Gaiam,
Inc., (NASDAQ:GAIA) (the “Company’), a lifestyle company and a leading
brand of yoga and well-being products and services, announced today new
senior management appointments and new products and service initiatives
launching this year that the Company expects will advance its “Yoga for
All” and overall health and wellness category leadership market position.
The new senior management appointments:
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Bart Foster appointed President of Gaiam. As President, Mr.
Foster will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies
that build Gaiam’s domestic and international wholesale business,
including increasing Gaiam’s “store-within-store” base and adding
product categories and distribution channels, while simultaneously
focusing on enhancing the Company’s operating margins. Mr. Foster
founded SoloHealth in 2007, for which he served as CEO, growing it
through long-term contracts with large retailers, health and wellness
product companies, and strategic partnerships. Previously, he served
as an account director at pharmaceutical giant Novartis, where he was
responsible for sales and merchandising activities for several
consumer products with retailers across the U.S. and Europe.
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Nancy Taylor hired as Gaiam’s Vice President of Design, a newly
created position to serve the Company’s growing presence in active
wear and apparel. In this role, Ms. Taylor will be responsible for
product design, including the market segmentation for the Gaiam and
Gaiam Sol brands, as well as a new line of men’s apparel, which will
be introduced in 2016. Ms. Taylor previously served as the Senior
Director of design at Athleta since 2006, where she was responsible
for all aspects of design, including oversight of the company’s team
of apparel and graphic designers.
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Jaymi Bauer appointed Chief Marketing Officer of Gaiam TV. Ms.
Bauer is responsible for global marketing operations across brand,
communications, partnerships, revenue and subscriber growth for Gaiam
TV. Prior to joining Gaiam TV, Ms. Bauer held various leadership
positions in the Xbox and Interactive Entertainment division at
Microsoft, spearheading the launch of Xbox 360, consumer marketing for
its TV, video and music business, and all global product management
and marketing for lifestyle and entertainment experiences on Xbox.
Lynn Powers, CEO of Gaiam, commented on the new senior management
appointments, “Bart, Nancy and Jaymi bring tremendous experience and
leadership capabilities as well as deep track records of innovation and
success to Gaiam and to our Gaiam TV operations. Their appointments add
to our already considerable pool of talent, and more favorably position
us to grow our category leadership as well as further develop and
implement new strategies and initiatives that address shifting consumer
needs as we build a platform that will enable the Company to achieve
continued growth and success.”
In 2015, Gaiam will add several strategic category extensions intended
to extend its footprint in active wear and apparel, as well as to
bolster and advance its Gaiam TV digital service offerings.
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Athletic Yoga Products and Media: Gaiam continues to extend its
unmatched collection of yoga products and media with a series designed
to help optimize athletic performance. The Company’s new line of
athletic yoga products and media offerings address both the notable
and continuing increase in the practice of yoga to improve sports
performance and reported increases in interest by men in yoga,
including research from Yoga in America that states that over
56% of the 85 million adults who are interested, but have not
participated in yoga, are men. Gaiam’s new media series, available
digitally and on DVD, features professional athletes practicing yoga
led by athletic coach and yoga expert, Kent Katich. The first two
programs, scheduled for release in March, are titled Yoga for
Flexibility and Yoga for Strength and feature
three-time NBA All-Star, Kevin Love, and former NFL All-Pro running
back and Heisman Trophy winner, Eddie George, respectively. A second
set of titles will release in May and feature the Miami Marlins
two-time MLB All-Star Giancarlo Stanton and New England Revolution and
U.S. Men’s National Team soccer player, Jermaine Jones. The Athletic
Yoga programming is designed to help sports enthusiasts and athletes
strengthen their core, improve flexibility (including for injury
prevention), and further develop endurance, stamina, power and
strength.
