In a major coup, Wal-Mart has scored an exclusive deal with Iconix Brand Group to carry the Ocean Pacific and Op brands, the iconic labels often credited with spawning the surf and beach culture.
Ocean Pacific was born in the Sixties as a surfboard label. Jim Jenks, the founder, created an apparel line in 1972 that identified a burgeoning culture and connected surfing with music,
skateboarding, motocross, BMX and snowboarding.
The Ocean Pacific and Op deal covers a broad range of apparel and accessories, and is expected to launch in Wal-Mart stores in the U.S.
in the spring. It's a step in Wal-Mart's strategy to get shoppers to "cross the aisle" from groceries--its largest single business--to soft goods. the alliance may acknowledge it cannot do it with
in-house brands alone.
Harry Bernard, a partner in San Francisco-based Colton Bernard, calls the deal "a fascinating combination of totally different cultures" and says it can succeed if
positioning the brand "doesn't become a battle of the titans during the decision-making process."
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