SEATTLE — REI, the outdoor retailer that swept awards shows with its iconic OptOutside campaign, has put its lucrative US PR business up for review, PRovoke Media has learned.

The company launched a sweeping review — with more than a dozen agencies participating in the first round — early this year and plans to appoint an agency by mid-2024, sources said.

Individuals familiar with the pitch said REI is looking for an agency to handle US national brand awareness and earned media work. The multi-year contract is estimated to be worth between $10 million and $14 million.

REI has worked with Edelman, whose high-profile Black Friday OptOutside campaign swept industry awards, winning multiple SABREs and a 2016 Cannes Lions Grand Prix. The idea centered around REI shuttering on Black Friday and encouraging employees and customers to spend the day outdoors rather than shop.

REI did not respond to request for comment.

The pitch comes on the heels of a tough 2023 for the retailer, whose revenue fell $311 million, or 2.4%, to $3.76 billion, costing hundreds of employees their jobs in several rounds of layoffs. In a January letter to employees, announcing 357 job cuts, president and CEO Eric Artz said he expects conditions to “remain challenging throughout 2024.”

Founded by a group of climbers in 1938, REI today has more than 16,000 employees and 181 US locations. The chain operates as a retail cooperative, owned by its 23 million members.