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Dunlop Slazenger: Raising the game
Dunlop Slazenger has been around for a long time, though not necessarily in its current form - how did the company make its mark in sporting goods, and what was its original focus in product terms?
In 1881 Slazenger first produced ‘The New Game of Lawn Tennis’ complete in a box. It was also in the late 1800s that Slazenger moved into tennis ball manufacturing and began to export product around the world. Since these beginnings Slazenger has produced a wide variety of sporting equipment.
Dunlop as an equipment brand began later, producing its first wooden laminate racket in 1931. The two brands came together in the early 1970’s to form the company known as Dunlop Slazenger today.
With such a well-known name, is it actually more difficult to make your products known in different sports? Dunlop Slazenger is widely known and many people associate the brand with specific sports, do you think this has ever held a product back in other sporting fields?
Dunlop Slazenger has always had a strong brand identity in tennis,with Slazenger being the official ball of Wimbledon since 1902. The association with tennis has helped both the brands move in to other areas across racket sports, most notably in to Squash where Dunlop has been able to develop its product range using new technology, seen through delivery of the new Aerogel range.
Of all the things Dunlop Slazenger do, which sport and product 'shifts the most units', and which sector (in terms of sport) earns the most revenue for company and retailer?
Slazenger dominates the UK as the No.1 tennis ball brand and Dunlop hold the same market leading status as No.1 tennis ball in Europe.With this level of domination tennis balls represent the product which shifts the most number of units and drives most revenue for both company and retailer.
Is there any area in which the Dunlop Slazenger brand is notably dominant?
Consumables are a key area, and as mentioned above, tennis balls are a category where Dunlop Slazenger dominates as market leader. In addition Dunlop is also the world’s No.1 squash ball brand, a position of strength also seen in squash rackets.With regards to equipment Dunlop Slazenger brands are also making major steps forward to ensure their status as must-stock brands.
What's new for Dunlop Slazenger in your range of racquets (squash and tennis) for 2007/08?
We are continuing to build on the strong success of Aerogel technology within Dunlop’s racket range. Dunlop AEROGEL rackets incorporate the world's lightest solid, which has a strength of up to 4,000 times its own weight. The three-dimensional nanometre-sized molecular network delivers an unmatched strength-toweight ratio for enhanced stiffness and increased power without increasing weight. This combined with M-FIL across the hitting zone to ‘soften’ ball impact means that AEROGEL frames deliver the perfect balance between power and control.New to the 08 tennis range are the Aerogel 700 and Aerogel 900 models, both oversize rackets incorporating Dunlop’s new Vibrocore technology.Aerogel squash was launched to trade earlier this year with stock orders and initial sell through in trade being very strong.Within Slazenger a new range of rackets is also about to be launched to trade, incorporating new QUADFLEX technology within the premium frames.
And your balls, tennis and squash? Are there any exciting developments players can look forward to?
The new Slazenger Wimbledon Ultra Vis ball will be introduced. The Ultra Vis ball uses an exclusive dye and patented application process which makes it the optimum visibility ball in tennis and therefore easier to see for both players and spectators. The molecular compound of the Tour Core of the ball has been re-engineered to offer consistent performance characteristics to suit all styles of play, offering a higher level of playability. The premium grade woven playnes cloth by Milliken is specially chosen, and the finest wool used for a tighter weave giving extra durability and responsiveness. The ball will be available in new packaging, designed specifically to maximise communication of status as Official Ball ofWimbledon. Dunlop squash balls will also be re-launched early next year, incorporating a new construction technology and updated modern packaging.
What are your key celebrity endorsements, if any? And what is your attitude toward celeb endorsements?
As a brand, it is always good to have strong brand ambassadors to endorse and perform with your products at the highest level.We currently have four Dunlop tennis players in the Top 11 ATP rankings – James Blake, Tomas Berdych, Tommy Haas and Tommy Robredo.Another strong Dunlop brand ambassador is John McEnroe,who signed with Dunlop in 1981. Dunlop Slazenger also have a good representation amongst the top level Squash players, with world number one Amr Shabana, and current British Open Champion Nick Matthew using the rackets along with the majority of players on the PSA World Tour.
How do you think Dunlop Slazenger's sporting goods are perceived by the customer?
A major part of how our products are perceived is driven by the brand's high profile sponsorship agreements, some of which are referenced above, that assist with driving credibility. In addition to these player sponsorships, properties such as Slazenger’s long standing partnership with Wimbledon are invaluable for driving the brands premium position. Also key is the company’s commitment to producing market leading product incorporating cutting edge technologies. Strong sales of the new Aerogel range suggest that consumers can recognise a quality range to suit their needs, whatever their playing ability or level.
Are you using internet marketing effectively to raise brand profile at all? How does Dunlop Slazenger work to maintain its profile, and to target new players/customers?
We are currently looking to expand in this area, and utilise our online resources.As a result of our commitment to this growth we are currently redesigning both the Dunlop and Slazenger UK websites, and hope to have them up and running very soon as a one-stop shop for information on the product ranges, our product ambassadors, and also lists on stockists.
What's the way forward for the company? What have you targeted as key growth sectors?
As well as developing the product range to utilise new technology for ultimate performance products, Dunlop are also supporting the young talent coming in to the game.We are looking to sign up junior players for the ‘D Squad’ programme to help them develop and hopefully be the next generation of successful tennis professionals.
Where have you seen the most growth in recent years?
We have experienced growth in all sectors in the last 2 years. In particular, the new Aerogel Tennis range has been a great success for us and our Tennis Ball range continues to hold a Market leading position in the UK.
Has the company changed since being acquired by Sports World International? Has being part of such a large company which owns other key British sporting brands (Donnay and Lonsdale to name two) been a boost to Dunlop Slazenger?
The massive increase in levels of investment in the brands is testament to the boost given to the company. In the last three years Dunlop Slazenger has agreed a series of long term sponsorship deals designed to keep the brands at the forefront of the sporting world. These include an extension of our Wimbledon Agreement until 2015, French Open / Roland Garros, Dunlop British Open Squash Championships, England Hockey. On top of this, we have been able to commit considerable additional investment to our core grass roots strategy across all categories.
What's your relationship with the independent retailer? How do your representatives work with the retailer to educate them about new product?
We are committed to supporting the Independent sector and our own sales force continue to develop strong relationships across the country. Our distribution agreement with Reydon Sports has also meant that a greater number of Independents than ever are able to receive a face-to-face presentation on a regular basis, and therefore the opportunity to learn more about the products and brands.
What is the key to an independent sports store surviving among aggressive competitors with bigger, deeper pockets? Any words of advice?
The retailers should aim to offer an in-depth knowledge of the products that they are selling, and a key part of that is to give demonstrations on how to use the products. The customers like to know they are being given good advice, and will return if they are sold the correct products for their needs.
