REI Co-op

OluKai Taps Hawaiian Lifeguards as Brand Ambassadors

OluKai, a Hawaiian-inspired premium footwear brand, has long partnered with the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association (HLA) and now leverages professional lifeguards as product testers, co-branded line partners and content creators. For about two decades the brand has supplied lifeguards with footwear and uses their field-testing feedback to inform product development and prove durability. Lifeguards also appear in OluKai’s video series “On Guard” and ocean-safety videos, which the brand says deliver higher engagement than its average content; one lifeguard video has nearly 50,000 YouTube views. OluKai sells direct-to-consumer and through retailers (including Amazon, REI and Nordstrom), operates 14 U.S. stores, and is part of holding company Archipelago Communities. The company donates a portion of HLA-line sales to HLA youth programs and maintains an ambassador roster and foundation supporting Hawaiian culture and ocean stewardship.

Dick’s launches $99 paid loyalty tier

Dick’s Sporting Goods launched ScoreCard+, a $99-per-year paid loyalty tier that offers benefits including free shipping, access to exclusive promotions, a 20% discount on in-store services and experiences, and $100 in rewards delivered as $25 each quarter. ScoreCard+ members also receive one free service or experience annually (up to $100) and can earn 3x points on one purchase per year. Dick’s said it has about 30 million loyalty members who account for more than 75% of sales and is offering $100 toward Dick’s owned brands for customers who sign up in July. The company is also enhancing its free ScoreCard program, relaunched its credit card in May with enhanced rewards, introduced an AI shopping adviser, and continues to invest in its Dick’s Media Network to monetize first-party shopper audiences.

Semrush Publishes Expanded 2026 AI Visibility Index

Semrush, an Adobe company, published the 2026 AI Visibility Index analyzing 126 million U.S. AI search prompts collected from January through April 2026. The expanded study scales Semrush’s earlier index from 2,500 prompts to a much larger dataset and benchmarks brand mentions, citations, and visibility across four major AI search environments. The report finds large sector differences in AI visibility concentration, highlights that only 36 global brands retained top-100 visibility across all four platforms, and shows publishers and third-party sources now heavily influence AI brand narratives. Adobe data cited in the release shows dramatic growth in AI-driven traffic to retail and travel sites. Semrush and Adobe argue brands need integrated SEO, content, data and governance strategies because many marketing leaders lack tools to measure AI visibility consistently across platforms.