Kari Traa has built its brand by not following the rules, according to Taylor Murphy, North America head of marketing. In an industry where there’s often a prescribed image of what a woman should be, the Norwegian sportswear apparel company — founded by Olympic freestyle skier Kari Traa in 2006 and designed for women’s hiking, skiing and training — has made it a point to support every woman’s unique journey with the outdoors.
“We’ve chosen to support the women already doing the work in those spaces by donating to their causes, sponsoring their events, and/or supporting their creative work,” Murphy said in an interview with SESO. “There are countless talented women in this space, and Kari Traa chooses to use our time, money, and resources to make sure those women are supported in their endeavors.”
Murphy shared more about the brand’s U.S. strategy and how it’s impacting women in the outdoor industry.
Many brands are citing challenges in the U.S. market post-COVID. How’s business for Kari Traa?
Taylor Murphy, North America head of marketing, Kari Traa: The past few years have been a wild ride. Kari Traa has navigated industry challenges while staying true to what consumers love about the brand. We continue to emphasize confidence, comfort, and fun rather than elite performance and that — combined with strong sell-through, focus on specialty and strategic wholesale, and our investment in the community — has fueled growth.
Photo courtesy of Kari Traa.
What are the goals of the U.S. marketing strategy, and how are you measuring success?
Taylor Murphy: Kari Traa is a longtime supporter of women’s causes not just in North America, but globally. While we’ve had longstanding partnerships with women’s-specific organizations, my goal when I came on was to open the brand up to new partnerships that grew brand awareness specifically for this market, where Kari Traa is still earning its keep. Ensuring we were aligning on all fronts with our partners rather than just throwing sponsorship dollars their way is something I wanted to prioritize as well. By fostering deeper relationships with our partners, we have been able to better connect with the communities they support.
The goal of this strategy is to uplift the women doing the work to ensure that women in general have a seat at the table. Full stop. If at the end of every year I can point to exactly how Kari Traa helped grow the women’s share of the outdoor industry — proven through sales, consumer surveys, and market share — I’ll know we were successful.
How do these partnerships come to life?
Taylor Murphy: Kari Traa is magic — built around a woman who said f*** you to the rules and forged her own path. We do our best to emulate that energy by executing a marketing strategy that prioritizes community growth and the well-being of the outdoorsy woman over flashy pop-ups and influencer seeding.
Katie Cooney wearing her Kari Traa collection. Photo courtesy of Kari Traa.
Kari Traa is the title sponsor of the Girl, Get After It (GGAI) organization, which produces micro-events in 23-plus cities across the U.S. for over 1,600 like-minded women. Each location consists of two leads who plan the meetups and in return, Kari Traa provides product and sponsorship dollars to help them put on a handful of their events. This is our second year with GGAI and we have nearly doubled our commitment because we strongly believe in the work they do as an organization..
In addition, from Oct. 13 to 19, GGAI chapters will host their own breast cancer awareness events where all proceeds from sign-up fees will get donated to Tits Deep for Breast Cancer, a female-founded and run nonprofit organization dedicated to education on early detection for high-risk women under the age of 40. Anyone will also have a chance to purchase from our pink collection during the month of October, where 10% of proceeds will go directly to Tits Deep for Breast Cancer.
Similarly, our Katie Cooney collection came out this September, where Katie, a Driggs-based artist, photographer, and small business owner, created a print for a Kari Traa base layer set, tube, and beanie. Ten percent of sales from this collection are set to be donated to SheJumps, a female-founded and run nonprofit organization committed to increasing participation of women and girls in outdoor activities.
How do you select athletes like Zoe Kalapos and Megan Oldham?
Taylor Murphy: When we look at athletes to partner with, we’re not just checking off boxes about rankings or follower counts. We’re looking for women who genuinely embody what we call the “Kari spirit” — that authentic love for being outdoors, pushing boundaries, and living confidently every single day.
Kari Traa athlete Megan Oldham. Photo courtesy of Kari Traa.
Megan Oldham has this incredible grit and ambition that’s impossible to ignore. She had early goals to land a triple cork 1440 and finally accomplished it at the X-Games on her third run — a testament to her dedication to pushing limits. And Zoe Kalapos gets what we’re about on every level. She’s down-to-earth, genuinely happy doing what she loves, and champions climate action because she cares about protecting the places that let her live her dream. She’s a snowboarder by trade, but her interests extend beyond the sport — diving into all kinds of year-round activities that keep her connected to the outdoors. That variety and authentic love for movement is exactly what our Kari girl lives for.
Kate Robertson can be reached at kate@shop-eat-surf-outdoor.com.
