Adidas Group Greater China promotes Colin Currie to China MD

PumaPulse
Curated By ZenithOptimedia, The ROI Agency


Adidas Greater China has announced that Colin Currie (pictured), senior VP of marketing and sales, will succeed Christophe Bezu as managing director Greater China, effective 1 January 2011. Bezu will remain on the board for Adidas Group Greater China.

Since taking on his first Greater China role at the beginning of this year, Currie (pictured) has worked closely with Bezu helping the company rebound and setting it on a course for future success, the company said in a statement.
In his new role, Currie will also report directly to Herbert Hainer, Adidas Group CEO.

The statement added that Currie’s broad skills and experience in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China made him the natural choice to fill the role and help ensure that the transition is seamless.

The announcement follows the recent appointment of Christophe Bezu as chief e-commerce officer for Adidas. In this role Bezu will focus on the important new sales channel for the company, while still being in a position to provide mentoring, coaching and strategic guidance to the very important markets of Greater China and its leadership.

Bezu will continue to report to Hainer.

“China is one of the most dynamic and important markets for the Adidas Group globally, and together, the new management team will be well positioned to drive our business forward into 2011 and beyond,” Hainer said.

“Christophe has provided amazing guidance and vision for Adidas Group China that has helped place us where we are today as a leading sports brand in this market. Colin, meanwhile, knows this market intuitively well and is an expert team-builder, making him a perfect match for his new role,” he added.

source: http://en.campaignchina.com/Article/238834,adidas-group-greater-china-promotes-colin-currie-to-china-md.aspxeid=22&edate=20101117&utm_source=20101117&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter&eaddr=gary.wise@zenithoptimedia.com.hk

Burberry sales soar on the back of digital and brand strategy

PumaPulse
Curated By ZenithOptimedia, The ROI Agency


Fashion house Burberry has reported a 18% year-on-year jump in revenue to £673m 

for the first six months of the year on the back of ambitious digital campaigns focusing on the brand and simplifying buying.

Burberry will continue to invest in digital marketing strategies in the New Year to capitalise on the increased brand reach the group has achieved since launching its new strategy in autumn 2010. Digital sales were up by 50% over this period.

The brand is continuing to push a premium position, with "classic" designs never before sold at a discount, helping to push its gross business margin up to 64.3%. Pre-tax profit leapt 50% to £117.7m.

Angela Ahrendts, chief executive, said: "The continued focus on the brand, ongoing investment in our digital, IT and retail infrastructure, especially in China, and a disciplined approach to driving growth underpin our confidence in delivering long-term sustainable returns."

Digital marketing has been a success according to the interim statement. It said: "Burberry now has nearly three million Facebook fans, the largest of any luxury brand, and over 650,000 people viewed the livestream of the September runway show.

"This was also transmitted to invited audiences in 25 flagship stores through Burberry's new 'retail theatre' technology. A global digital commerce platform is being tested for roll-out in the coming months."

Burberry has expanded aggressively into digital and social marketing in the past year, with iPhone apps enabling consumers to buy instantly, and the launch of the artofthetrench website to promote its classic coat designs.

source: http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/1041104/burberry-sales-soar-back-digital-brand-strategy/

Nike's environmental plans to "Innovate towards a better world"

