April 2015 brand editorial:
Press Contact: Cassie Abel cassie@smithoptics.com | 208.727.6593 Press Contact: Kate Gaeir kate@kategaeir.com | 206.334.0863
Total seen monthly circulation: + 36,385,887 Total seen circulation year to date: + 151,893,248
Select seen brand coverage/circulation
Top pitches of the month*
1. AskMen.com - Arena Max - 14,000,000 2. MTBR.com - Forefront - 3,600,000 3. PinkBike.com - Forefront - 1,654,314 4. VitalMTB.com - Rebel, Asana, Forefront - 1,136,629 5. Triathlete Magazine - Gear of the Year - 63,014 6. Men’s Journal - Goggles and Hats - 762,053 7. Outside Magazine - Clayton, Arena, Lowdown - 692,305 8. SurferMag.com - Life Beyond Walls - 2,611,051 9. Surfline - Life Beyond Walls - 1,452,372 10. Powder - Clark - 265,526 11. Audubon Magazine - Marvine, Audible - 413,580 12. Gearist.com - Vantage Helmet - 59,323 13. Malakye.com - Sidney, Clark - 213,246 14. Eyecare Business - Dockside - 44,239 15. Invision Magazine - Archive Collection - 30,000 16. Gear Institute - Forefront - 49,720 17. espnW.com - Asana - 249,697 18. CycleTechReview.com - Overtake - 676,616 19. Backpacker - Arena Max - 355,866 20. Bike Magazine - Forefront, Overtake, etc - 45,273 21. SGB - 50th Anniversary, Archive Collection - 23,700
1. Life & Style Weekly - Sidney 2. On The Water - Dockside 3. Elevation Outdoors - Questa, Clayton, Sidney, Clark 4. Blueridge Outdoors - Tioga 5. Envision - Sidney, Clark 6. SKI/Skiing - Sidney, Clark 7. Style of Sport - Overtake 8. 20/20 - ChromaPop 9. Outside - Clark 10. Active.com - Arena, Overtake 11. Women’s Running - Lowdown 12. Women’s Health - Asana 13. Good Housekeeping - Sidney, Questa, Rebel, Colette 14. Outside - Polarization Story 15. Cosmo - various sunglasses 16. Huffington Post - V2 Max, Discord 17. Outside - Various Products for Winter Gear Guide 18. FieldandStream.com - Dockside 19. NSMB.com - Forefront 20. Viruoso Life - Sidney 21. Vision Monday - ODS3 Adaptor
ABOUT SMITH: Originating from Sun Valley, Idaho, SMITH was founded in 1965 with the invention of the first snow goggle featuring a sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam. With 50 years of innovation and design experience, SMITH is widely known today as an industry leader that pioneers advanced eyewear and helmets that incorporate dynamic technologies, optimized performance and clean styling to fuel fun beyond walls. SMITH seeks to power thrilling experiences in snow, surf, bike, fish and peak performance outdoor adventures with a comprehensive collection that exudes modern style and vibrant personality. To SMITH, the experience is everything. Smith is part of Safilo Group. *Please note that a pitch does not guarantee that the above mentioned product will appear in print.
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APRIL 2015
UPtoSPEED
CREATING A PROTECTIVE SPORTS EYEWEAR PROGRAM OUT OF HARM’S WAY
SMART CHOICES FOR KIDS’ EYEWEAR
BLUE LIGHT AND THE SUN
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
plus! New Dispenser supplement shares why it’s great to be in optical
EB
F E AT U R E
EYEWEAR TREND REPORT
winning looks SPORTS SUN & Rx TRENDS BY AMY SPIEZIO
Whether striving for performance success in sports or seeking a chill look for after hours, active eyewear wins the day with a variety of strong color and style trends.
earth and sea and sky
Browns and blues, especially tort and navy, are an elemental color blend, balancing water, wind, and earth for crisp and athletic, outdoorsy styles. These looks have a nautical touch, reminiscent of wood decks of boats sailing on crystal blue seas on a cloudless day. Costa style Boga
back in black
Matte or shiny, streamlined or with luxurious extra touches, black is a power player in sports sunglasses. The looks are bold and assert a chic style regardless of the activity.
