Columbia Sportswear Retains The Beanstalk Group To Develop Strategic Licensing Program.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 30, 1999--

Company Will Capitalize On Strength Of Mother Boyle Image To Extend

Product Offerings And Expand Global Awareness

Columbia Sportswear Company(R)(Nasdaq:COLM), maker of high quality active outdoor apparel and footwear, today announced that it has signed an agreement with licensing agency The Beanstalk Group to develop a strategy to license the Columbia name across a broad range of related categories.

The program will extend the Company's product offering and expand global awareness by capitalizing on the strength of the brand and the well-recognized image of Chairwoman Gert Boyle, who serves as the cornerstone of Columbia's advertising campaign.

"We are very enthusiastic about the possibilities that lay ahead for Columbia with the launch of this program," said Company President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Boyle. "A strong licensing program will enable us to continue to focus on Columbia's core competencies while at the same time extending and strengthening the brand in a variety of ways that will complement our existing product lines.

"Beanstalk has been successful in growing revenues for and expanding awareness of major international brands, and we look forward to their help in developing a strong, effective licensing program."

The Beanstalk Group, which has offices in New York, Chicago and London, develops and manages licensing programs for both famous and developing brands, including such international labels as The Coca-Cola Company, The Stanley Works, and Harley-Davidson. Widely recognized as an industry leader, Beanstalk promotes licensing as an effective way of leveraging brand names to generate meaningful, long-term revenues.

"We are thrilled to have this opportunity to help Columbia Sportswear fully realize its potential through licensing," said Beanstalk Co-Chairman Michael S. Stone. "One of the keys to a successful licensing program is a clearly defined image and Columbia has one of the most unique and recognizable images in the outdoor apparel industry. We're confident that our new partnership will prove to be an effective tool in Columbia's brand-building campaign."

Columbia and Beanstalk will take a phased approach to licensing, initially scouting products that emulate the five key words guiding Columbia's development and marketing strategies: Outdoor, Active, Authentic, American, and Value. North America and Europe will be targeted during the program's early stages, with the United States serving as the primary focus for distribution of the Company's first licensed products. Columbia's Promotions and Licensing Manager Tom Miller will oversee the program.

Columbia Sportswear Company(R) is a global leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of active outdoor apparel and footwear. As one of the largest outerwear manufacturers in the world and the leading seller of skiwear in the United States, the Company has developed an international reputation by expanding its product line, emphasizing quality, performance, functionality and value. To learn more about Columbia Sportswear, please visit the Company's Web site at www.columbia.com.

For more information on The Beanstalk Group, please contact Co-Chairman Michael Stone at 212/421-6060.

This release contains forward-looking statements related to the Company's ability to develop a strong licensing program and its ability to extend and strengthen its brand through the use of product licensing. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors set forth in the Company's Initial Public Offering prospectus dated March 26, 1998, and the Company's annual report filed on form 10k with the Securities Exchange Commission and dated March 30, 1999. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to develop and implement effective licensing programs on favorable terms, the Company's reliance on product acceptance, effects of weather, dependence on independent manufacturers, seasonality and fluctuations in operating results, effectiveness of the Company's sales and marketing efforts, and intense competition in the industry, which the Company believes will increase. Although forward-looking statements help provide complete information about the Company, investors should keep in mind that forward-looking statements are inherently less reliable than historical information.