Outdoor Research hires creative leaders in design, marketing to drive brand evolution

January 16, 2020

On the eve of the brand’s 40th anniversary, two key new roles will help set creative direction in apparel design, marketing campaigns.

SEATTLE, Wash. (Jan. 16, 2020) – Adding deep experience and new energy to help direct its ongoing evolution as a brand, Outdoor Research, the Seattle-based manufacturer of industry leading outdoor apparel and gear, recently made two strategic-level hires as it moves into 2020. Andrew Osborn joins the team as Creative Director for Marketing + Brand and Kat Schoewe steps in as Creative Design Director.

On the eve of its 40th anniversary, as Outdoor Research looks to the evolution of its brand and its product offerings in 2020 and beyond, these two hires will play key roles in aligning creative direction moving forward.

Bringing brand-level insight from his work at several creative marketing agencies, Osborn has deep experience developing and executing national and global marketing campaigns. Most recently, he was Associate Creative Director at Archrival, a Portland, OR, creative agency with an expertise in youth culture, where he led work on campaigns for adidas, adidas Originals, YETI, Adobe, Teva, Red Bull and Hollister, among others.

At Outdoor Research, he will focus on developing creative marketing campaigns and interactive content strategy to drive consumer engagement. He’ll also build holistic plans to support those efforts across different platforms, including digital, print, events and in-store, aligning closely with Head of Marketing Erika Canfield.

Schoewe is a design-team leader who brings an extensive creative and product-development background working for both national and internationally recognized consumer apparel brands. She brings long tenures as a design director and senior Design leader at Under Armour and L.L. Bean, and most recently led the Pearl Izumi team through a product transformation and brand repositioning efforts as its Director of Design.

At Outdoor Research, Schoewe will focus on helping the brand evolve its technical leadership in function-led design, elevating its design aesthetic and aligning OR’s product collections to key brand focus areas, while building up a strong design team. She will work closely with Liz Wilson, Head of Product.

“Andrew and Kat both excel in their respective areas of brand marketing and product leadership, but what we’re most excited about is the fresh creative perspective they bring to our team,” said Michelle Wardian, President of Outdoor Research. “As our brand continues to evolve approaching our fifth decade in business, it’s essential that – along with the perspective of our longtime core team – we also keep bringing new ideas to the table as well, and we’re excited for Andrew and Kat to help us do just that.”

About Outdoor Research

Outdoor Research® is dedicated to inspiring the journey ahead with award-winning technical apparel and accessories. Based in Seattle since 1981, we are committed to improving our customer’s experience through innovative materials, purpose-driven features, and versatile products that are backed by our Infinite Guarantee®. We rely on the real-world testing of our athlete ambassadors, mountain guides, and local adventurers involved in our core sports: alpinism, rock and ice climbing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, trail running, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We’re here for the fun, adventure, excitement, and For the Journey Ahead™. Get to know us at www.outdoorresearch.com or follow the journey via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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