Help wanted: Lululemon's cheeky CEO ad
NEW YORK Lululemon (LULU) has had a rocky few months. Now it's looking for help. According to a new CEO job ad it's posted, it's seeking a leader who can hold a headstand for at least 10 minutes, communicate in Sanskrit and down wheatgrass and tequila shots on Fridays for work-life balance.
The unusual ad comes as the Canadian company's shares have slid 19 percent after it announced Monday that its current CEO plans to leave. In March, Lululemon suffered a public relations nightmare after pulling too-sheer yoga pants from shelves.
- Lululemon CEO exits in wake of sheer pants fiasco
- Lululemon rolling out revamped yoga pants
- Lululemon pulls too revealing pants
Lululemon posted a sign on its Facebook page and in stores Thursday reading "CEO Wanted, Apply Within." A job listing on its website says, "You report to no one, you are the CEO (duh)."
The job ad shows the brand's "fun and irreverent" brand qualities, Lululemon said. "We love that our stores and social media teams are not afraid to spark a conversation in our communities"
RBC Capital Markets analyst Howard Tubin said Lululemon's ad should not be taken too seriously.
"It's in keeping with the fun and irreverent way they like to approach their business," Tubin said. "It's a quirky way of them addressing the situation."
Lululemon's CEO, Christine Day, has said she would stay until a successor is named. With her at the helm over the past five years, Lululemon has grown from a company whose $100 yoga pants generated annual revenue of $274 million into one with sales of $1.4 billion in the latest year.
Lululemon shares fell 83 cents, to $66.01, in afternoon trading. They're down about 14 percent in 2013.