Columbia Sportswear’s (COLM) focus on growing top line sales in coming years will get a major test in the fourth quarter when it launches its OmniHeat products with a global advertising campaign. The launch is critical to the company’s plans to grow topline sales and so it can reach parity with other publicly owned brands it competes against, President and CEO Tim Boyle said at the Goldman Sachs Retail Conference last week.


“For the shorter and longer term it will be a top line story for us,” said Boyle.


The strategy will hinge on COLM’s success in promoting its own technology, such as Omni-Dry and Omni-Heat, against component brands like Gore-Tex, Thinuslate and Vibram, said Boyle.


Omni-Heat consists of a collection of thermal insulation, electric and reflective technologies that boost the warmth of garments. Beginning early October, COLM will begin running six TV spots in English, Korean, Russian and Swedish to highlight the launch. Much of the spending will focus on the reflective technology, because it is visible on the product and easier to explain to the consumer.


Essentially, the technology adheres aluminized dots to the lining of fabrics to increase warmth by 25%.


Come Spring 2011, COLM will focus its marketing spend on launching its Insect Blocker and new Omni-Dry water-proof breathable membrane.


Boyle said COLM can grow its domestic sales dramatically in the specialty/sporting goods channel by differentiating its product. “We should be able to double the size of the sporting goods business and increase the specialty business 4 or 5 times on the apparel side,” he said of the channel, which now represents about 30% of sales.


COLM expects to do that by using its broad range of products and price points to take market share simultaneously from high end and private label brands.


COLM has an even bigger growth opportunity with its footwear and European businesses. In footwear, it sees huge growth potential in selling Sorel boots to women.


“The Ugg brand has been very successful and we think we can approach that consumer with a high-quality product that will be visually appealing and will perform well,” said Boyle of the $700 million-a-year Ugg line. He said COLM has the capital, factory capacity and design talent to grow that business. “There is nothing standing in our way,” he said.