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ANNOUNCEMENT Live Chat: Ethan Ganot with Callaway Golf

SuperStroke
Is there any plan for when/if a highly marketable tour pro prefers older/previous gen equipment and doesn't put the new stuff in the bag? Has that ever been an issue or do they easily adopt the new equipment?
 
OldeDude said:
Just got a call I have head down the hill to meet with my boss right when this is going on, so I'll miss it live.

Questions for @EthanatorCG :
  • As a beer drinker living in Encinitas, have you tried any of the Pizza Port brews? They are from your area, good stuff (I really like their Chronic Amber).
  • What is the bigger marketing challenge within the Callaway product lines (balls, clubs, apparel, ......)?
  • Are there many golf courses staying open in your area (up here in the Sacramento area its about 50/50)? If so, you getting to play much?
  • What's in your bag right now, and how often does it change?
Thanks for taking the time to spend with us here at THP, wish I could follow along live.
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Port makes great beer! I love their variety. SIPA has awesome flavor for such a "light" beer. The pizza's decent too!
Product marketing challenge -- i think it's tough to give everything the love it deserves. So many great products for so many different types of players. There's only so much time and money we can put behind each one so. we have to prioritize. For example - Supersoft MAGNA is an amazing product for a large portion of players but because it only drives so much revenue, we can't push it as hard as we'd like
Courses here -- i think just about every one is closed. I've been taking air swings in the yard to keep my swing in shape!
WITB - It's in my signature, I think. I probably have the most "Stock" bag out of any OEM employee you'll ever meet! I only change when we have new stuff come out
 
greekelite said:
@EthanatorCG

Can/will Callaway ever do goofy marketing things, like prank videos with pros, behind the scenes, etc?

Love to see the lighter side of product/company promotion
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We do all of those things! Keep an eye on our social media as that's where they're usually posted. They don't usually make it into play on tv commercials or the like, but occasionally they do. It's always a balance of telling a product story first and foremost and adding a little bit of personality to make it interesting

This is a pretty "goofy" golf commercial, no?
 
@EthanatorCG, I see you're still using the EF 5w. Is that just because you just haven't switched to the Mavrik, or does the EF work that much better for you? The Mav 5w is amazing....I know I don't have to tell you.
 
93civiccpe said:
@EthanatorCG with the growing number of golf youtubers and the number of golfers they reach, is more marketing dollars going to them to help spread knowledge about new releases? How does that return on the investment compare to having a pro play a bag of Callaway clubs?
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the spend shift is always happening but the answer to every question like this is "it depends." We are certainly shifting away from "Traditional" and more toward new opportunities, but there is a huge portion of the golf audience that needs to see the "tried and true" vehicles we've always used.

ROI on digital vs a staff pro depends on who the player is, how we use them, what they're playing, and what the goal of the other marketing dollars is. Sometimes it's awareness, sometimes it's purchase. Sometimes it's just doing stuff that we think is fun and interesting and will make people want to associate themselves with Callaway. So, it's all a balance!
 
baylrballa said:
@EthanatorCG

Best Beastie Boys track?
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Soooooo mannyyyyy options! Like beer it's totally a mood thing! Do I need to get hyped? Am I just chilling? Do I want some humorous rhymes?

A sure winner for me at any time is Paul's Boutique as an entire album. It all just flows...

If I need to get excited, it's hard not to skip to the 2:30 mark of this one as the boys hit the stage
 
Ethan.

How many times have you had to confirm that the Super Hybrid is not built to illegal standards based on output?

related: Can you confirm that the Super Hybrid is conforming?
follow up to whatever you say: I don't believe you. :sneaky:
 
@EthanatorCG, seen some taco questions, how about choosing between green Chile from Colorado or New Mexico?


