How Vacation Inc. Made the Leap From Internet Brand to Costco
Spotted Vacation Inc. at Costco this weekend and I was like… whaaaat?
Sunday morning Costco runs have become a new ritual for my fam. They open an hour early for executive members, a perk we only discovered recently (pretty sure it’s new?). Somewhere along our walk through the aisles, my wife Dana came over holding a twin pack of Vacation sunscreen.
“This looks fun.”
Pretty sure my eyes went 👀 and my jaw fell to the floor. Vacation has been a brand I’ve only experienced through a screen and I haven't kept tabs on. Seeing it here felt like a plot twist.
The story starts in 2021 with Poolsuite (formally Poolside FM), an internet radio project built on an unapologetic 80s vibe. The founders took that world and turned it into a sunscreen brand, from the retro visuals and playful tones to scents that feel like summer and their whipped-cream style SPF mousse (that I very much need to try). Every detail connected back to the universe they created.
Before launch, they ran a clever campaign where fans could sign up as “honorary employees” and get a digital business card to share online. Thousands joined in, building a list and community before a single product shipped.
Once in market, they made email a growth engine, sending newsletters three times a week in the summer and twice a week in the off season to stay top of mind for those spur-of-the-moment sunscreen purchases.
Creators and user-generated content amplified the buzz. We even wrote about them in DTC Patterns (link in comments).
They shipped about 1,500 units every week to influencers and event hosts, keeping the brand in feeds. TikTok became a major sales driver for Classic Whip SPF. At one point, 80% of sales came through TikTok Shop.
By 2023, they were in more than 1,200 Ulta Beauty stores. Target, Nordstrom, CVS Pharmacy, and Bloomingdale's’s followed. Now, Costco Wholesale.
All said, kudos to founders Marty Bell, Lach Hall, and Dakota Green. Love seeing a brand born on the internet now stacked high in everyday places IRL. A testament to world building and quality products people can’t help but talk about.
And yes, after years of being aware of this brand, it took finding them in Costco to purchase.