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Yoga Apparel: Gaiam is extending its presence in the active
wear category in 2015 with two distinct lines and a segmented pricing
structure that departs from the exclusionary nature of this category
prevalent among other industry participants. Gaiam has partnered with
Kohl’s to develop a line of affordable yoga apparel that will be
available in stores this spring. Gaiam’s active wear was developed
with the practice of yoga in mind – focusing on stay-put fit, soft to
the touch fabrics, and versatile styling and designs with a feminine
attitude. In addition, the Company has developed a new performance
line of apparel under the Gaiam Sol brand. The Gaiam Sol apparel line,
which will launch this fall, features fabrics that are luxuriously
comfortable while still offering the technical and wicking benefits
yoga practitioners demand. The active wear is designed to stay on your
body in any pose from Downward Facing Dog to Tripod Headstand. In
addition to the great yoga fit, the Gaiam apparel team has dedicated
great attention to figure flattering details and iconic feminine
prints.
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Gaiam TV on Comcast: Comcast and Gaiam TV jointly announce the
January 2015 launch of Gaiam TV Fit & Yoga on Xfinity TV. The
subscription-based video on demand service will provide Xfinity TV
customers with access to premium yoga and fitness training directly on
the TV. This partnership combines Comcast’s reach to over 22 million
TV households in the U.S. with Gaiam TV’s leadership and expertise in
streaming yoga and fitness content, offering Xfinity TV customers
access to a robust library of hundreds of yoga and fitness classes
taught by world class trainers and teachers, including Jillian
Michaels, Rodney Yee and Shiva Rea, for $6.99 per month. New content
for on- and off-the-mat yoga and fitness will be added every month to
keep Xfinity TV customers committed and motivated to stay strong and
balanced in mind, body and soul.
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Gaiam TV Unplugged: Gaiam TV also recently launched Gaiam TV
Unplugged, a new and industry-leading feature that offers subscribers
the ability to playback any of its 7,000 films, documentaries,
original programs, yoga and fitness videos without an internet
connection. Members can view downloaded content on any of their
compatible devices as long they remain a paying subscriber. The only
conscious media and wellness subscription video on demand (SVOD)
service to offer this capability, Gaiam TV guarantees perfect playback
even with a weak internet connection or in a completely offline
environment. Gaiam TV Unplugged is a critical differentiator in a time
where mobile content consumption is growing faster than any other
platform, and opens the addressable market by approximately 50% in the
U.S., and about 300% internationally. Gaiam TV currently operates in
approximately 100 countries.
Ms. Powers added, “Gaiam remains dedicated to creating new products and
services that align with emerging trends and to offering market leading
solutions that address consumers’ health and wellness needs. With the
extensions of our Athletic Yoga Series, a new line of apparel launching
this year and exciting and differentiated initiatives for our Gaiam TV
service, we are welcoming everyone to experience and enjoy the benefits
of yoga and well-being.”
For more information about Gaiam, Inc. and its extensive portfolio of
yoga, well-being and fitness accessories, visit www.gaiam.com.
About GAIAM
Gaiam, Inc. (NASDAQ: GAIA) is a leading producer and marketer of
lifestyle media and fitness accessories. With a wide distribution
network that consists of approximately 38,000 retail doors, 16,000 store
within stores, 5,000 category management locations, and e-commerce,
Gaiam is dedicated to providing solutions for healthy living and
personal transformation. Gaiam TV is a global digital subscription
service with approximately 7,000 exclusive videos available for
streaming and download. The Company dominates the health and wellness
category and owns the largest library of conscious media. For more
information about Gaiam, please visit www.gaiam.com
or call 1.800.869.3603.
This press release includes forward-looking statements relating to
matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements may be
identified by the use of words such as “expect,” “intend,” “believe,”
“will,” “should” or comparable terminology or by discussions of
strategy. While Gaiam believes its assumptions and expectations
underlying forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no
assurance that actual results will not be materially different. Risks
and uncertainties that could cause materially different results include,
among others, introduction of new products and services, completion and
integration of acquisitions, the possibility of negative economic
conditions, and other risks and uncertainties included in Gaiam’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Gaiam assumes no
duty to update any forward-looking statements.
Copyright Business Wire 2015