Helen of Troy markets it's products in approximately 70 countries throughout the world. Sales within the United States comprised approximately 78, 81 and 83 percent of total net sales in fiscal 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively. The Company's North American and International operations sell their products through mass merchandisers, drug store chains, warehouse clubs, catalogs, grocery stores, specialty stores, beauty supply retailers and wholesalers, distributors, and direct to consumers. The Company collaborates extensively with its retail customers and in many instances produce specific versions of The Company's product lines with exclusive designs and packaging for their stores, which are appropriately priced for their respective customer bases.

The Company markets products through a combination of outside sales representatives and our own internal sales staff, supported by our internal marketing, category management, engineering, creative services and customer service staff. These groups work closely together to develop pricing and distribution strategies and to design packaging and develop product line extensions and new products.

Regional sales and business unit managers work with our inside and outside sales representatives. The sales managers are organized by product group and geographic area and, in some cases, key customers. The regional managers are responsible for customer relations management, pricing and distribution strategies, and sales generation.

The companies from whom we license many of our brand names promote those names extensively. The Revlon®, Vidal Sassoon®, Dr. Scholl's®, Health o meter®, Sunbeam®, TIGI®, Tony&Guy®, and BeadHead®, trademarks are widely recognized because of advertising and the sale of a variety of products. The Company believes it will benefit from the name recognition associated with a number of our licensed trademarks and seeks to further improve the name recognition and perceived quality of all trademarks under which The Company sells products through its own advertising and product development efforts. The Company also promotes its products through television advertising and print media, including consumer and trade magazines and various industry trade shows.

Helen of Troy also use selective sports and entertainment venues to enhance its brand recognition and equity. In fiscal 2004, Helen of Troy became the title sponsor of the Sun Bowl game, one of the longest running invitational post-season college football games in the United States with a history that spans over 70 years. The "Vitalis® Sun Bowl" was the official name for the December 2004 and 2005 games. In fiscal 2007, The Company extended its agreement through the 2009 football season and changed the official name beginning with the December 2006 game to the "Brut® Sun Bowl." CBS Sports broadcasts the "Brut® Sun Bowl" game to nationwide audiences.