Tommy Bahama knows the value of a good story.
"If anything, our brand is based almost all on storytelling," Doug Wood, president and chief operating officer recently told RetailWire. "There is no Tommy Bahama. ... When the company was founded, it was really built up by a story, and what we've done over time is we've kind of built out the story with the idea that the purpose of the company is to enable the world to relax. ... So we talk about it all the time, but you also have to do it casually because if you look like you're trying too hard, that's not very relaxing."
The art of storytelling is not just a one-way communication.
"The internet really gives you a way for people to interact with your brand that candidly wasn't there three to five years ago," said Mr. Wood. "In the world of e-commerce and the internet and social media, the way you do it now is you have to allow your guest to interact with you. And stories is one way; reviews of products is another way; Facebook is another.
"It's fantastic for us because we're not even involved in the discussion — you've got fans talking to fans. All we're doing is setting up the environment for fans to talk. Sometimes they're telling you stuff that isn't always good, but it's actually really good for us because we probably wouldn't have had a chance to hear that if we wouldn't have actually set up the environment for them to talk to us."
One of the ways Tommy Bahama has gotten its customers talking is through a joint program with Major League Baseball. Now in its third year, Tommy Bahama has created collector's versions of the company's traditional camp shirt with a unique graphic developed for select teams, including the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The company makes and individually numbers between 250 and 1,000 shirts, depending on the team. This year, in a new twist, customers were asked to tell their favorite stories about the team they love. All then vote on their favorite stories with the winner getting a free collector's shirt and a $500 Tommy Bahama gift certificate.
"People are so emotional, so into what they're writing," said Mr. Wood. "Some are funny, some are sad, but all of them are really reminiscing about some experience they had at the ballpark or at the game. And they're just wonderful. We've had a lot of fun with it, we're always trying to think of new ways to engage with our guests."
Tommy Bahama is looking to create a deeper connection by asking customers to tell their story for its "Make Dad's Day" promotion. People get to share their favorite story about their father with the potential to win one of three Tommy Bahama gift certificates or a grand prize valued at $10,000.
A lot has changed in the 11 years Mr. Wood has been with Tommy Bahama. The company, which includes retail stores, restaurants and a wholesale business, has expanded into new categories as it and customers have built on the Tommy Bahama story. The company, which started out as a men's brand, now sees women's wear as the fastest growing piece of its business.
Tommy Bahama has also moved from simply a summer brand to one that connects with consumers year-round. Today, its number one selling item is a reversible half-zipped sweater that retails for $98. The company has also embraced denim, which was not part of its original resort wear heritage.
![[Image: Tommy Bahama Interview]](/public/images/discussions/16057/tommy-bahama-still.jpg)
Click to listen to the podcast of RetailWire's in-depth interview with Doug Wood, president and COO of Tommy Bahama in iTunes.