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  Dresses are the brand's most popular category - Photo courtesy of O'Neill

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  O'Neill's 2014 campaign conveys the message to make the most of each day - Photo courtesy of O'Neill

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  O'Neill's surf leggings are part of the brand's 365 Activewear line

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  Photo courtesy of O'Neill

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  Photo courtesy of O'Neill

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  Photo courtesy of O'Neill

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  O'Neill Women's General Manager Kari Johnson - Photo courtesy of O'Neill

O’Neill has made big changes on the women’s side of the business. About a year ago the company created a general manager position solely to oversee the division’s growth, with Kari Johnson in charge.

Kari has profit and loss responsibility for the division, and leads the merchandising and design, marketing and sales teams.

The increased focus on women’s appears to be paying off.

“We’re really thrilled at the momentum and have been seeing strong numbers at retail,” Kari said.

We talked with Kari about what the team is focusing on, what changes were made, what categories are performing well and more.

Have you added any positions this year?  In what areas?

GM Kari Johnson: Yes, the women’s business is continuing to grow. To show our commitment to our presence at retail, we’ve invested in our sales team and are looking to expand our visual merchandising team.  New positions were added and people were promoted to lead certain areas with a focus on the women’s business only.

We’ve also hired a PR firm, Bollare, with showrooms in both Los Angeles and New York. 

What are the changes from a marketing standpoint?

Kari: We have been really careful over the past few years to make sure our marketing and design direction are on the same page. 

Starting in 2014, we launched our “Today Is Perfect” campaign, which is all about the day being what you make of it.  Social media is the best place to reach our consumers so that’s really where we’re focusing a lot of our efforts. 

We’re partnering with a handful of popular bloggers, along with our brand ambassadors and retailers to activate the campaign.  Two “perfect days” will be given away and documented, all via social media.  

How have you changed your in-store marketing approach? Have you increased your POP displays or in-store build outs?

Kari: Yes, we are investing in in-store marketing and it is a huge priority for us.  In addition to putting dollars towards POP displays and in-store build outs, we have quite a year of retail visits planned all over the country with our executive team.  We know how important it is and will continue to get out there and talk to the retailers, see what’s needed in individual markets, and refine our strategy going forward.

What specific product categories got revamped or refocused? Are you now more fashion influenced?

Kari: It was a refocusing of the overall design and marketing direction.   We are a beach lifestyle brand, and some trends just may not be right for us.  We’ve always been fashion influenced, but now we are more conscious of making sure trends fit into O’Neill’s coastal aesthetic.  We embrace fashion trends that make sense for our brand, and avoid those that don’t. 

We don’t just make clothes for the beach, but we’re inspired by the casual cool of California’s beach lifestyle.  For example, we love the trend of matching sets, and felt it was a perfect fit for O’Neill.  It works great on the beach, but it’s also amazing all styled up for a music festival or night out.

What are other key product areas that are seeing growth?

Kari: Dresses have been and will continue to be our number one category, and we’re seeing some great growth with sweaters.  We’re also excited about the reaction we’re getting to our 2014 swim and graphics categories and expect to see an increase in those areas. 

Any other highlights?

Kari: The hybrid collection, part of our 365 Activewear, is also an area that’s generating lots of excitement and is expected to grow in the coming years. We are expanding this portion of the line based on demand. 

What are some examples of the hybrid pieces in 365 Activewear?

Kari: The best example would be our surf leggings.  These come in the amazing prints O’Neill is known for and perform both in and out of the water.  Whether going for a run or jumping on a surfboard, there are technical properties, such as compression and quick dry, to help you perform at your best.

You mentioned that 365 Activewear opens up some new distribution opportunities. Can you elaborate?

Kari: The line has allowed us to expand onto other floors within our current distribution channels.  It has also helped us expand within our specialty retailers and gain traction in higher end exercise studios. Two great examples of retailers who love the line are Nordstrom and REI.

There’s been renewed interest in the women’s category overall from a retail standpoint. How is O’Neill positioning itself for this and hoping to capitalize?

Kari: Yes, we are so excited that the women’s business is growing again.  The feedback we’re getting is that our product is really on point.  Our goal is to continue to deliver great product and work with our retailers to support them by providing some good tools to drive sales in their stores. 

Social media is also a big factor in this, and in addition to creating awareness and building hype, we’re partnering with retailers to promote specific initiatives.  We’re expecting an incredible year.