TaylorMade, the next Titleist?

9-Iron Man

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A thought occured to me last night while thinking about the 2011 drivers from TaylorMade. Here you have a product that is instantly recognizable as a TaylorMade. In most ways, it is pure marketing genious. Everyone knows that the white drivers are TaylorMades. After all they are the #1 Driver on Tour. Which got me thinking of Titleist and the potential future of TaylorMade.

Titleist has been around much longer than TaylorMade and so has had much more time to develop the fan base that they have. That fan base however is starting to dwindle. The ProV1 line is becoming less and less popular as the other companies are making balls that better suit the average golfer.

Whether we like it or not, what happens on Tour greatly impacts sales of golf equipment. This has been more than evident with the success of Titleist over the years. So my question to everyone is this: TaylorMade is one of the biggest players on Tour right now. They have a large staff of top-quality players who are recognizable to a lot of fans and casual viewers. Is it possible that maybe in 10-20-30 years from now, people will start to think of TaylorMade as elitist? Is this the natural progression of equipment manufacturers? Are Ping, Nike, or Callaway doomed to a similar fate as well?

Sound off.
 
Hard to say really but I like the way you're thinking. To this point TM seems to really get it as far as marketing, and being new and innovative, and appealing to the younger demographic who is the demo that all companies want ( ages 18-30). I think if they stay on the path they are now, they will stay away from the Stuffy image that Titleist has created for themselves.
 
It seems to me that when a company really spend alot of $ on marketing that there quality takes a hit not saying that TM is going to do this but its something to watch out for, IMO
 
Hard to say really but I like the way you're thinking. To this point TM seems to really get it as far as marketing, and being new and innovative, and appealing to the younger demographic who is the demo that all companies want ( ages 18-30). I think if they stay on the path they are now, they will stay away from the Stuffy image that Titleist has created for themselves.

I agree, but for the sake of the arguement, won't those people who are in the demographic now, will they not stay with TM for the long haul much like Titleist people do? Sure they've got a young demographic now (just as I imagine Titleist did back in the day), but won't that demographic age?
 
I agree, but for the sake of the arguement, won't those people who are in the demographic now, will they not stay with TM for the long haul much like Titleist people do? Sure they've got a young demographic now (just as I imagine Titleist did back in the day), but won't that demographic age?

Perhaps, but it will be passed on from father to son I think.
 
I agree, but for the sake of the arguement, won't those people who are in the demographic now, will they not stay with TM for the long haul much like Titleist people do? Sure they've got a young demographic now (just as I imagine Titleist did back in the day), but won't that demographic age?

You're right I think younger people who love TM now will stick with them, but I think they are going to be constantly innovative and constantly appealing to the younger demographic. Honestly companies know that once you turn about 35 your buying habits are set and it is tough to convert you to a different product. If you can get someone early, you generally have them for life. Thats one of the reasons the demo I listed above is the number 1 demo for marketing, they have the most disposable income, and if you can get that group to a consumer of your product for years, once you turn 35 or so, the numbers show that you stick with it.
 
Every major manufacturer has ad $$$$, but Taylormade spends theirs in the right places. They literally appeal to the younger demographic b/c they portray an image of "it's cool to play Taylormade" and people eat it up.
 
You're right I think younger people who love TM now will stick with them, but I think they are going to be constantly innovative and constantly appealing to the younger demographic. Honestly companies know that once you turn about 35 your buying habits are set and it is tough to convert you to a different product. If you can get someone early, you generally have them for life. Thats one of the reasons the demo I listed above is the number 1 demo for marketing, they have the most disposable income, and if you can get that group to a consumer of your product for years, once you turn 35 or so, the numbers show that you stick with it.

That is very true. So basically TM will have to stay on the track they are on to constantly put out gear that can appeal to the that demo. 18-30 has been the magic demo for quite some time now. Didn't Titleist market to that demo as well earlier on? If so, what happened?
 
Quite a fe people at my local club have invested in the latest TM drivers. At the moment I'm getting one or two comments a round from people Im playing with (obviously not those who have them already) which range from I do/don't (delete as appropriate) love the look of that driver to "Do you mind if I try that on the next tee".

I usually give the same response as well - "Well I think it looks great - and no go get your own" :laughing:
 
Every major manufacturer has ad $$$$, but Taylormade spends theirs in the right places. They literally appeal to the younger demographic b/c they portray an image of "it's cool to play Taylormade" and people eat it up.

You think that can last forever? I think eventaully, that kind of marketing could grow stale. No one like to hear the same thing over and over. The time will come when TM will have to re-invent itself IMO. It may be down the road (much down the road) but it does have to happen.
 