Polaroid style 3004s from Saflo Maui Jim style Eh Bra
Smith style Dockside with ChromaPop lenses
Spy style Cyrus
Vuarnet style Glacier Eclipse
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Eyecare B u s in es s. c o m
April 2015
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To read the full review, click here
2015 BIKES OF THE YEAR
MEGA CAVERN MAY 2015 $8.99-USA $9.99-CAN
KENTUCKY’S K ENTUCKY’SS U UNDERGROUND NDER ERG RGRO ROU OUND BIKE BIKE PARK PARK
Soft Goods
THE HELMET The Troy lee De-
signs A1 Galaxy comes with an array of features including, 16 ventilation ports, an in-molded EPS liner that extends down the sides and back of the helmet for extra protection as well as a triple position, adjustable retention system that allows a customized fit for various eyewear and head shapes. Price: $165; Contact: troyleedesigns.com
THE OPTICS The Pivlock Overdrive comes with Smith’s patentpending interchangeable lens system (comes with three lenses) and a dual-position nose fit. Smith also improved the ergonomics for a more secure fit when on your helmet. Pivlock Overdrives are available in nine frame colors. Price: $239; Contact: Smithoptics.com THE GLOVES Born in moto, the
Deft Artisan 2 glove is the end all, be all of gloves. The palm features a Clarino material that allows for durability and comfort without sacrificing breathability. Fun Fact, the last set of Deft gloves we had lasted over two years of abuse. Price: $36.95; Contact: deftfamily.com
THE VEST Coming from across the pond where rain is abundant, the Intrepid Pioneer Gilt vest is water and wind proof. It features a stretchy soft-shell fabric, anti-chafe chin guard and a rear stash pocket for those who don’t want to ride with a pack. This is a great piece when the weather varies and you don’t want to be stuck wearing a heavy jacket. Price: $75; Contact: intrepidapparel.co.uk THE BRACE The 2015 Atlas Air
brace has been engineered to a whole new level of safety. With 8 percent more contact than the previous models, more flexibility for those “tuck n’ roll” scenarios, multiple sizes to better suit your body and cutting its weight to a barely noticeable 599 grams. Price: $499.99; Contact: atlasbrace.com
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ISSUE 1517 APRIL 27, 2015
The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market
CEO Group Publisher
ISSUE 1517 APRIL 27, 2015
James Hartford jhartford@sportsonesource.com 303.578.7004
Managing Editor Aaron H. Bible ahbible@sportsonesource.com 303.578.7017
The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market
Senior Business Editor Thomas J. Ryan tryan@sportsonesource.com 917.375.4699 Creative Director Teresa Hartford teresa@sportsonesource.com Senior Graphic Designer Camila Amortegui camila@sportsonesource.com
Advertising Sales Buz Keenan Northeast buz@sportsonesource.com 201.887.5112 Katie O'Donohue Southeast I Midwest katieo@sportsonesource.com 828.244.3043 Circulation & Subscriptions admin@sportsonesource.com 303.997.7302
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Copyright 2015 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to SGB WEEKLY are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. SGB WEEKLY is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in SGB WEEKLY may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. SGB WEEKLY is published weekly by SportsOneSource.
