wondered about that too.

[xsproutx]

Since we are in the dumpster fire now…
@outdoor_lover
There can be perfectly fair objections to REI and how they’ve managed their business. Your comments about hiring a woman who has had marketing experience at senior levels in large companies that INCLUDE makeup/beauty (ignoring her other experience) perhaps says a bit more about you and also demonstrates you don’t have an idea of what marketing actually does. I expect your experience is… lacking… in those areas.

Maybe she’ll fail, maybe she won’t but a comment that amounts to, “women can only make sparkly and pink things” is just… lazy.

Don’t be lazy. Post the quarterly results of the companies she was a senior marketing exec at for the period she was. Did they go up or down? Frankly, I haven’t looked and don’t know but that’d be the honest way to judge at least.

[Jim]

Wow.

I think it is time for a hike.

[xsproutx]

@Jim_H
You're not wrong on that The "perks" of being overly online due to my job in an industry for a couple decades that touches these topics. Time to pack the daughter's bag and get outside now, though

[LindaAnn]

I think @outdoor_lover is mostly correct. Given this new CMO’s ideology, I expect REI to double down on policies that limit their appeal, rather than broaden it. If the changes at Sephora over the last decade are any indication though, the women’s clothing won’t become more “girlie”, but all the clothing will become more gender neutral. It’s weird going into a high-end makeup store and seeing how much makeup they market to men these days. Apparently, men love contouring and eyeshadow. On their own faces.

[outdoor_lover]

If the changes at Sephora over the last decade are any indication though, the women’s clothing won’t become more “girlie”, but all the clothing will become more gender neutral.

Thus, the spandex in men's pants???? Maybe I am wrong. Women's stuff won't become more "girlie" but men's will.

[LindaAnn]

@outdoor_lover
I hope I’m wrong, but that’s what I’m thinking will happen.

[outdoor_lover]

@xsproutx
Never said anything about "hiring a woman". I'd said the same thing if the senior VP of a Beauty company was a man. I have absolutely nothing against women in business as long as they are proficient in the business they are in. Now, if REI had hired a male or female senior VP whose last employment was at Patagonia or Osprey or Black Diamond, I would probably have been a bit more enthusiastic. You too, have made a few assumptions about me, starting with stating and concluding that I said things that I never said. But this hire isn't going to stop me from shopping at REI, I've already done that. It's just going to keep me from going back because I simply don't have hope that things will change for the better with their new addition.

[outdoor_lover]

@LindaAnn
Well, if you're right, the only men shopping at REI will be golfers.

[LindaAnn]

@outdoor_lover
And the soy boys, but I don’t think that’s enough to sustain REI financially.

[LosDosSloFolks]

@outdoor_lover @LindaAnn
For the record, I like and welcome spandex in my pants and shorts. What I don't care for is the "revealing" skin tight styling and the high water bare ankle and leg design.

[LindaAnn]

@LosDosSloFolks

You mean these aren’t on your Christmas wish list?

[LosDosSloFolks]

@LindaAnn
Perhaps I wouldn't be so adverse to that styling if I were younger or if I were to finally spring for the reduction surgery.

[outdoor_lover]

@LindaAnn
The calves in the second picture look familiar. Is that @chumley?

[chumley]

On the topic of spandex "pants" for men. Starting with the European players, my beloved PGA Tour has become the new home for something called a 'jogger pant', although I can't recall ever seeing any man jog in these. https://ad-blasting-website.com
Maybe I'm just becoming a geezer,

After clicking the link in your post the other day, every site I visit that populates advertisements based on cookies and such is showing me ads from this brand. Apparently they haven't figured out that I don't actually want to purchase jogger golf pants.

[LosDosSloFolks]

@chumley wrote..."I don't actually want to purchase jogger pants"
With your calves, you might want to reconsider.

[LindaAnn]

@chumley
I’d have figured you set your browser to auto-delete cookies and history every fifteen minutes.

@LosDosSloFolks he prefers to hike in a speedo. Purely for the aerodynamics. No concern for our eyes.

[Alston_Neal]

he prefers to hike in a speedo. Purely for the aerodynamics. No concern for our eyes.

I've heard only when children are present.
On that note I will be traveling to REI mecca this week for trendy crossover shoes. Off-roady with with plenty of cushion and with that so hip Euro retro Boho style.
Screw the monochrome look.
https://www.merrell.com/US/en/alpine-83 ... lsrc=aw.ds
https://www.rei.com/product/229698/la-s ... lsrc=aw.ds