With the Help of Fan Favorite John Daly, the New Maxfli Targets the "Long Ball Rebels" of the Golf World Who Love to Grip it and Rip It, and Who Prefer to "Go Long or Go Home"
CARLSBAD, Calif. (November 21, 2006) – The TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company (TMaG) has demonstrated a knack for reinventing, repositioning and rejuvenating golf brands. Seven years ago new leadership at TMaG vowed to reposition the TaylorMade brand as the leader in performance technology, with the goal of becoming the No. 1 metalwood in the world. A plan was devised to improve R&D, marketing and sales efforts across the board. Today TaylorMade ranks No. 1 in U.S. metalwood market share,* and is the No. 1 driver, No. 1 fairway wood and No. 1 hybrid on the PGA Tour.**
TMaG devised a similar plan five years ago to reposition the adidas Golf brand as innovative yet authentic apparel and footwear aimed at passionate players. Since then, sales have leaped annually, and today it’s the fastest growing footwear brand in golf and a burgeoning force in golf apparel.
"It takes more than great products to succeed as a golf equipment company," says Mike Ferris, senior director of product marketing for TaylorMade and Maxfli. "It also requires the ability to position a brand properly, and a clear voice to communicate that position to customers and consumers. We believe the time is right to reposition Maxfli, and we’re confident that the new direction we’re taking will rejuvenate the brand.
"Examine the current golf equipment landscape. There isn’t a company that compares to TaylorMade-adidas Golf at creating high-performance equipment that golfers covet, from tour professionals to weekend warriors. Our R&D power and marketing talents are peerless in the industry. During the past year these proven strengths have been at work creating a new vision for the Maxfli brand and Maxfli product line."
Maxfli Prominence
The Maxfli name has been a prominent part of golf’s culture for more than 80 years, and it still resonates thanks to past popular products and the dominant professionals who played them. Each one was recognized for his independence and for being "his own man." While the majority of their peers played the market leader, they chose Maxfli, helping to define it as a brand favored by players with the backbone to think for themselves instead of following the crowd.
Today, the tour pro most deeply associated with going his own way is John Daly. John’s maverick status is part of what endears him to his deep and devoted fan base, making him the ideal player to spearhead the repositioning of the Maxfli brand. The type of player targeted is one that Maxfli likes to refer to as a "Long Ball Rebel."
Long Ball Rebel, John Daly and the New Maxfli Product Line
Long Ball Rebel is a working man, an independent thinker and an opinion-leader. He’s thoroughly comfortable in his own skin and takes pride in making his own decisions while paying little to no heed of what others think. He’s viewed as a maverick, an image he enjoys. He’s outgoing, affable and laughs loud and often. His motto is work hard, play hard. He prefers country music and insists on a V-8 under his hood. He likes beer, loves to land big bass and is in his element at the five-dollar blackjack table. No ten-dollar table for him because he’s careful with his hard-earned cash. He investigates purchases and waits for sales. In some ways he’s a risk-taker, yet he lives smart and within his means.
A long-time golfer, Long Ball Rebel reveres the game and respects its customs and nuances, though you can’t call him traditional. He identifies far more with John Daly than any other tour pro, and like JD he loves to take it deep, so much so that he’d rather be the longest hitter in his group than the lowest scorer. His golf motto? Go long or go home. Long Ball Rebel isn’t an equipment fanatic but wants to hear about new clubs or balls that might boost his yardage. He prefers to take his equipment cues from tour pros who play for a living. He’s intensely loyal to his family, friends, and favorite teams. That explains why he doesn’t switch brands easily. Yet if a product catches his attention and resonates on a variety of levels, he’ll try it.
Daly is one of the most recognizable golfers in the world, and a large percentage of his fan base are Long Ball Rebels who identify with his heart, everyman flaws and grip-it-and-rip-it style. That’s why we’ve partnered with him to represent Maxfli on tour: John is a pitch-perfect poster boy for the new line of Maxfli products we’ve created for players like Long Ball Rebel.
Golf balls are what Maxfli is known for, and the newest Maxfli products were created to connect with Long Ball Rebel from both a performance standpoint and an emotional standpoint. Maxfli calls it "long ball performance with a twist." Unlike other products made to deliver distance and performance, Maxfli balls are positioned to be interesting, fun, and to appeal to a maverick’s sensibilities.
The new Maxfli Fireâ?¢ is a premium performance ball for golfers who want to "light it up" by hitting it long and going low. With its charismatic name and slick packaging backed up by solid engineering and great performance, Maxfli Fire is guaranteed to go far with Long Ball Rebel (pun intended). Plus, the low MSRP–$19.95–is certain to appeal to his dogged insistence on getting a good product at a reasonable price.
Maxfli still offers the original maverick’s ball, the Noodle®. The many who play Noodle have the wherewithal to put up with the gibes of traditionalists. The reward? Classic Noodle performance: Great distance and great feel, or as it’s better known, long and soft. And both for a great price.
Next comes the new PowerMAX, for players who revere John and his power and who aspire to grip it and rip it like he does. These are the guys who swing out of their shoes on every tee and who live for getting home in two on par fives. Look for them on the driving range, not the practice green, because if they can’t go long, they’d rather not go at all. Two versions, PowerMAX Distance and PowerMAX Soft Distance, both featuring Daly’s image on the box, on the sleeve, and at Maxfli’s specially designed point of sale displays.
The New Maxfli: Poised to Succeed
"We’ve done our homework," says Ferris. "We’ve laid the groundwork. We’ve identified our target audience. We’ve taken a brand with great history and cachet and cleverly reinvented it. We’ve partnered with the perfect pitchman, John Daly. And we’ve created a new line of Maxfli products and a marketing plan that are all bound to resonate with Long Ball Rebel and the thousands of players in the world like him. It’s an audience teed up and waiting to be launched, and Maxfli is primed to hit it on the screws."
*Unit-share and dollar-share according to Golf Datatech
**For the 2006 PGA Tour season according to Darrell Survey equipment counts
About Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. dba TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company
TaylorMade Golf has led the golf industry’s technological evolution since being founded in 1979. adidas Golf footwear and apparel is the choice of hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Consumers can find more information on TaylorMade-adidas Golf at (800) 888-CLUB or www.tmag.com, www.taylormadegolf.com, www.adidasgolf.com, www.maxfli.com or www.rossaputters.com.
Contact:
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
John Steinbach
Tel: 760.918.6330
eMail: john.steinbach@tmag.com
