K-Swiss has Big Plans In Tennis In the USA

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 21st December 2013

K-Swiss has Big Plans In Tennis In the USA

epa03565826 Mike Bryan (L), of the United States, speaks with his teammate and twin brother Bob Bryan (R) during a doubles match against Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares, of Brazil, during the Davis Cup 2013 World Group First Round match between the United States and Brazil in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, 02 February 2013. EPA/BRIAN BLANCO |

Barney Waters, the CMO of K-Swiss, says that since the company’s merger with E.Land World Limited that it is better positioned to grab a great share of the market place. Water added that the company is better focused and has rediscovered its US roots.

“The K-Swiss brand is like a car that’s been re-sprayed 10 times over the years in 10 different colors,” he told Sportswear.net. “We’re stripping back the layers of paint to get back to the original color. What we found is a heritage American tennis brand, with a rich history, a deep product archive and global brand recognition. We will specialize in tennis again, be true to our tennis history, and will use our American roots within the brand voice. In the lifestyle footwear space, we’re the only heritage American tennis brand, so we have clear differentiation. And with court coming back as a major trend, that positioning is timed perfectly for us. We will reduce our product categories to be more focused on our core competencies, and have introduced a tiered distribution strategy, which is something the brand never had.

K-Swiss endorses the popular world’s top doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan, which is perhaps one of the reasons why they are re-investing in the US market. The company has installed a bottom-up management philosophy to empower its employees and also has confidence it can have a global impact behind it CEO, Larry Remington, who has international experience.

Waters said that the company is evolving its product line with the word “focus” being at the forefront of their minds.

“We’ll dial into three primary product categories,” he said. “ Performance Tennis will be where we innovate and invest in technology, and will be the performance pinnacle of the brand. We will also be in the training category, approaching it from a tennis perspective, so a focus on lateral movement, versus the heel-strike approach of all the running brands. So we’ll have a unique, differentiated point of view in training. Finally, we’ll be strong in the lifestyle space, with our Classic and court product, which will be our biggest category. K-Swiss is known for court style.”

Waters added that while many of its big competitors will be doing battle over the 2014 World Cup that K-Swiss will stick to building its American tennis brand.

“Nobody else can claim that,” he said. “We’ll be living and breathing tennis and court style. Everyone is talking about court style and clean, white shoes as the next big thing, and that’s what we do best. That’s what we’re known for. So if you believe that court-style is coming, which most retailers do, then you have to have K-Swiss in your mix. We’re the experts.”

Topics: 10sballs, Bob Bryan, K Swiss, Mike Bryan, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News