Australian swimwear label Seafolly has recently restructured its executive team following the sale of the business by its now-former-owner L Catterton to an unknown Asian buyer in August 2023.
The C-suite team remains, including CEO Brendan Santamaria, chief marketing officer Sylvie McCallum and chief financial officer Chris Jacka, with Carly Neale moving from global head of sales to chief revenue officer.
The marketing team has also been integrated, with McCallum confirming this now consists of a head of marketing, a head of digital and eCommerce, a head of design and a product development and sourcing manager.
McCallum told Ragtrader that the new integrated marketing team is now operational as the 'Brand Team'.
“This brings together all brand-related aspects across the company, including design, product development, and digital,” McCallum said. “This alignment unlocks a seamless and customer-centric approach that spans the entire product and customer lifecycle."
"We’ve [also] established an executive team comprising our CEO, CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and CRO (Chief Revenue Officer). This strategic move has enabled us to enhance the efficiency and collaboration of our business functions, which are now structured around three core pillars."
The revamp comes as Seafolly announces the launch of its summer campaign, with Australian fitness expert Steph Claire Smith being signed on as the brand's latest ambassador.
Smith is the co-founder and chief community officer of health and fitness app Kic. She follows a line up of former Seafolly ambassadors including Jesinta Franklin, Gabriella Brooks, Lara Worthington, Georgia Fowler, Gigi Hadid, and Miranda Kerr.
Smith took part in a photoshoot in Seafolly’s origin town of Bondi, showcasing the brand’s latest summer range.
It is the first major marketing campaign since the business sale in August, with McCallum saying the ownership transition will unlock Seafolly's full potential and long-term strategic vision.
“Our growth strategy encompasses all sales channels, and it’s particularly exciting to highlight that we’ve already started optimising our retail presence with the recent opening of Seafolly Sorrento last week.”
McCallum said the brand has been looking to shoot with Smith for a few seasons.
“Once signed, we worked closely with the team to ensure the natural synergies between Seafolly and Steph’s wellness app Kic flourished,” McCallum said. “We have unlocked some great PR opportunities with Steph as our face of Seafolly.”
She said numerous challenges and considerations can come into play when selecting a new brand ambassador.
“First and foremost, we prioritize a strong alignment of values,” McCallum said “It's crucial that our brand ambassador embodies the core values of Seafolly and connects with our audience, whose preferences may vary depending on whether it's the southern or northern hemisphere Summer.
“Additionally, we must take into account diary alignment. Working with high-profile talent and crew, and the pursuit of those perfect, bright summer skies can make it quite a challenge to secure campaign shoot dates.”
The new campaign will be heavily concentrated on digital channels, which McCallum said will remain a key area of investment for Seafolly. She said this enables the brand to engage with its audience at various stages of the customer journey.
“In addition, our PR efforts, especially when collaborating with talent like Steph, unlocks significant opportunities for our brand. This season, we’re excited to announce that Steph will be hosting our annual First Day of Summer event with friends of the brand.
“To complement this plan, we are launching an outdoor campaign thoughtfully designed to reach our audience in proximity to popular beaches, retail stores, and high-performing eCommerce locations.”
According to McCallum, this approach allows Seafolly to reinforce its brand positioning with a particular focus on its hometown of Bondi.
“During the peak Summer season in Australia, we are guided by our audience, who lead us to the beach. As a result, we ramp up our investment during this period, incorporating outdoor initiatives and our annual First Day of Summer event.
“Looking ahead, with our audience steadily growing in the northern hemisphere, we anticipate expanding our investment to meet the rising demand for the brand, all while ensuring our local campaigns remain unaffected.”
Speaking on her selection as the Seafolly Summer 2023 brand ambassador, Smith said the swimwear brand was a dream client of hers when she was a full-time model.
“Now that I’m only modelling on the side of running Kic, I suppose I had intentionally let go of a lot of those modelling goals and ambitions as my focus was elsewhere.
“Because of all the work I have put into accepting my body and embracing it, I didn’t feel as though I needed to change anything about my body, my diet or exercise prior to the shoot… and felt fabulous on the day.
“I still live with insecurities, I don’t believe anyone loves absolutely everything about themselves, but I refuse to let them come between me and a good time anymore. So, I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity, and I am so excited to share this campaign with the world. ”