Reebok 2012 Annual Report Download - page 115

adidas Group
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2012 Annual Report
Group Management Report – Our Group
93
2012
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02.4
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Other Businesses Strategy
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TaylorMade-adidas Golf Strategy
Tour validation critical to showcasing equipment
at the highest level
Golfers of all levels are influenced by what the best professional
players in the world play with and wear. Hence, TaylorMade-adidas
Golf’s leadership and presence on the world’s major professional golf
tours is imperative to increasing brand exposure and traction among
consumers. To attract the most talented players, TaylorMade-adidas
Golf offers a comprehensive service to the world’s leading players. The
strength of the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Tour Staff lies in the number
and quality of players and globally recognisable professionals such as
Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Jason Day, Martin Kaymer,
Y.E. Yang, Sean O’Hair, Retief Goosen, Johnson Wagner, Justin Leonard,
Camilo Villegas, Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis. In addition to
TaylorMade Tour Staff members, dozens of other tour professionals also
play TaylorMade metalwoods, helping to make TaylorMade the number
one driver on the world’s six major tours. The visibility and credibility
that TaylorMade enjoys from this widespread use of its equipment is
instrumental to brand and product awareness.
Marketing innovation and excellence in execution
TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s ability to market its products in innovative
and effective ways has been critical to its success. Great emphasis is
placed on creating compelling messages spread widely through a
variety of channels. This includes television, print, social media, public
relations and point of sale as well as demonstration events. For example,
in February 2012, at the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust Open, TaylorMade
Tour Staff pros wore hats with a single heart on the front, replacing the
usual TaylorMade logo. The heart represented TaylorMade’s “Driver
Love” marketing campaign, and television viewers were invited to text
to a specified number whenever they saw a “heart hat” during the
tournament telecast for a chance to win an R11S driver.
Just before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Dustin Johnson
and Sergio Garcia lofted wedge shots to a floating green on the River
Thames in London to call attention to adidas Golf’s new Puremotion
footwear introduction, an event that drew international media coverage.
Original ideas like these and a keen ability to execute them on a high
level continue to set TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s marketing apart from
that of its competitors.
Effective retail and e-commerce strategy leverages
key accounts and assets
TaylorMade-adidas Golf makes it a point to create compelling point-
of-sale displays and communications designed to quickly and clearly
educate the consumer on the product benefits of all four brands.
Furthermore, TaylorMade-adidas Golf works closely with its key retail
partners to ensure a consistent and excellent retail experience for the
consumer. Core channels include green grass retailers, off-course golf
specialty retailers and sporting goods retail formats with golf-specific
departments. TaylorMade-adidas Golf also maintains a close relationship
with more than 3,000 golf professionals and assistant golf professionals
across the USA, who act as brand ambassadors in their green grass
shops, not only selling the products of all four brands but turning golfers
into brand loyalists. Additionally, in emerging markets around the world,
the company employs established adidas Group infrastructures to
distribute products, promote awareness and drive growth.
TaylorMade’s continued commitment to leading every
major golf category
TaylorMade’s priority is to become the leader in each individual golf
equipment category. That means strengthening its position as the
number one metalwoods and irons brand and ascending to the top
market position in wedges, putters, balls and accessories.
Metalwoods
TaylorMade is the clear market leader in metalwoods (drivers, fairway
woods and hybrids), driven by over a decade of relentless innovation and
product introductions. In 2012, this was again evident with RocketBallz
metalwoods, whose combination of performance superiority, tour
visibility, powerful marketing and wide distribution led to a new
record-high market share for the brand. At the same time, the R11S
driver, with its wide range of adjustability technologies for loft, face
angle and movable weight, was by far the top-selling adjustable driver
in the world
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PICTURE 02. These products helped elevate TaylorMade’s
metalwood market share in the USA to 47% in 2012 from 35% in the
prior year.
02
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TaylorMade
R11S driver