Li-Ning: Original Expansion
The sneaker game is nothing but competitive. Most companies that seem to have their own brand identities, are really just subdivisions of sportswear empires. Converse became infamous teaming up rivals and friends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird for the still relevant Weapon sneaker. But now, Nike owns Converse, turning it more into a fashion brand with collaborations with American designer John Varvatos. Nike moved Dwyane Wade from Converse to Jordan Brand and taking away his signature shoe but making him the new main pitchman for the yearly Jordan release - this season the Jordan 2010. Adidas owns Puma, among other brands, so needless to say, it's hard to be a new independent brand in the conglomerate market place.
Li-Ning Company Limited, is a major "sports brand enterprise" from China, that covers development, research, distribution, manufacturing, marketing, and of course, design. The company focusses on apparel, footwear, accessories and sports equipment. They've tapped athletes for sponsorship at home and abroad including the NBA market and are focussing on global expansion and market share.
Their list of athletes includes the effervescent Baron Davis. Not only is Baron a great point guard, but a film director, an actor and a well-known fashion plate in the NBA. When Boom Dizzle where's something new, others take notice. His signature shoe, the BD Doom came out this season too much buzz and apparently a lot of on court questions from fellow players.
The logo for the shoe is without question, Baron himself - the Beardman, sporting his trademark homeless-chic beard. The shoe came in five different colour ways, all available for sale - something that major brands don't always offer. LeBron James plays almost nightly in a different colour and style of his LeBron Air Max VII, but very few are available for sale. Baron's sneaker offered customization with a variety of eyelets and lacing options. It also came with a vinyl figure, picking up on the collectible toy market that is so synonymous with street and sneaker collecting culture. The Beardman is also adorned on apparel like varsity jackets and tees. While it wasn't the prettiest shoe, it certainly makes a statement - something the company needed to do to assert itself amongst the big sportswear dogs.
Li-Ning has taken this success and propelled it into building their first store front in Portland, Oregon, where the brand's headquarters are state side. The flagship opened in January 2010 - not far from Nike's compound in Beaverton, Oregon. With the opening of the store, Champs Sports announced that Li-Ning will be in 80 stores by this summer. Recently, Li-Ning expanded the Portland store and it now spans 2,200 square feet. The company wanted to display more than just their basketball lines and show a full variety of products, especially indoor sports. The showroom and retail store originally opened at 850 square Clearly, the company is doing something right.
To really compete with Nike, they need to continue their interesting shoes with viral campaigns, giving consumers something different. As a sneaker fiend, I'm over seeing every Jordan shoe bastardized into a new fusion model. Seeing something new, and not a company that lives in the past trying to capitalize on old classics shows true innovation and fresh ideas. It's exciting to see what Li-Ning can bring and if they can continue recruit not only talented but interesting athletes, like Baron Davis and also Shaquille O'Neal, they can create a niche in the massive market. Bring on the Beardman.
NY Yankees and DKNY: A Match Made in Pinstripes
The fourth most valuable sports franchise in the world added to their endorsement arsenal once again. The New York Yankees concentrated on off-field performance for once to focus on fashion. As reported by Women's Wear Daily on Monday, Donna Karan New York Inc. (DKNY) agreed to a long-term, multifaceted investment deal with the New York Yankees. Full details of the partnership were not released as it is still in development but the first and most obvious step is a DKNY billboard above the outfield bullpen in right-centrefield. The billboard features DKNY's logo with the Manhattan skyline in the background, tieing in the heritage and branding of DKNY with the Bronx Bombers.
There are also advertisements for DKNY 2010 editorial campaign featuring male models in Yankee navy suits paired with blue ties and stark white shirts, but sadly, no pinstripes in sight. Shouldn't that be an obvious homage to the team? It's not a new initiative for a fashion brand to take interest in involving itself with professional sports. Many athletes, like Yankee captain Derek Jeter, have signature shoes and some even have their own clothing lines. Luxury accessories, like Tag Heuer watches have a variety of high-profile athletes endorsing their products in play and on billboards. Sean Avery, another New York sportsman, has interned at Vogue and now serves as a collaborator, pitchman and muse for the simple and chic menswear line Commonwealth Utilities. However, this is a landmark deal because it was one of the first times for a ready-to-wear fashion line to partner with an entire team and have such a visible presence in a sporting arena. It's not just providing the Yankees with suits, but integrating two brands from one city for both a partnership and profit.
It's a natural fit for both parties because athletes are role models and physical ideals to the large portion of the population. Athletes are high paid, in incredible shape and live at different standard than the rest of us - what average man wouldn't want to date Kate Hudson or have a garage full of the most exclusive cars on the planet? Now, not only can a man dress like his favourite athlete when he's playing sports or watching the game on his couch, but also when he's at a business meeting or taking on the town. A suit is staple in the modern man's wardrobe, and in the life of most New York men, and so are the Yankees. The advertisements feature male models but it would make sense to use the Yankee players themselves for editorial images, especially since many have modelling experience. Baseball players have height, great shape and strong shoulders that every designer would love to dress. The Yankee roster also features a diverse group of men, some young, some veterans and some very attractive that only men would want to be, but women would want to be with them. (I suggest Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson and of course, Derek Sanderson Jeter). The conglomerate owner of Donna Karan International, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), is a global brand and one of the most powerful in the fashion and lifestyle market. The campaigns will circulate the New York state of mind and wardrobe worldwide, much like the Yankee games and fans.
