The Great Cobra Experiment - 1 seasonish on, what's your take?
Arkie_3_fan
Active member
I've experienced the same thing around here. At my home course, I've actually seen very few 2012 model clubs put in play. Last year it seemed that everyone was trying the G15, R11 or the burner 2.0 irons. This year I know of 3 people that bought the 2011 Superfast, 3 with the RBZ, 2 with the Cleveland Classic, two with the Amp and one with a TEE.
TC
Keg Thrower
hahaha, I guess so. Good one though, a little rep for ya on that one.
- Staff
- #29
I miss my i10's. They were orange.
I'm actually surprised I have not seen a Classic anywhere outside of THP.
lambro2
Active member
I really liked Cobra's offerings this year. The loud colors arn't for everyone but it got people talking. My wife loves her amp driver and would probably play the whole line up if she didn't love her a12 os's. I could also happily game them.
Arkie_3_fan
Active member
I was surprised to see another one this weekend. One thing about the Classic is that it's unique look really stands out. I've had several people take a look at my Classic and ask about it. Quite a few have took a few practice swings with it and one or two have even hit a couple of balls with it. At least one of them is planning to buy a Classic the next time he makes it up to Edwin Watts.
Mulligan9111
Go Skers!!
Around Lincoln, NE I see more Taylormade drivers than I see of any other OEM. I guess there is just something about that white driver that people love.
Honestly, outside of a pro shop or Austad's, I have not seen a single Cobra AMP or ZL driver, and that's no exaggeration.
Honestly, outside of a pro shop or Austad's, I have not seen a single Cobra AMP or ZL driver, and that's no exaggeration.
- Staff
- #33
I will say that I practiced at a place early in the year that younger (high school/college) players were at and they were all very interested to see the AMP driver when I was reviewing it. However, most of these kids aren't buying much gear.
That's the line of thought I was going to bring up. I don't understand why you would build a marketing strategy around a very specific young demographic in a sport where the folks buying 90% (a guess) of the products are probably over 30. I just don't see where the 15-25 demographic has enough buying power on discretionary purchase like sporting equipment for a company to cater their entire line towards them. I can understand marketing that way in some degree, but going all out with the color schemes and all seems like a questionable choice to me.
The thing that really makes me scratch my head is that from what I saw, the technology is pretty good, but as others have said, the color schemes completely turn me off.
- Staff
- #35
I agree to an extent, Donne. I have to wonder if those kids have parents that are buying them stuff though. Still, it's not the same as the guys at clubs that really have money to burn.
Agreed on the tech. I thought the AMP stood up to just about anything out there.
Agreed on the tech. I thought the AMP stood up to just about anything out there.
Griff
Hey Man, Nice Shot
When I hit the Cobra stuff at a demo day this year I wasn't sold enough to consider buying anything. The colors dont bother me at all. I don't mind a little flash to distract my playing partners from bad play. 
I'm sure there are some parents buying this stuff for their kids, and for all I know, maybe that's enough of a market to justify the decision for Cobra. I don't really even care if they offer the clubs that way if they would offer a "grown-up" version of the paint job right next to it...kind of like when they did the ZL Encore in Black and White.
jmatt
Fat b4 the shafts were
I'm not a big fan of the colors, but I don't find it all that obtrusive at address. I see a lot more non-AMP and older Cobra stuff around here, a pile of white drivers, and a smattering of Adams. Callaway, I don't see the RAZR Fit, I see Diablos.
I know kids / tweens / teens have more power over spending decisions than ever before, but I'm not sure that extends to this kind of purchase. The older moneyed set here seems to go predominately Ping.
Was it a failure? I dunno. Might have been a disappointment, but I don't know what Cobra expected. In a vacuum, these probably would have sold like hotcakes, but everyone's got snazzy equipment out and the competition is fierce.
Oh, and I've yet to see a Classic on a course. That kind of surprises me. Lots of wedges, though.
I know kids / tweens / teens have more power over spending decisions than ever before, but I'm not sure that extends to this kind of purchase. The older moneyed set here seems to go predominately Ping.
Was it a failure? I dunno. Might have been a disappointment, but I don't know what Cobra expected. In a vacuum, these probably would have sold like hotcakes, but everyone's got snazzy equipment out and the competition is fierce.
