ONeill and Active Brands announced their exclusive, long-term licensing and distribution partnership in Brazil.


“Active Brands is the ideal company to align with. They
have the perfect business mixturea successful company accommodating a team of
surf influencers with in-depth knowledge and skill sets that are perfectly
suited to expand ONeill through endemic channels, and to ensure ONeill’s
growth across the region,” said Michael Neil, ONeill’s Global Head of
Licensing and Brand Development. “I am confident that Active Brands will
take the original brand message and core values that founder Jack ONeill built
the ONeill brand upon, and turn it into an aspirational brand in which
consumers in the Brazilian market can relate and depend upon in years to come.”

 Onofrio Laselva, President of Active Brands, is equally
excited about the prospect of what lies ahead. Laselva commented, “The
ONeill brand comes to Brazil at a very good time�the economy is growing,
sports in general are on top of the page in Brazil, and a whole new generation
of talented surfers are getting ready to take on the World Tour. When you consider
that Brazil has more than 8,000 km of beautiful coastline, and that most of the
190 million population live in cities right in front of the ocean or very close
to it�it’s obvious there is an enormous potential to grow the brand into one of
the most significant in the country.”

 Active Brands will manufacture full lines of Men’s and Women’s
swimwear and apparel, and will distribute both categories along with ONeill
wetsuits and lycra collections throughout Brazil’s main key retailers. Design
direction for the Men’s category will come from ONeill USA and Australia
inspirations, while the Women’s collection will be designed in-house with a
more Brazilian design influence. The first collection is set to launch in
stores August 2010, with products focusing on the story of the ONeill brand,
and will include Men’s boardshorts, T-shirts, wetsuits, and lycras.

 ONeill will be available in cities across Brazil, from
world-class surfing communities like Rio de Janeiro, Florian�polis, Fortaleza
and Santos; to the larger cities near the ocean like S�o Paulo, Porto Alegre
and Curitiba. Active Brands also plans to launch ONeill products in inland
cities, like Brasilia, that have prevailing wakeboarding communities.

 Adrian Kojin has taken on the position of Operations and
Marketing Director, and will be leading the launch and growth of the ONeill
brand throughout the region. A surfer, adventurer and entrepreneur, Kojin has
strong expertise and an influential hand in building the surfing world for the
past 30 years. His lengthy resume includes Editor-in-Chief of FLUIR surfing
magazine for 13 years, publisher of numerous surfing books, and freelance surf
photographer and journalist.

 “My involvement with ONeill dates back to when I
bought my first wetsuit more than 30 years ago. Since then it’s been my
favorite surf brand, the one I admired and trusted the most. I dont know any
other brand in surfing that combines so much authenticity and tradition with
the most advanced technology,” said Kojin. “So I couldnt be happier
about joining ONeill in the role of Operations and Marketing Director. Being
welcomed into one of the most relevant surfing brands in the world is a great
honor and responsibility.”

 Joining Adrian on the ONeill Brazil operations team, are
Alexandre Laganaro as Sales Director, and Paolo Costa as Marketing Manager.
Costa is also a former Editor at FLUIR magazine, and recently returned from
Australia where he received his Masters Degree in Sports Marketing. Laganaro,
who was the former Head of Sales for Surf Co., has more than 20 years
experience in the surf industry, and is widely recognized as one of the most
respected figures in the surf market. Both will be key players in the future
expansion of the ONeill brand in Brazil.