DKNY and the Yankees may pride themselves on being brands that are synonymous with New York City but in reality, they are both worldwide franchises. New Yankee Stadium can hold 55,000 a game while YES Network (Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network) are accessible anywhere in the USA. Online streaming of games are available through YES, MLB.tv and not so legal channel surfing websites. DKNY clothing and accessories are available worldwide and are at an accessible price point. Not everyone many can afford a high fashion $1500 Dior Homme suit from an exclusive retailer. While DKNY's modern slim suit is accessible to more body types but also at $595 and available at national retailers, more markets and men with buying power can access it. The Yankees are a team with classic uniforms and are the chosen team of the masses, so DKNY can try to become the main purveyor of pinstripes for these legions of fans: a classically cool wardrobe for an iconic team.
All the extensive details of the deal including length are not disclosed but it seems that DKNY is ensuring that their slogan, "[DKNY] is not just about clothes. It's about a lifestyle" lives up to their agreement with the Yankees. Besides the advertisement directly in New Yankee Stadium and the branded editorial images, DKNY is ensuring that their brand is closely associated with the Bronx Bombers. The brand is the title sponsor of the Dugout Lounge, which is above the third baseline (left field - opposite from where the DKNY billboard stands). The lounge is specifically for suite holders, so fans who can equipped to spend in expensive attire. There will be food, drinks, live streams of games in high definition and DKNY runway and advertisement reels on rotation. DKNY and Yankees may reach out to the community using charitable programs and activities to appeal to consumers on all levels, not just those in the luxury suites at the stadium.
Bringing together timeless yet fresh fashion and America's past time is match made in sartorial heaven because of all the endorsement options available. In a global connected market it makes sense to reach out to multiple demographics in such a public way. The DKNY billboard above the bullpen will make its début in New Yankee Stadium on April 13th, the first home game of the Yankees' 2010 season. Donna Karan herself will attend batting practice, no word if DKNY will be making bats and gloves for its namesake to sport on the field.
High fives & booty taps,
Why Tiger Changed His Stripes
Tiger Woods is coming back to professional golf on the PGA's grandest, greenest stage; quel surprise. On Sunday, Tiger's tight team decided that they would allow him to speak one on one with a select few reporters for a small window of time with no restrictions on questions (allegedly). When word that two interviews, one on ESPN and one on Golf Channel respectively would air in the evening, newsrooms and twitterati began speculating. Would Tiger finally divulge the dirty details of his illicit affairs? Would the public finally know what really happened between him and Elin and the fire hydrant on the morning of Thanksgiving 2009? But, not to anyone's surprise, Tiger's mini-chats gave us no new information or insight into the guarded golfer's exploits. So why talk? The tone of the interview was all wrong as he did not clarify anything. Tiger's a heavily focussed golfing machine that's constantly surrounded by "Team Tiger" who control his public and professional life so it would have given us some insight if he let the public in anymore, and not just coping out to the "it's a personal matter" excuse. Yes, how many skanky women he gave it to Basian sensation style is very personal, as is the real medical term for the treatment he's undergoing or his newfound commitment to his marriage and religion, but then don't tempt the public. Come out and be relentless, red shirt wearing, fist pumping Tiger. Be the bad guy who will win the crowds over with pure links skills - just be a golfer, not a PR feeler. Team Tiger clearly wants to make him back into the king of the courses, and although they fed him the wrong script, they finally got him in the right clothes.
Team Tiger recently announced that Mr. Woods will change the sponsor logo on his golf club bags from AT&T, a former Tiger sponsor, to the TW Nike logo. TW is the branded clothing line that Nike created for Tiger, who's been with the company since he turned professional at sixteen years old. Before the mistress debacle, Tiger was the most marketable sports star around the world and had more endorsements than a NASCAR ride. He's multiracial, successful and so dominating that he makes non-golf enthusiasts care about the PGA. But now, most of his sponsors have bid farewell.
It was a very smart and deliberate move to have Tiger only wear golf gear, or more specifically TW attire, during his interviews. He finally looked like a golfer, not a playboy or recovering addict. The hat he is never seen without on the course, and choosing white rather than black lightens up his face and shows his logo clearly. The moss coloured sweater layered over a celery green polo is sporty but casual - what a regular guy might wear relaxing at the clubhouse after a round of golf. It also is reminiscent of lush courses and of course, the elusive green jacket. Why not subliminally remind fans that Tiger is back to the green by staying in the same colour family? Although Tiger didn't talk nearly enough about his golf game for a Golf Channel interview and not TMZ or CNN, he at least looked the part.
The outfit he wore on Sunday evening is a vast improvement from the one he wore to his apologetic press conference in February. Tiger has never had great style, especially off the course. Perhaps because he's such an unbelievable athlete, he's going to fall short in other areas where his concentration is not focussed. I may bought his prepared speech if Tiger looked like he put some effort into his overall presentation, as it was after-all, his time to tell his story. But instead, he was one hot mess of a sad man. His jacket is far too big, it needs to hug his shoulder then be tailored to fit him like a glove. It's also far too long goes well below his behind making him look boxy and short. The lapels on his jacket are far too low and the shirt was boring and over starched. His pants were far too big, too and did not match. A simple suit would have given him structure and power and helped emphasize the key points in his statement. I wanted Tiger to look like he was back in control but instead it looks like his mom picked out his outfit for church. Does the man ever make decisions for himself?
Hopefully Tiger can now put this debacle behind him and focus on his job; being the best golfer on planet Earth! As a sports fan, I don't care who he's bedded, which sexually transmitted diseases he's caught and how many times his mother whooped his ass - that's his business. Tiger needs to either put up or shut up at this point, and the first major of the season is a great way to start. My only suggestion is that it's time to retire red as the power colour - I suggest black, as Tiger may rise to become the Dark Nike Knight of the PGA Tour.
High fives & booty taps,
Megan