Oh, and I've yet to see a Classic on a course. That kind of surprises me. Lots of wedges, though.
I thought the Amp irons were great when I demo'd them. I just ended up with Burner 2.0's due to price, distance, and feel.
Driver wise in my town, I have yet to see an Amp on course. Everything here is Taylor Made TP stuff with the guys I play with. Only one place in town to get Cobra here, and their selection is pretty brutal, and their pricing is a good 30% higher than what you would find at a larger store.
Have yet to see a Classic or Black out on the course here as well. My SL290 is the closest I have seen to a new Cleveland product in the bags on the course.
Driver wise in my town, I have yet to see an Amp on course. Everything here is Taylor Made TP stuff with the guys I play with. Only one place in town to get Cobra here, and their selection is pretty brutal, and their pricing is a good 30% higher than what you would find at a larger store.
Have yet to see a Classic or Black out on the course here as well. My SL290 is the closest I have seen to a new Cleveland product in the bags on the course.
Ryan Loves Golf
Active member
I have only seen a couple AMP drivers in play, I don't remember seeing any AMP irons.
However, I think the strategy is an underrated success. No large OEM would plan a marketing strategy with a one year forecast. Even if people did not buy the products, we talk about them, and Cobra now actually has a distinct identity that it did not have last year. Marketing is about generating momentum and I think in that sense, going with Ricky Fowler and the bright colors were executed brilliantly.
Making the great game exciting for the younger generation is a good thing. My dad still plays Pings because he started with them in the early 80's. Maybe the next young group of guys will have fond memories of Cobra and continue to become loyal customers. I am sure down the line Cobra will diversify their lineup.
It's tough to gauge the campaign as a success or failure, I think it is definitely too early. But over the next three to five years, we'll know if Cobra's Experiment paid off or not.
I personally think it will, and certainly hope so.
However, I think the strategy is an underrated success. No large OEM would plan a marketing strategy with a one year forecast. Even if people did not buy the products, we talk about them, and Cobra now actually has a distinct identity that it did not have last year. Marketing is about generating momentum and I think in that sense, going with Ricky Fowler and the bright colors were executed brilliantly.
Making the great game exciting for the younger generation is a good thing. My dad still plays Pings because he started with them in the early 80's. Maybe the next young group of guys will have fond memories of Cobra and continue to become loyal customers. I am sure down the line Cobra will diversify their lineup.
It's tough to gauge the campaign as a success or failure, I think it is definitely too early. But over the next three to five years, we'll know if Cobra's Experiment paid off or not.
I personally think it will, and certainly hope so.
TwoSolitudes
Swingin' for the fences
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2010
- Messages
- 1,511
- Reaction score
- 12
I have seen lots of AMP Drivers recently.... at the second hand shops. There is a huge mall here that has nothing but golf shops selling new and used equipment. You can usually determine how well a product does, but how quickly and how many models show up on the second hand shelves.
Used AMP drivers are now easy to find and cheap. But I have never seen one on the course. They obviously don't sell as many units as TM or Callaway, so to see so many of them there must mean that a good percentage are being dumped pretty quickly. I personally hate the colour and style, though my wife thinks they look cute. Maybe instead of youth, they should become a women's specialist club maker?
Used AMP drivers are now easy to find and cheap. But I have never seen one on the course. They obviously don't sell as many units as TM or Callaway, so to see so many of them there must mean that a good percentage are being dumped pretty quickly. I personally hate the colour and style, though my wife thinks they look cute. Maybe instead of youth, they should become a women's specialist club maker?
tvrepairex
Well-known member
I wouldn't say that it has been a failure but maybe more of a calculated misstep.
While cobra has been around for many years, and at one time one of the top brands in golf, I feel they have fallen off quite a bit. They made a little comeback with the speed series of drivers, I almost bought one myself, I think they were hoping the amp series would do that and more.
Signing Rickie Fowler might have helped a little bit but not as much as they would have hoped. Ithino of they would get some more big names to sign on I think they could really make the line work. But when you only have one guy playing your equipment its hard to get a lot of people excited. I know it shouldn't be that way and the equipment should speak for itself but in today's age advertising is what gets you sales. While callaway, taylormade, Nike, titleist all have multiple well known players in their team, cobra is behind with 1 golfer.
