OluKai is tapping Hawaiian lifeguards as brand ambassadors and product testers

“From a narrative or story standpoint, we’re really focused on developing this authentic point of view in Hawaii,” Kerry Konrady, the brand’s chief marketing officer, said in an interview. “Being a lifeguard in Hawaii is a very revered career path,” he added, saying, “You could consider them our athletes.”

Working with lifeguards also gives OluKai a unique way to prove out the durability of its products.

“One of the things that’s amazing about Hawaii is how diverse the landscapes are and how rugged it is out there,” Konrady said. “Hawaii’s ocean waves are three times more powerful than California waves. … It’s almost the worst-case scenario, what these guys can put [our footwear] through. It really puts our product to the test.”

Founded in 2005, OluKai positions itself as a premium sandal brand, with many styles retailing for more than $100. One of its founders, Bill Worthington, grew up in Oʻahu. He and his business partners felt there was ample white space for sturdy, comfortable sandals that could be worn at the beach or out to dinner.

Fast-forward 20 years later, and OluKai sells many styles of shoes, from slides to slippers to golf sneakers to waterproof boots. Today, the company is about “50-50 sandals to shoes,” Konrady said. OluKai launched an e-commerce website in 2008 but also sells via Amazon and partners including REI, Nordstrom, surf shops and boutiques. OluKai has 14 stores throughout the U.S., as well. OluKai is now part of a holding company called Archipelago Communities, along with hat brand Melin, clothing brand Roark and sunglasses brand Kaenon.

Over the years, OluKai has designed shoes specifically for lifeguards; its HLA line is co-branded with the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association and encompasses several styles, from beach sandals to all-terrain athletic shoes. A portion of every purchase goes back to the HLA, which uses the funds to support its junior lifeguard program. Current styles retail from $80-$150 online.

Hawaii has hundreds of lifeguards across its islands, Konrady said, and the brand supplies shoes to all of them. In January, OluKai premiered a video content series called “On Guard” to profile select lifeguards. There are seven episodes out, as of July 2, and they can be watched on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, as well as on the brand’s website.

One “On Guard” episode profiles Kaya and Brandan Ahuna, a father and daughter who are both lifeguards, while another profiles Jesse King, a North Shore lifeguard at “the most dangerous beach on Earth.” The series, so far, has a higher engagement rate and watch time versus OluKai’s average benchmark for videos, per the brand. One video, featuring lifeguard and big-wave surfer Luke Shepardson, has racked up nearly 50,000 views on YouTube.

“On Guard” aims to highlight how lifeguards approach their careers and responsibilities, Konrady said. “Everybody thinks of ‘Baywatch’ when they think of lifeguards, but these folks are very different,” he said. “Being a lifeguard in Hawaii is very treacherous. You’re swimming out in 40-foot waves at Waimea Bay. The ‘On Guard’ series is able to dimensionalize them as human beings. They’re civil servants, and they have families, and to bring that other part of their life out is really important, too.”

Interestingly enough, a “Baywatch” revival is in the works, potentially paving a path for more brands to work with lifeguards, said Kerry Bradley, svp of strategy at Horizon Sports & Experiences. “We’ve seen how entertainment can reshape cultural interest,” she said, pointing to how “Yellowstone” fueled an interest in Western culture. Brands like Ariat jumped on the “Yellowstone” train, and with “Baywatch” returning, “lifeguards could experience a similar moment,” Bradley told Modern Retail.

In general, working with micro-influencers pays off for brands, Bradley said. These types of creators tend to “punch above their weight,” she said, adding that smaller, tight-knit audiences are converting at high rates. “Brands are increasingly starting to prioritize engagement quality, as opposed to follower count,” Bradley explained. “While lifeguards don’t have the built-in reach or celebrity status of professional athletes, … they bring a level of authenticity that is hard to replicate and gets the product on the feet of real-world users.”

Ocean sports, overall, form a big part of OluKai’s ethos. In addition to sponsoring lifeguards, the brand is the official footwear of the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, a well-renowned big-wave surf contest. Shepardson, one of Hawaii’s lifeguards, won the Eddie in 2023 and has appeared in an ongoing OluKai video series called “The Path to the Eddie.” Other lifeguards, including Joey Cadiz, are featured in the series, as well.

OluKai maintains a roster of ambassadors, whom it calls its “ʻohana,” or “chosen family” in Hawaiian. These include Kimi Werner, a champion spearfisher; Rose Jaffurs, a surfer and surf instructor; and Bryan Phillips, a Hawaiian lifeguard. OluKai also sponsors the Polynesian Voyaging Society and has collaborated with Aftco, a fishing performance-apparel brand. The company’s foundation, the Ama OluKai Foundation, was founded in 2014 “to preserve land and ocean, serve our communities and maintain the Hawaiian culture and traditions.”