One Tough Mother Crafts
Global Sportswear Success 

          By Fred Delkin

   "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise." -- GB

     Can it be the water hereabouts that nurtures worldwide success in sportswear 
creation and marketing?  One might think so when you consider the impact 
Oregon-grown products have had on our planet's athletic and recreatonal endeavors.

Nike burst onto the sportswear scene in 1970, at the same time that a lesser 
Oregon-based firm was struggling to survive.  It has, and Columbia Sportswear now 
approaches $2 billion in net sales through 13,000 retailers in 72 nations on 6 
continents. Columbia has over 2,700 folks on the corporate payroll, including
offshore operations.

Columbia's meteoric rise can be ascribed to the reaction 
of "one tough mother" (as the company's brilliant advertising 
has christened Gert Boyle) to the sudden, unexpected death at 
47 in 1970 of her husband Neal, who was running her parents' 
modest company.  Immigrants Paul and Marie Lamfrom left Nazi
Germany in 1937 with Gert, 13, and her two young sisters after 
selling their small shirt manufacturing business. Paul started 
a new business in Portland, naming it after the river 
that flowed past the Rose City. The Columbia plant beneath 
the St. John's bridge produced and sold hats, suspenders, caps 
and socks, and when Gert's husband took over, began to supply 
outerwear to skiers, fishermen and hunters ("the outdoor
person" as Gert describes the customer base).


Gert assumed control of Columbia and refused buyout offers, though the firm was
saddled with sizeable bank loans. She brought her college student son, Tim, into 
the company and the rest is history, as the saying goes.  Gert describes her 
firm's success as "listening to our customers and making what they want." 
Columbia sales were $3 million annually in 1984.  Now the firm is the leading 
skiwear producer in the USA and among the world leaders in sportswear sales.

A Family Image

Gert is a devotee of creating an advertising image as a backbone for customer
relations.  She approved the launch of Columbia's current advertising approach 
back in 1984, when Portland advertising agency, Borders, Perrin & Norander,
conceived communications that project Columbia as a family-run operation with 
a mother and her son guaranteeing customer satisfaction.  The first print ad 
declared that a Columbia product "before it passes Mother Nature, it has to pass 
Mother Boyle." While other sportswear companies concentrate on showing firm young 
bodies in action, humor is the key ingredient for Columbia's efforts.  A national 
print ad for socks declares "Made from Virgin Wool, as compared to sheep that 
sleep around."

(photo: Gert's son, Tim, loves his mom.)

All five foot, three inches of Gert projects the tough mother 
image to guarantee Columbia product quality.  Though the 
family-run image dominates, Columbia is now listed on the 
national stock market.  Ma Boyle, 83, goes to work daily and 
answers her own snail and e-mail.

Serious technology adds backbone to Columbia product success. 
The firm has trademarked and registered manufacturing 
techniques that include "Omnishade" clothing offering sun 
protection in the warmest conditions, "Omni-dry" wicking
and sweat-evaporating clothing that keeps the wearer cool 
and dry, "Omni-tech" that offers waterproof/breathable protection for varying 
needs, "Techlite" lightweight cushioning for footwear and an "Interchange" system 
that combines waterproof breathable shells with inner liners for warmth.  This 
technology was launched decades ago with the introduction of the Bugaboo ski jacket 
with three layers, each removable and an all-time sales leader in its category.

Community involvement policy

Columbia supports organizations both worldwide and locally that provide community
goals.  A "Rethreads" program provides garments that are returned or slightly 
flawed but still wearable.  The firm is a member of the Conservation Alliance 
group of outdoor businesses supplying conservation and environmental funding.  

Columbia sponsors winter sports athletes in the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan,
funding men and women competitors in downhill and Nordic skiing, snowboarding
and paragliding.

Wholly-owned Columbia subsidiaries operate in Canada and Japan.  Columbia family
brands include Montrail, Mountain Hardwear, Pacific Trail and Sorel, in addition 
to Columbia.  Product diversifcation is now rampant, covering a complete array of
sportswear, camping equipment, belts, handbags, home furnishings, watches, 
outdoor tools,sunglasses and footwear including waders, boots and sandals.  
Columbia has followed Nike into Washington county with a headquarters campus
just off U.S. highway 26 near Sunset highschool.  

It is interesting to note that this flagship of capitalist success moved from 
its original quarters in St. John's to a suburban site after the Vera Katz Portland 
city administration threw up ridiculous roadblocks to the Boyles' desire to develop
a headquarters campus on largely unused property adjacent to the Oregon Museum of 
Science & Industry on the Willamette River bank (most of it still undeveloped a 
decade later).

Just another salient example of our local politicians' misunderstanding of what
drives economic development.  Columbia does grace downtown Portland with a
flagship store on SW Broadway and has outlet stores in Sellwood and Lake 
Oswego in the metro area.


Columbia Sportswear

© 2008 Oregon Magazine