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93civiccpe said:
@EthanatorCG which Callaway staffer would be the most fun to drink beer and play 18 with?
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Love this question. So hard to answer, all of our guys and ladies are really terrific people and super fun.
I got to play a pro-am with Madelene Sagström and her caddie and they laughed at all of my jokes (!!!) and I'd love to hang out with them again. Such great people.
Here's a few other players and reasons why I'd want to play with them --

Stenson - always upbeat, always brings the dry wit
Leishman - down to earth, regular beer drinking dude. THUMPS the ball
Hadwin - would feel like playing with your buddy (if your buddy could hit it 300yds and to 4 feet every time)
Emma Talley - so effusive, so bubbly, so friendly.
Noren - the guy is built like Superman. I don't think there's a shot he can't pull off and I bet he could lift a golf cart over his head
 
@EthanatorCG, which player on a rival OEM manufacturer would you want to bring over to Callaway?


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BriMac said:
Phil Mickelson must be a marketers dream - how much of his social stuff is prompted by the Callaway team? Who originated the Phireside chats?
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Fact, he is amazing to work with! His personality is so distinct that it's almost easy to write in "Phil-speak"...we can capture his personality and share it with golfers. (See the two examples I posted above -- the Chrome Soft spot and the MAVRIK commercial)
He's also done this stuff so many times that he really understands "how" to make a commercial and often has insight into how to write or shoot something to make it better.
It's a balance of what we pitch him and what he pitches us. Probably 60% us 40% him?
Phireside chats are all Phil!
 
@EthanatorCG favorite hole at the Hideaway, aaaaaaaand go!
 
kiwichris said:
@EthanatorCG, seen some taco questions, how about choosing between green Chile from Colorado or New Mexico?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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There is no good green chile from colorado. ;)
 
93civiccpe said:
@EthanatorCG what's the most memorable course that you've played? Have you played Augusta National?
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No Augusta...maybe some day!?!?!?!
Hard not to have a recency bias on this question and not to answer in "name drop" fashion. But I have to say that all 4 courses at Bandon are incredibly memorable especially since 3 of the 4 are super different from one another. I recently got to play Rustic Canyon north of LA and even though I played it only once I can remember almost every hole in order (I am usually not good at that). Also super memorable - Goat Hill Park here in Oceanside. It's a unique and wonderful golf experience.
 
@EthanatorCG My Malört Buddy!! How far out in advance do you work on marketing campaigns?
With Mavirk only officially released for 3 months, are you already working on 2021 marketing in the background?
 
93civiccpe said:
@EthanatorCG the next generation of golfers are really starting to step up. Who is a young Callaway staff player who we should keep an eye on?
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Our entire LPGA staff is awesome. I've already mentioned Madelene Sagström, who got a win earlier this year. Andrea Lee is going to be a baller, as is Anne van Dam (how about her golf swing?!?!).
On the men's side - Maverick McNealy is super close to breaking through and Will Gordon has tremendous power, I think that guys's gonna be huge.
 
@EthanatorCG Have you watched Tiger King on Netflix? If so, who do you think is the worst villain of the show?
 
With great power, comes great responsibility, How does it feel to carry the moniker of "Ethan" along with the rest of the greats? Ethan Hawke, Ethan Hunt, Ethanol, Myself, etc.
 
Bryndom said:
@EthanatorCG Callaway has been a R&D leader in the industry, especially using AI in the drivers, irons. Will we see the AI technology soon in putters and wedges to help hackers like us out on our pulls and pushes?
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Thanks for the shoutout to R&D, a much deserved mention! They make our job in Marketing SO much easier because it makes it easy for us to focus on product as numero uno. They do amazing work over on that side of the building.
All I can say at this time is that we are using AI as much as possible and it's only inevitable that it will start to creep beyond just drivers/woods/hybrids/irons....
 
Bryndom said:
@EthanatorCG Callaway has several lines of irons in place to fit a variety of golfers and their swings. When it comes to marketing, how do you approach creating a campaign to differentiate the sets so that the consumers aren't confused about which they should be leaning towards?
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Ooh this is a good one. We try to give people a nudge in the right direction and to very strongly encourage them to get fit to find out exactly what's right for them. At a high level we try to make sure people understand what category of iron each product falls in (super game improvement, game improvement, players, etc) but some of our products (like Apex) can almost bridge gaps so at the end of the day it comes down to producing content and materials that explain what each iron does and how it might benefit the games of different players.

And I have to plug our selector tool, which is always a good starting point!
 
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