Tips for retailers

Do you need a Beckham or Ronaldinho to sell a boot?

Different strokes for different folks, is a very true adage.

In 2006, Brazil’s national football team got $12-mil for playing the famed “beautiful game” in Nike soccer shoes. Names like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho or Cristiano Ronaldo have, among others, become so closely identified with the swoosh that they could just as well have been employed as a Nike marketing team.

David Beckham and adidas — need one say more?

Thierry Henry has not only inspired the new Reebok Sprintfit range, but is also the inspiration for their fashionable off-field range.

Closer to home, the Jomo Sono boot put Puma on the local soccer map a few decades ago, while big Schalk’s big boots gave them a massive rugby footprint.

And when Le Coq Sportif launched in SA, they couldn’t have asked for better luck than France’s darling Freddy Michalak joining the Sharks, kitted out by Le Coq Sportif.

Worthwhile?

But, do the staggering amounts paid to secure the services of the big name stars and teams actually translate into enough sales to justify the signing?

In some instances yes, others no, and in one instance ja-nee.

In SA, the Thierry Henry-inspired Sprintfit range hasn’t been Reebok’s best seller, but nor was it intended to be so, says Deane Nothard, communications manager of Reebok SA. “The Sprintfit range is our top-end boot designed for the serious soccer player — the majority of soccer players in SA, especially at grass roots level, aren’t in a position to buy the top-end boots,” says Nothard.

However, you can’t discount the credibility an icon like Henry brings to the brand, and the knock-on effect it has on all Reebok branded boots.

Locally, Reebok sponsors a number of individual soccer players, and most of the players in the Reebok sponsored teams of Bloem Celtic and AmaZulu are also wearing the Sprintfit range of Reebok boots.

This brand awareness for the Reebok boot filters right through the Reebok ranges to their Africa boot, which is the biggest seller locally and one of the most affordable boots on the market, adds Nothard.

With international icons such as Henry and Ryan Giggs, and local heroes such as Godfrey Sapula, Lefa Tsutsulupa and Nathan Paulse, to name a few, kids can aspire to these players and especially to the technical products that help them reach their top performance. In this regard, Reebok is a brand tested by some of the best soccer players locally and internationally, ensuring that there is a commitment to quality and performance across the entire Reebok range, said Nothard.

Boots named after players generally do sell well, as these players are generally sporting icons that people aspire to, says Duncan Kukard, director of Le Coq Sportif. “It is great to be associated with your hero, and play in the same boots as they do. In most cases these players are also a walking brand name. Add this to a great sporting brand, and your success rate goes up.”

Since launching in SA earlier this year, Le Coq Sportif have not only had the backing of Freddy Michalak, but have also teamed up with SA rugby stars Conrad Jantjes and Kabamba Floors.

“The named boots are not always the best sellers, as they tend to be the top-end’s most expensive boots,” says Kukard. He does, however, agree with Northard that from a marketing perspective, the rewards and credibility offered are fantastic and worth every cent. “In our case, the Michalak boot does this for us.”

He does add a note of caution: “The cons of the matter are obviously when a player associated gets labelled for something, such as drug use or cheating. The brand is then dragged down together with the player.”

“But, if the star has a lifetime and a legacy beyond the product they endorse, then yes, it can be very worthwhile, adds Brett Bellinger, marketing director of Puma SA.

“In addition, there is the unquantifiable brand building and association effect. Association of the star with the product and the brand drives further sales of the brand in other categories simply by association.”

Lotto sponsors many international soccer players, and these players do sell the product well, says Robert Blom, director of Thornbird Trading, distributor of Lotto in SA. “These endorsements are worth their value,” he says.

Luca Toni was one of the strikers in that Italian team that upset the 1998-holders, France, in Germany. “It is good for the Lotto brand to have stars who endorse the brand, as there is high visibility, and young players do want to emulate the stars,” added Blom.

Lotto was a very prominent brand at the European Football Championship in 2008, which saw sixteen national teams playing 31 matches, a tournament televised in 180 countries worldwide with over 8-bn viewers watching it. The players who endorsed the Lotto soccer boot were Danijel Pranjic, Dario Knezevic, Igor Budan, Toni, Simone Perrotta, Morgan De Sanctis, Adam Kokszka, Henk Timmer, Mark Jankulovski, Marius Constantin Nicolae, Marius Viorel Popa, Razvan Cocis, Joan Capdevila, Jan Gutierrez Moreno, Sergei Ignashevich and Ivic Vastic.

