Reebok 2008 Annual Report Download - page 81

adidas Group Annual Report 2008 077
Major 2008 product launches
Product Brand
adidas by Stella McCartney golf
apparel collection
adidas
adidas Originals adidas Grün collection adidas
adidas Originals Handbags For Feet collection adidas
adidas Originals Denim by Diesel
apparel collection
adidas
adiSTAR® Control 4 running shoe adidas
adiSTAR® Revolt running shoe adidas
adiZero™ CS running shoe adidas
Barricade tennis shoe adidas
F50 TUNIT™ football boot adidas
Men’s training adidas TECHFIT PowerWEB adidas
miCoach training system adidas
mi Originals customisation tool adidas
Team Signature Creator basketball shoe adidas
Women’s Yatra training collection adidas
Avon Pink Ribbon collection Reebok
Big Papi 2M (baseball footwear) Reebok
Freestyle Cities collection Reebok
HEXRIDE Rally running shoe Reebok
KFS Sprintfi t II Pro football boot Reebok
Premier Verona KFS running shoe Reebok
Vince Young Electrify SD
(American football boot)
Reebok
Voltron men’s footwear collection Reebok
Women’s American football
apparel collection
Reebok
Yao Pump™ Omni HEXRIDE basketball shoe Reebok
CCM Vector U+™ Stick Reebok-CCM Hockey
Reebok OPS 7K Sickick Stick Reebok-CCM Hockey
Rockport Signature Series Rockport
Burner® and Burner® TP balls TaylorMade-adidas Golf
my TP ball TaylorMade-adidas Golf
r7® CGB MAX Limited driver TaylorMade-adidas Golf
r7® CGB MAX Rescue hybrid TaylorMade-adidas Golf
TECHFIT PowerWEB
adidas Golf apparel line
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Tour Burner® iron TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Tour Burner® TP driver TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Tour Preferred® Red and Black golf balls TaylorMade-adidas Golf
TOUR360 LTD adidas Golf shoe TaylorMade-adidas Golf
The system comprises fi ve key components: a mobile phone, a
heart rate monitor, a stride sensor chip to fi t all adidas running
footwear, compatible adidas apparel and the miCoach website
to create tailored training programmes. Sales of products using
TECHFIT™ technology doubled in 2008 following extension of
the technology into additional categories such as basketball.
Product innovation at Reebok focuses on key categories
In 2008, we made progress in improving the quality and appeal
of Reebok’s product portfolio especially in the sports category.
Product launches focused on those categories the brand has
defi ned as core to its future positioning, i.e. Women’s Fitness,
Men’s Sport and Classics. At brand Reebok, 66% of ordered
footwear was launched in 2008 (2007: 61%). Only 14% of
ordered footwear products were related to products introduced
three or more years ago (2007: 10%). In 2008, Reebok brought
to market SmoothFit™, a unique technology that eliminates all
exposed stitching in shoes and apparel to reduce the amount of
abrasion against the foot and body. The technology was rolled
out across different categories such as training and running
and is now used in more than 70 Reebok products. Reebok
also launched a number of footwear products across different
categories containing further refi nements to its KineticFit
(KFS) technology. This technology makes use of a series of
engineered stretch panels positioned in key areas of the shoe
which accommodate changes in the size and shape of an
athlete’s foot as it moves.
At Reebok-CCM Hockey, products launched in 2008 accounted
for 31% of sales in North America (2007: 58%). Only 16% of
sales in this region were generated with products introduced
three or more years ago (2007: 12%). In 2008, Reebok-CCM
Hockey launched the revolutionary U+™ Skate. Through the
use of U FOAM, the skate customises to the foot after being
heated once. The use of the new lightweight, revolutionary
rocket runner blade makes it the lightest skate on the market,
supporting CCM’s position as one of the leading skate brands
in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Due to the different business model for the Rockport brand
with its larger focus on non-athletic styles, the impact from
new styles is signifi cantly lower. As a result, 51% of ordered
products were launched in 2008 (2007: 50%). 18% of ordered
products were related to products introduced three or more
years ago (2007: less than 20%). In 2008, R&D efforts concen-
trated on further developing the brand’s Machine Washable
and Walk Dry technologies as well as improving Rockport’s
proprietary Dynamic Suspension System.
Innovation continues as key success factor for
TaylorMade- adidas Golf
In the TaylorMade- adidas Golf segment, current products (i.e.
products launched in the last 18 months, which is the typical
product lifecycle in golf) represented 92% of total hardware
sales (2007: 75%). Products that had been brought to market
three or more years ago accounted for 1% (2007: 1%). Among
the highlight product launches in 2008 was the next generation
of Burner® drivers using SuperFast and Dual Crown technology
promoting faster swing speed, a higher launch angle and lower
spin-rate. Together this enables players to achieve longer
distance. The Burner® family of drivers accounted for approxi-
mately 15% of TaylorMade-adidas Golf sales in 2008. In this
year, TaylorMade also launched the Itsy Bitsy Spider Putter
featuring Movable Weight Technology™ and AGSI+ grooved
insert technology, which is designed to grip the ball at impact,
reducing backspin and promoting forward spin.
Ambitious 2009 R&D targets
Research and development is crucial for our Group’s success
as we continuously strive to meet and exceed the expectations
of our consumers and customers with respect to technology
and design. The awards we attained in 2008 are further proof
of our technology leadership within the sporting goods indus-
try. Our Group remains committed to bringing at least one new
revolutionary technology or groundbreaking evolution to the
market each year see Group Strategy, p. 046. In 2009, intel-
ligent product technologies will be at the forefront of adidas
R&D activities as we aim to position the brand as the technol-
ogy leader in this rapidly growing category. Reebok’s focus
will continue to be on technologies enhancing comfort and fi t
that are tangible and easily understandable for the consumer.
TaylorMade- adidas Golf’s development efforts will centre on
further increasing the adaptability of its products to individual
player characteristics.