That is very true. So basically TM will have to stay on the track they are on to constantly put out gear that can appeal to the that demo. 18-30 has been the magic demo for quite some time now. Didn't Titleist market to that demo as well earlier on? If so, what happened?

I think they still do, JB posted something that Titleist was number 2 or 3 of marketshare for younger golfers. This could be as JB said because of their presence in clubs around North America or maybe their ads do appeal to younger golfers, but as a 29 year old myself, they have never appealed to me in a commercial so it shocked me, when I heard how high they were within that demo.
 
I think they still do, JB posted something that Titleist was number 2 or 3 of marketshare for younger golfers. This could be as JB said because of their presence in clubs around North America or maybe their ads do appeal to younger golfers, but as a 29 year old myself, they have never appealed to me in a commercial so it shocked me, when I heard how high they were within that demo.

I think it appeals to them because one the wealthy country club type are surrounded by it all the time with the pro shop carrying a lot of titlesit I also think it has something to do with the passing down from father to son. I had titleist as my first set, but when I was old enough to buy my own stuff I realized that I needed something more forgiving and switched.

I do think that TaylorMade is on the up and up and wouldn't be in the least suprised if they eventually took over as top dog.
 
I think they still do, JB posted something that Titleist was number 2 or 3 of marketshare for younger golfers. This could be as JB said because of their presence in clubs around North America or maybe their ads do appeal to younger golfers, but as a 29 year old myself, they have never appealed to me in a commercial so it shocked me, when I heard how high they were within that demo.

That doesn't really surprise me. Titleist has really been trying hard to get back out there. The 910 series is proof of that. Having players like Rickie Fowler sure doesn't hurt either. But what about 5 years ago? Was Titleist still number 2 or 3 then?
 
I do think that TaylorMade is on the up and up and wouldn't be in the least suprised if they eventually took over as top dog.

You dont think they are now in terms of equipment (sales of course, not quality)?
 
You dont think they are now in terms of equipment (sales of course, not quality)?

Like JB said, I am not going to debate quality, because that is subjective and personal...but as far as pure sales, I would guess TM would be #1 as far as equipment goes. They are the #1 driver on tour, and what do most amatuers spend most of their money on...........the lastest and greatest Driver!

I think TM is doing a great job with their marketing and as long as they don't go hire Titleist's PR firm, they will be okay... :D
 
I only have breakdowns for category.
Meaning Drivers, Irons, hybrids, wedges, putters.
But TM seems to be leading the overall for sales.
They certainly lead in a couple of main categories.
 
There was a time when Titleist was the biggest if I'm not mistaken. If so, when did that reign end?
 
There was a time when Titleist was the biggest if I'm not mistaken. If so, when did that reign end?

They still are the biggest golf company overall.
Although with the Cobra separation its closer now.
But when it comes to equipment, I dont believe it to be the case.
 
They still are the biggest golf company overall.
Although with the Cobra separation its closer now.
But when it comes to equipment, I dont believe it to be the case.

Sorry, I meant equipment to begin with.

To be the biggest, are we including FootJoy and such?
 
It seems to me this is cyclical, Titelist didnt get to where it is now by being out of touch and they will adapt if they need to and come back with a new approach if that is needed. People are always looking for the next big thing, and maybe in a few years them reinventing themselves could be that thing.
 
Sorry, I meant equipment to begin with.

To be the biggest, are we including FootJoy and such?

If you include apparel and balls, that is different obviously.
 
They still are the biggest golf company overall.
Although with the Cobra separation its closer now.
But when it comes to equipment, I dont believe it to be the case.

JB,

This is what I meant. The biggest golf company. Sorry for the confusion
 
Taylor Made has done for a number of years now a really good job in marketing its product. I have played TM since the days of the Burner Midsize irons and the Pittsburgh Persimmon metal woods. As more people have learned about their product, that is where they have become popular, moreso in the last 5-6 years. I have had the Burner Bubble, Firesole, Super Steel, 300 series clubs and always changed when they brought out the new products. The product just keeps getting better. Same with golf balls, I remember some of the first attempts by TM--remember Inergels in the plastic cases? I still have a dozen of them, never been used. But right now, though for many years I was a Titleist man--my opinion Titleist killed itself when the Pro V's replaced the Tour Prestige generation which to me was their best ball--I play Penta because it is the best ball on the market IMO.
 
It seems to me this is cyclical, Titelist didnt get to where it is now by being out of touch and they will adapt if they need to and come back with a new approach if that is needed. People are always looking for the next big thing, and maybe in a few years them reinventing themselves could be that thing.

I agree. It's not that they don't make quality stuff. I think that TM is overshadowing everyone with the excitement surrounding their gear. Overall, from what I've heard, the performance between the R11 and 910 is similar, but the R11 is the bigger club because it's white.
 
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