Nike, Toyota target green innovation drives NEW YORK: Major brand owners such as Nike, Toyota and Procter & Gamble are focusing on green innovation, both to enhance consumer perceptions and drive growth. Sportswear giant Nike has recently outlined plans to "innovate towards a better world", firstly by designing goods containing fewer rare raw materials. The company's "Reuse a show" initiative also asked customers to return old footwear, which was then utilised in creating basketball courts and football pitches. "We believe our products still have value after they've been used, and would rather take them back for future use," Sarah Severn, Nike's director of stakeholder mobilisation, told Business Review. Elsewhere, Nike has established the GreenXChange, an online hub allowing corporations and experts to swap suggestions and intellectual property supporting eco-friendly schemes, with partners like Best Buy and Yahoo. "We're using this as a shift in our business model, to change the structure of our supply chain, and we need a whole ecosystem of people to do this," said Severn. "We continue to encourage the democratisation of innovation." Toyota Motor Sales USA has followed a similar strategy through the "Ideas for Good" programme, challenging the American public to identify other fields in which its technology may be applied. The carmaker will promote this contest with TV spots demonstrating how NASCAR, Yellowstone National Park and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have employed Toyota systems. "We're sharing a side of Toyota that many are not aware of and engaging the public in a way we've never done before," said Bill Fay, group vice president of marketing at TMS. "The campaign inspires new thinking about what Toyota has already been doing for many years. Ultimately, with consumers' help, we hope to inspire new ways that our innovation can benefit society." Procter & Gamble, the FMCG specialist, is endeavouring to reduce packaging by 20% and access more sustainable resources, with its Connect + Develop open innovation platform playing a central role in this process. "P&G is the largest consumer packaged goods company in the world today, and we recognize our impact as a global company," said Len Sauers, P&G's vp, global sustainability. "Innovation and external partnerships are key in making this work. Our suppliers have already been hard at work bringing sustainability innovation to the table." General Electric, the conglomerate, also intends to buy 25,000 vehicles, including 12,500 units of GM's Chevrolet Volt, offering various advantages. "By electrifying our own fleet, we will accelerate the adoption curve, drive scale, and move electric vehicles from anticipation to action," said Jeff Immelt, GE's ceo. "We make technology that touches every point of the electric vehicle infrastructure," he added. "This transformation will be good for our businesses." Clorox was an early-mover in this sector, and its Brita water filters have enjoyed renewed popularity as preferences changed. "We said, 'Holy God, this isn't just a sustainability issue, this is an affordability issue," said ceo Don Knauss. "So our advertising changed. That's one of the things that's driven Brita in double-digit growth the last three years." The firm's eco-friendly cleaning range Green Works has faced certain obstacles, but the financial recovery could yield equally favourable results. "I continue to believe in the core proposition of Green Works," said Lawrence Peiros, Clorox's evp, North America. "And I think as the economy turns, this is one category that will probably turn disproportionately." source: http://www.warc.com/News/TopNews.asp?ID=27498&Origin=WARCNewsEmail

Adidas Forecasts $23.85 Billion in Sales by 2015

The adidas Group today presented its 2015 strategic business plan at its Investor Day in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Named “Route 2015”, the plan aims at growing the business of the entire adidas Group compared to the expected 2010 results by 45% to 50% to € 17 billion in 2015.

Based on the Group’s strong brands, premium products, extensive global presence and its commitment to innovation and the consumer, the adidas Group aspires to outperform total market growth (both GDP and sporting goods market) and to continue growing its bottom line faster than its top line. In addition, the Group plans to lay the foundation for leadership in the sporting goods industry by outgrowing its major competitor in the next five years. The Group targets a compounded annual earnings growth rate of 15% and wants to reach an operating margin of 11% sustainably by 2015 at the latest.

“Brand success means business success for the adidas Group, that’s why we have set out clear business targets based on our strong and unmatched brand portfolio,” said Herbert Hainer, CEO of the adidas Group. “We want to achieve qualitative and sustainable growth by building desirable, leading brands in consumers’ and customers’ perception. Over the next few years, we will invest in our brands in order to reach our ambitious, but realistic targets. I am confident that our strategic business plan will lead us into a new era of success for the adidas Group.”

As part of the strategic business plan, adidas and Reebok are taking clear positions in the marketplace. While adidas is targeted at competitive sports with its Sport Performance division based on innovation and technology, and towards the sports lifestyle and fashion consumer with its Sport Style division, Reebok will become the fitness and training brand for active and casual sports.

Areas within the adidas and Reebok brands that were identified as key contributors to sustainable growth for the adidas Group include

• establishing Reebok as the leading fitness and training brand;
• gaining sales and market share in the running and basketball categories within the adidas Sport Performance division;
• expanding adidas Sport Style in the fast fashion business with NEO
• and leading the industry in the fields of customisation and interactivity.

Besides these growth projects within the adidas and Reebok brands, several growth initiatives within Global Sales (including Own Retail, eCommerce and Retail Space Management) and efficiency projects across the Group (including Planning, Virtualisation and Organisational Efficiency) will further support the adidas Group on its way towards qualitative growth and long-term success. In terms of geographical distribution, North America, Greater China, Russia/CIS, Latin America, Japan, UK and India have been identified as key growth markets.

The strategic business plan is the most comprehensive plan the adidas Group has ever presented, incorporating all brands, sales channels and Group functions globally.

Herbert Hainer: “Since we launched our first growth initiative back in 2001, we have fundamentally redefined the competitive landscape of our industry and have now created what is universally acknowledged as a global two-horse race. From 2001 to 2010, our sales will have doubled to well over € 11 billion. Our net income over this same period will have almost tripled, to expected earnings of between € 560 and 565 million in 2010. Therefore, we are now well prepared to enter our next growth phase based on our mission to be the leading sporting goods company in the world.”

Source: http://www.adidas-group.com/en/pressroom/archive/2010/08Nov2010.aspx

New Nike Running TVC From Italy

New Nike Running TVC from Italy - an interesting interpretation of urban running. We're open to suggestions about what the whole thing 'means', but it certainly looks and sounds good!

Source: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/nike_run_unleashed