Brian Garofalow – Igloo Chief Marketing Officer

There’s been a buzz around the action sports & lifestyle industry for a while now about what Brian Garofalow, or “BG” as he’s best known, has been doing over at Igloo. The iconic brand has enjoyed renewed energy and success, especially at lower price points where the classic Playmate model has seen explosive growth through strong collaborations with well-known licensing partners like Disney, Nickelodeon, Andy Davis, Independent and more.

An industry veteran who many know from his time at DC, Element, and RVCA, BG shares his expertise and insight on all the pressing topics of today, including of course, the brand’s quick pivot to address COVID-19.

Other topics covered in this exclusive 30-minute interview include…

• The role of leadership and what elements are most important during challenging times to keep Igloo’s employees safe, positive, and productive.

• Direct to consumer efforts, integration and participation of retailers.

• BG’s method for evaluating the best collaboration partners.

• How Igloo continues to connect with consumers, while also conveying its culture and remaining authentic in this new era.

• How lessons from the action sports industry translate to success on a larger scale.

• Opportunities for growth that still exist right now.

BG even offers a sneak peek at Recool, the world’s first cooler made from biodegradable materials, which aims to put an end to those dreaded “white styrofoam disposable coolers” once and for all.

This episode features references to the following:

0:32 - General business state of Igloo today
2:58 - D2C Initiatives
5:22 - Communicating with final consumers 7:03 - Team learnings and lessons
9:32 - Niche market strategy and pricing
12:46 - Brian’s marketing perspective 13:39 - Igloo’s “Throwback Collection”
14:30 - D2C characteristics of specialty industries
16:39 - Igloo’s growth and expectations
17:16 - Retailers' participation in Covid19 strategy
18:29 - “Recool Coolers” eco friendly initiative
19:30 - Other initiatives around sustainability
20:31 - Cause marketing plans and priorities
22:39 - Leadership and support management
25:13 - Dealing with remote work
26:45 - Brian’s action sport experience adding perspective
28:21 - Picking licenses and partnerships
30:26 - Planning and forecasting the future
32:21 - New positions opening at Igloo

Hosted by Rob Campbell