Lara Mackay, sports marketing manager of Umbro SA, says they have three key international players who endorse the brands — John Terry, Michael Owen and Deco.

For the current season, the SX Valor for the more robust defensive type of player, is endorsed by Terry. Then there is the SX Flare by Owen for a more attacking player where speed is vital. Deco has endorsed both boots as a midfielder.

When selling these top-end boots locally, it certainly does help to be able to promote the product that these international stars wear. “But, in the SA economy, these boots are imported at great cost and there is only a certain niche market that would be able to afford or even be prepared to spend that amount of money on a pair of boots, says Mackay.

“So, no, these top-end boots would not be our best seller as the market for them is not that big,” said Mackay.

Mackay added that it is vital for the success of any brand to have iconic players who endorse their products. “I do not believe that the products at this level would succeed for any brand without the endorsement, but the debate on whether the huge expense is warranted would need to be evaluated by each brand,” she says.

“Budgets vary and with the huge salaries that these top players are demanding, the brands have to spend big money to secure these players.

“Also, with Umbro we have far fewer top players, but the ones we have, are very loyal and stay with the brand even after their playing days (for example Alan Shearer) as Brand Ambassadors.

“It definitely does help with the brand appeal to have these players endorsing not just specific products, but the brand as a whole.”

On the other hand, the Optimum boot has done very well in the UK, extending sales to 26 000 pairs in its first year, without going the route of players endorsing the boot, says Tony Barker, a director of Optimum in SA.

“The idea has been to market a top-end boot at a mid range price,” he says. “This concept worked well in the UK, and in SA it has been the introductory season, so it is a question of wait and see.”

A director of another brand who was prepared to be quoted only on condition of anonymity, said: “ I am not sure the stars warrant the investment made. The money spent on the players to endorse the product is added onto the price of the item anyway, so the public pays for the endorsement in the end.

“Quite often the player holds out for the best deal and there is very little allegiance. If the public were more aware of this, they might question the ethics and motives of the brands and the players.”

Gilbert SA made an assessment about their position in the market. “We decided that you cannot be all things to all people at all times. First and foremost, we are a rugby brand that is run and managed by rugby lovers.

“We went back to our core — and that was to manufacture and market a forward-specific rugby boot with eight studs suited to the tight five in the pack,” said Du Toit Botes, group general manager of Gilbert South Africa.

“We have done very well. We would like to believe that we are the market leader in our segment,” he says. “We have researched the needs that tight five forwards have. We sat down with the players and discussed what was of utmost importance to them.

“One of the things mentioned by big, heavy players like Johan Ackermann (former Springbok lock of the Sharks who represented the Sharks in a couple of Super 14-games in the 2008-season) is that when a lineout-jumper lands on the toes of the props after a line-out, their feet suffer.

“Because of this research, Gilbert has improved its design to suit the needs of the tight five and has added a toe-cap. We have designed it to become a specialist shoe,” explains Botes.

The sole unit was also designed to carry the weight of a player of 100kg or more. Heel support was added to assist the Achilles heel of the heavy forwards.

The Gilbert product was endorsed by ten to twelve Super 14-forward specialists during the past season. Apart from Ackermann, Rory Duncan (a former Cheetah captain), Jaco Engels (Bulls’ loosehead-prop), Dewald Senekal (Lions’ lock), Franco vd Merwe (Lions’ flank/lock) and Adriaan Fondse (Stormers and WP lock) also endorsed the Gilbert forward specific boots. The Rugby World Cup was a great showcase for Gilbert, not only for being the official ball, but also being the official footwear supplier to Namibia RU, Martin Corry (England captain), Martin Owen (Wales), Dan Parks (Scotland) and Mick O’Driscoll (Ireland).

“Although we have not had players with their own names on boots, we have achieved a massive amount with very little endorsement.” says Botes.

“Players have watched other players who have used the boot, and have identified with the type of specialist boot, and the function it fulfils in supporting that specific style of player, and it has worked wonders for us,” he adds.

Asics is another brand that relies more on their reputation for providing top class technical features, than big name stars. Working from the premise that football stars can in any case not perform if they are injured, they rather spend money on research and development of boots that will limit injuries. Their Gel-Lethal range of football boots were designed with the objective to enhance performance, actively support players’ biomechanics and help prevent injuries.