So I think this could be a success and a long term line if they can get the support of the players. I have rambled on enough now so here is my final thoughts:
Good product that compares to everything else, the colors are a fresh change and a lot of people like that, no support = not enough sales.
Seriously. Tappin'.
While cobra has been around for many years, and at one time one of the top brands in golf, I feel they have fallen off quite a bit. They made a little comeback with the speed series of drivers, I almost bought one myself, I think they were hoping the amp series would do that and more.
Signing Rickie Fowler might have helped a little bit but not as much as they would have hoped. Ithino of they would get some more big names to sign on I think they could really make the line work. But when you only have one guy playing your equipment its hard to get a lot of people excited. I know it shouldn't be that way and the equipment should speak for itself but in today's age advertising is what gets you sales. While callaway, taylormade, Nike, titleist all have multiple well known players in their team, cobra is behind with 1 golfer.
So I think this could be a success and a long term line if they can get the support of the players. I have rambled on enough now so here is my final thoughts:
Good product that compares to everything else, the colors are a fresh change and a lot of people like that, no support = not enough sales.
Seriously. Tappin'.
Gianna1025
New member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2011
- Messages
- 3,318
- Reaction score
- 6
- Handicap
- 6
I can't remember the last time I have looked into a bag and saw anything Cobra! I'm not saying that I didn't like the AMP line but I agree with most when you say that they came up way short on the marketing! I just took a look at their site for a few minutes and it just looks like it geared towards high school sophomores. No offense to anyone who falls into that demographic! Just too bubbly for me! I did hit the AMP driver this year in a local GG and really did like the sound and feel to it. I can't say that I'd be embarrassed to play it if I got the right results! But like many have said, they just seem to have geared their campaign towards a group that isn't buying them. Not saying they are going belly up or anything but I just don't understand how they manage to compete with the bigger OEMs out there. It was different when the fell under the Acushnet umbrella, I think Titleist and FJ kept them a float.
JTnumbers
College Golfer
I'm gonna chime in as a young guy who might know why Cobra's sales didn't go up as much as they thought. They figured that the "Fowler Factor' would help raise club sales. I for one knew this wasn't necessarily going to work. A young guy, like myself, would most definitely buy a $50 PUMA shirt over a $300 AMP Driver everyday. Most of us just simply don't have $300 to spend. And a lot of the junior golfers who can, choose other drivers because from what I heard is that Cobra "is an inferior product" compared to Taylormade and Titleist. If I had $300 dollars and the shaft was fitted to me, I would love to pick up this driver. It had a very nice feel to it and had some pop off the face. But those are my .02 cents coming from a young gun.
TC
Keg Thrower
I thought about this thread a bit last night and for me it's simple: I probably would never buy anything from Cobra in 2012. It just doesn't appeal to me and there's too much other stuff that does.
- Admin
- #47
This thread does make me chuckle a bit. Things being thrown around like "less than what they expected" and so on. Anybody care to define "they"? And furthermore, has anybody that has any information looked at the golf equipment landscape over the last 24 months?
Striking "fear" (generalization) due to sales "figures" that may or may not be accurate without comparatively looking at the rest of the landscape of sales is absurd frankly.
Speculation is something that can be fun and adventurous when it comes to debate, incorrect and/or inconclusive data presented as fact (again, just a generalization) is not in my opinion.
Striking "fear" (generalization) due to sales "figures" that may or may not be accurate without comparatively looking at the rest of the landscape of sales is absurd frankly.
Speculation is something that can be fun and adventurous when it comes to debate, incorrect and/or inconclusive data presented as fact (again, just a generalization) is not in my opinion.
TC
Keg Thrower
I concur. I won't begin to speculate on their #'s or figures b/c I have no idea where to get them from or what to even compare them too.
I certainly wouldn't trust a rep either. I meet reps all the time and I've never heard one of them mention how their brand is struggling. Funny how they're trying to sell stuff.
I certainly wouldn't trust a rep either. I meet reps all the time and I've never heard one of them mention how their brand is struggling. Funny how they're trying to sell stuff.