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Photo courtesy Smith
MAKING NEWS
ONE-ON-ONE
4 Movers & Shakers Cabela's Launches Disconnect Day 6 Helly Hansen’s New Luxury Sportswear
12 Sitting Down with Smith’s Eric Carlson as the Premier Action Sports Eyewear and Helmet Brand Turns 50 Years Old
Collection Ditches Nautical Style 8 Klymit Expands Pad Line with New Insulated Solutions 10 Vibram Reimagines Boston Flagship
13 Smith Introduces 50th Anniversary Archive Collections
Store
Sea Otter Classic Celebrates 25 Years of Cycling
ANALYSIS 1075 E. South Boulder Road • Third Floor • Louisville • CO • 80027 SportsOneSource.com
11 Fila USA Continues Rebound and Looks Ahead
FEATURE
ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy Brian Slaughter and Sea Otter Classic
APRIL 27, 2015 | SGBWeekly.com
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ONE-ON-ONE
Sitting Down with Smith’s Eric Carlson as the Premier Action Sports Eyewear and Helmet Brand Turns 50 Years Old By Thomas J. Ryan Eric Carlson, VP of Product & Design, Smith Optics
I
t all began in 1965 when Dr. Bob Smith started selling the first thermal sealed snow goggle out of his truck in parking lots of local ski areas. The legendary powder junkie had a vision to develop products that could extend the thrill of human experience. Fifty years later, Smith, now owned by Italian eyewear giant Safilo Group, has morphed into an industry leader that pioneers advanced eyewear and helmets that incorporate dynamic technologies, optimized performance and clean styling to “fuel fun beyond walls.” SGB sat down with Eric Carlson, VP of Product & Design, to talk about Smith’s 50th anniversary and the future of the brand.
What don't more people know about Smith's iconic origins? With Smith’s 50th anniversary happening this year we are taking the time to look back on what the founding principle was, what has made it last, and what the brand should continue to stand for. Many people are unaware of Smith’s beginnings because we’ve never really told the market where we came from. We’ve been more focused on ‘today’ but now have the confidence to celebrate our unique brand heritage and showcase where we want to go. Also, we’ve been focused on product and athletes in our messaging, not on the brand as a priority. This is changing in 2015 with our numberone communication goal being the Smith brand and what we are all about. Was there a breakthrough product that put Smith on the map? Smith started when Dr. Bob Smith invented the thermal goggle lens (double lens). As we’ve looked back at our history, there are some incredible product milestones. The original goggle; Turbo Fan goggles; Sliders - the first interchangeable dual-lens sunglass; the V3 goggle - the widest field of view to date; the Warp - the first goggle with outriggers; AirEvac ventilation 12 SGBWeekly.com | APRIL 27, 2015
- the first system to integrate goggles and helmets; the I/O goggle - the first interchangeable lens goggle. These are the milestones but there have been so many along the way that really met the needs of the outdoor and lifestyle consumers. What programs do you have planned around the anniversary for 2015? We are approaching the celebration carefully. We believe too many brands use major anniversaries to only celebrate the past. It’s important to acknowledge the past, but we are more focused on sharing our future path. Within the industry, we hosted ‘brand events’ for our customers, athletes, and industry partners at all of the major winter and spring trade shows. For the consumer market, we have a very targeted social media campaign. We also launched our Archive Collection of sunglasses in January 2014 in preparation for the 50th, with new releases within the collection this Spring as well as Archive Collection goggles for winter. What's exciting about the sunglasses these days? There are many exciting things going on in product innovation and experience advancements. Lens technology is advancing greatly. Products like our proprietary ChromaPop polarized lenses which enhance true colors and object definition are getting more and more understood by customers and consumers. How does Smith stand out in the sunglass crowd? One of the best things about Smith is just how unique the brand is and the products are. Much of the market is a ‘sea of sameness’ with borrowed silhouettes, me-too products and under performing features. Smith has always been a product driven brand that puts the user’s experience first. How do we do this? We balance performance expectations with design intent.
