BF 048 – Nicole Haase – SwimSpot
PODCAST
Show Notes
Nicole Haase, VP Swimspot
Join Stephanie O’Dell, founder of Celebrate The Gray for the latest Brand Fifty Podcast with Nicole Haase, VP Swimspot.
Nicole is leading the charge at Swimspot by committing to age inclusivity in using real faces and authentic stores of positive aging throughout their marketing, SwimSpot believes it can empower and inspire other women to authentically live their best lives in swim – whether that means on, in or beside the water. They found it necessary to launch their ‘CELEBRATE YOU’ campaign this summer season to empower and give permission to women to showcase how to love the swim (and body!) they’re in.
“Let’s face it, everyone needs a swimsuit yet the swimwear shopping experience can be painful – Trying on a swimsuit requires taking an unfiltered look at your body and that is not always comfortable – it is an EMOTIONAL undertaking – yet the current shopping environment has not addressed this. It doesn’t help that the majority of images showcased are highly stylized, retouched and perpetuating a void (and narrative) for the 40+ woman. We were told from several agencies that women of a certain age did not want to model in swim,” said SwimSpot VP, Nicole Haase, who leads the marketing and digital teams for RAJ Swim’s direct-to-consumer website and wholesale.
Throughout RAJ Swim’s 55 years, they have been unafraid to challenge industry norms and pledging to become more age inclusive across their marketing is no exception. Today, the company is led and designed by women for women. Haase also included, “Living in Southern California I see women of all ages, sizes, ethnicities and shapes living their best lives in swimsuits, including myself at 44, but this age group is underrepresented in the swim industry. Notwithstanding the fact that there are over 40 million American women ages 40+ who represent $15 trillion dollars in purchasing power and are the healthiest, wealthiest, and most active generation in history. One thing these women have in common is that most of them feel completely ignored by marketers…and brands.
About Nicole: Nicole has extensive experience in senior leadership roles managing the strategy and product development for global brands and is passionate about empowering others and pushing the boundaries of fashion. Nicole has a proven history of building high-performance teams and applying those teams to solving complex business problems. She believes that talent, teamwork and tenacity will always lead to success.
About SwimSpot
SwimSpot is a swim and resort-wear company built around family heritage, quality, and style. Born on the beaches of Southern California, over 50 years ago, Marta Bhathal, frustrated with the poor fitting swimwear offered in the market, decided to create her own product. In partnership with her husband, they built a house of swim, focused on the idea of perfecting fit. Their legacy continued through their daughter Lisa who expanded the portfolio offering innovative designs, luxurious fabrications and quality products. SwimSpot’s collection of swimwear, beachwear and activewear includes something to suit different body shapes and sizes, with beautiful prints, contrasting textures and slimming lines. Swim Specialists are on call and ready to help answer questions around fit and style to ensure their customers feel confident and fantastic in their products.
For more information about SwimSpot, please visit us at www.swimspot.com.
Show Notes:
- Meet Nicole Haase
- How her past jobs have led to Swimspot’s Age Inclusion campaign
- Why is 40+ woman consumer undervalued and underrepresented
- How do get more companies to pay attention to the 40+ woman
- How is Swimspot’s “Celebrate You” campaign different than other campaigns
- What has been the response of the “Celebrate You” Campaign
- How to start your reinvention and get out of your own way
- What’s next for Nicole
