Columbia Sportswear Company has hired Matt Sutton as senior vice president and head of marketing for the Columbia brand. Previously, as chief marketing officer, Sutton led retail and direct-to-consumer brands, including The Black Tux and FreshDirect. Before that, he worked for Facebook in global marketing.
“Matt will help lead the strategic integration of our entire global marketing, including developing omnichannel marketing strategies and up-leveling our capabilities,” said Joe Boyle, Columbia Brand president and EVP, Columbia Sportswear Company. “His arrival brings significant momentum as we unlock our brand’s opportunity.”
Sutton’s hire coincides with Columbia Brand’s work over the last few months to bring a “new vision to life internally, culminating in a company-wide preview of what’s to come” at the Newmark Theatre in Portland, OR, this month. The approach is expected to lean into the 86-year-old company’s ethos to “elevate the Columbia brand.”
The company reported in a media release that the recent changes are “part of the brand’s forward-looking strategic brand vision, which will pair product strategy with integrated marketing to meet consumers where they are and drive more meaningful brand experiences. “
“We’ve built an extraordinary outdoor brand that set the standard for excellence worldwide,“ commented Boyle. “The past year, we’ve been retooling and reshaping our business to scale new heights. In the year ahead, you’ll see the Columbia brand roll out a product strategy that is deeply intertwined with marketing, allowing us to reach consumers in new, surprising ways to reintroduce our iconic brand.”
To advance the creative direction, the Columbia brand appointed adam&eveDDB as its global agency of record. The London headquarters will lead the agency, working closely with its New York and San Francisco offices.
“As we look to grow our brand, we wanted to build a relationship with an agency that can help tell our unique story in a way that connects emotionally with global audiences while helping consumers understand the innovation that has powered our products from the beginning,“ said Boyle. “There’s never been a better time for people to enjoy all the outdoors has to offer, and we want to unlock that for more people around the world and inspire them through a strong story-telling approach and creative strategy with adam&eveDDB.”
Images courtesy Columbia Brand/Columbia Sportswear Company