There's been some attention to the potential of augmented reality in goggles. Is Smith pursuing something like that? Interesting that you bring up augmented reality because in many ways we are trying to do just the opposite with our goggles - we are trying to enhance reality, not change it. We are trying to bring better vision in more conditions and be able to change the ideal tint more easily. We are digitally connecting our goggles through the Recon Instruments heads-up display that is integrated into the I/O Recon model, but beyond that we are leaving the full augmented reality frontier to the electronics industry. Has the attention to concussions in football and other sports impacted the snow or cycling helmet business for Smith? What has happened is that consumers have become more and more aware of brain injury, not just traumatic head injury. This is affecting our business positively as more people are looking for new or replacement helmets and are willing to pay for higher performing product. Price points are still very important but we have heard so many times in the last year that consumers are coming in to shops asking to see “the safest helmet that they have.” The fact that consumers are becoming so aware of brain injury is great because for the first time it opens the conversation at the point of sale to what the consumer is looking for out of a helmet and therefore what model will best fit their needs, almost independent of price. How will the 2015 move from Idaho to Portland help the brand? The move is very exciting and energizing. While Ketchum has been our hometown, Portland will hopefully be the critical piece of the puzzle to make the Smith brand and all of our products truly world class. We have achieved a great deal through the work of passionate and talented people in Ketchum, but by placing the transferring group to the Portland design, marketing, and brand communication community, Smith will be able to bring the brand to life more easily and more frequently. With the demands of running a global brand and business for the size that Smith is, a community with access to greater resources like Portland should help Smith get to the next level. Can you elaborate on how the move may extend Smith’s reach? The move to Portland has two different but linked goals. The first is to elevate the Smith brand to the global market and do it in a world-class manner. The second goal is to establish a design center that is part of Safilo’s overall ecosystem of design centers around the world. Each center will be in a location that has a unique perspective and vision toward a market. The Portland design center will represent the “Outdoor Lifestyle” segment and as part of Safilo we will lead the product creation for any licensed or proprietary brands that may fall in to this segment or channel. Right now we are highly focused on the Smith brand but are starting to collaborate on Carrera goggles and helmets already. What's the next category for Smith? We never say never, but right now Smith is focused on making the best goggles, snow and bike helmets, sunglasses, and prescription eyewear. We have so much white space in these categories that the next three to five years should have us focused on improving these as much as possible. Once we have them to a place that truly is market leading, then we will see what the next steps are. People asked when we were going into bike helmets for eight years. If we can’t be best in class, we won’t do it. ■
Smith Questa
Smith Rebel
Smith Tioga
SMITH INTRODUCES 50TH ANNIVERSARY ARCHIVE COLLECTIONS To honor its 50th, Smith is introducing three additional frame designs to the Archive Collection -- exact remakes of original Smith frames introduced over the last 36 years. Each re-issued piece is labeled with its debut year and offered in original colorways. The Questa, one of Smith's most iconic and distinctive frames, was originally introduced as part of Smith's moto series in 1990. The unisex sunglass features a round lens shape with dual-toned face fronts and a retro-patterned design etched into the metal nose bridge. The feminine focused Rebel, circa 1988, has a subtle cat-eye shape and offers a mix of face fronts that combines metal eye wire with cellulose propionate material for a rich, vintage vibe. For the fashion forward, bold color options and mirrored lenses are available, along with classic black and tortoise colorways in polarized and non-polarized lens options. Clean corners and traditionally shaped temples define the Tioga, a time-honored aesthetic for outdoor lovers, just as when it was originally released in 1993. The medium-fit frame is a classic that continues to evolve with the modern explorer. While the Archive Collection stays true to the original styling, Smith has enhanced the experience utilizing Carbonic TLT lenses for superior optics. All new styles (MSRP $80 non-polarized, $119 polarized lenses) also feature smooth-operating barrel hinges, fully adjustable wire core temples and are RX compatible. To further honor its 50 years of style and innovative design, Smith is highlighting where past and future meet by introducing its Archive Goggle Collection: five reprisal strap graphics on modern snow goggle frames. Popular strap graphics from 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1994 featuring variations of the iconic brand logo are available across the interchangeable I/O family and in the newly redesigned Squad goggle. The new Archive Goggles will be available at specialty wintersports retailers and online at smithoptics.com beginning September 2015. ■ APRIL 27, 2015 | SGBWeekly.com
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