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Worst Driver Launches - Marketing Goes Silent

SuperStroke
tpluff said:
Wait, the criteria clearly says single press release and not a peep.

Doesn't the company have to recognize the product to have a press release? I call foul on this.
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I think it's the opposite. They have an advertiser here on THP that markets the hell out of that thing.
 
ddec said:
they have been so silent on the Vapor Fly line. When Covert came out I liked their marketing, the old "sorry" commercials. The Covert 2.0, with showing the evolution story of golf equipment was decent too. This year, nothing, it's been crazy silent.

I think Cobra's driver marketing has been quiet too for the last few years. I don't recall AMP Cell or Bio Cell causing much noise on TV.

I thought X2 hot from Callaway could have used more. I know it was more of a price point driver, but in a way so was XR and now XR 16 and the marketing for that is high. Perhaps they realized it and beefed up the X line from that side of things.

I'm convinced that Mizuno and Titleist don't care about their driver sales.
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This whole Nike release confuses me. If I wasn't a member of this site and love just trying out golf equipment, I wouldn't know that they had ANYTHING new out.
 
mpeterson said:
This whole Nike release confuses me. If I wasn't a member of this site and love just trying out golf equipment, I wouldn't know that they had ANYTHING new out.
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They have something new out?
 
ohio_striker said:
you guys think nike isnt dumping money on golf advertising now that TW is pretty much gone. Its not going to be a big money maker for them they would rather spend it on other areas clothes, shoes ect.
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They appear to be spending more money advertising new running shoes with Rory than they do actually advertising the clubs he uses.
 
mpeterson said:
This whole Nike release confuses me. If I wasn't a member of this site and love just trying out golf equipment, I wouldn't know that they had ANYTHING new out.
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it's like they are reluctantly in the club business.
 
I'm with everyone on Nike, would also say bridgestone, Mizuno and Wilson are guilty of this.
 
ddec said:
it's funny you both say that. Had conversations last night at sim league, one guy asked if W/S still made golf clubs(I was wearing a W/S t shirt) and if they were any good(he was a fan of their clubs back in the day). Another conversation about golf balls came up, one said it's amazing nobody makes a ball as good as the Pro V1, and someone mentioned srixon balls. Then followed it with, I wish they made clubs. Similar to Bridgestone, they are a golf ball only brand.
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I always forget about wilson because i play a good bit of their options but thinking back i totally didnt know they were still in the golf game until i hit the fg tour v2

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Nike. Perhaps Nike doesnt get a support from TW due to its blue color?? lol.
 
Mizuno, Nike, some TM drivers. Bridgestone you have to get on social media.
 
Jetspeed
SLDR-S
SLDR-C (although heavily marketed online by Bobcat)
Bertha V-Series
FT Optifarce

All Mizuno, Srixon, Adams, Cleveland and Nike drivers.
 
This year it sure seems like TM, Ping, Callaway, and Cobra are far ahead of everyone else in terms of driver marketing. I know people like to make fun of marketing and PR, but if consumers don't know about clubs, they aren't going to try them or buy them, no matter how great those products might be.
 
The first driver I thought of was the SLDR.

I see a lot of TM mentions. Probably because it seems like they throw a bunch of stuff against the wall to find out what sticks.

I can see where Nike would seem to fit the bill. There ads always seem to be just about Nike in general, and not about the new [insert club model].

Callaway's RAZR line never did anything.
 
Consumer focus should be on how a driver compares to other drivers rather than worrying about how OEM's manage their advertising and/or their product launch budgets.

The SLDR-C which was mentioned earlier in this thread is actually a very interesting example of a "silent" announcement. One reason is because the C-Series Family actually came out AFTER the R15/AeroBurner, so it made no sense for TM to re-allocate any of their new R15/AeroBurner campaign budget back to this late addition to an older (SLDR) product line. Keep in mind that at that time, people were actually asking TM for a more forgiving SLDR Driver, so finally, (mid-2015), TM delivered exactly that!

I think its pretty clear the SLDR-C Family was already in the production pipeline and too good NOT to be introduced, so despite what some consider questionable timing because the R15/AeroBurner had just hit Retail stores, an entire SLDR-C Family of products was brought forth by TM, albeit with virtually no fanfare, and no advertising/marketing budget support. Very much a "silent" announcement with TM hoping the SLDR name alone would carry this new line of products.

Perhaps it would have been a more accurate description to call the forgiving SLDR-C Driver "SLDR-2" as it is a very different clubhead compared to the original SLDR 460cc or the Silver "S" 460cc model, both of which are considered very "unforgiving" by many players.

Before the "rude and clueless" begin "punk posting" here, allow me to make a suggestion: Rather than dismissing any product that you have no experience with, (or because you don't understand, or agree with how that product was launched), consider comparing it against other products and judge it for yourself.

In fact, hit the SLDR-C Driver against TM's latest new M2 Driver at Club Clash...You may be in for a very big surprise! :D
 
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Jetspeed. Creepy puppets only sell horror movies.
 
bobcat said:
Consumers need to focus on how a driver compares to other drivers rather than worrying about how the OEM's manage their advertising budgets.

The SLDR-C, for example came out AFTER the R15/AeroBurner, so it would not have made much sense for TM to re-allocate any of the new R15/AeroBurner budget back to the older product line. At that time people were also wanting a more forgiving SLDR, so in mid-2015, that's what TM delivered.

The SLDR-C was already in the production pipeline and simply too good NOT to be introduced, despite questionable timing given that the R15/AeroBurner had aleady reached Retail stores.

Perhaps TM should have called it the SLDR-2 as it is a completely new and different clubhead than the original SLDR 460cc head or the Silver "S" model.

Instead of bashing a product you have no experience with, (or because you don't agree with how it was released), maybe you should just go hit it against the new M2 at Club Clash...You may be in for a huge surprise! :D
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Cat,
When I mentioned the SLDR C it was not a bash. Other than how poorly it was marketed which is what this thread is about.

I've never hit a C therefore I can't and won't comment there.
 
bobcat said:
Consumers need to focus on how a driver compares to other drivers rather than worrying about how the OEM's manage their advertising budgets.

The SLDR-C, for example came out AFTER the R15/AeroBurner, so it would not have made much sense for TM to re-allocate any of the new R15/AeroBurner budget back to the older product line. At that time people were also wanting a more forgiving SLDR, so in mid-2015, that's what TM delivered.

The SLDR-C was already in the production pipeline and simply too good NOT to be introduced, despite questionable timing given that the R15/AeroBurner had aleady reached Retail stores.

Perhaps TM should have called it the SLDR-2 as it is a completely new and different clubhead than the original SLDR 460cc head or the Silver "S" model.

Instead of bashing a product you have no experience with, (or because you don't agree with how it was released), maybe you should just go hit it against the new M2 at Club Clash...You may be in for a huge surprise! :D
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This thread has nothing to do with how a product performs. Its about club launches.
I know that anytime SLDR-C is mentioned anywhere on the internet, the bat signal is called, but let's try to stay on the topic at hand.
 
For me the two companies that come to mind are Nike and Mizuno. And I really enjoyed both of their current releases. It seemed I was hearing about the "New Nike VaporFly!" everywhere i clicked and now I don't even see it mentioned unless I go into a nike thread. And the Mizuno New JPX EZ line. Another one that pops into my mind for this.
 
-CRW- said:
I think it's the opposite. They have an advertiser here on THP that markets the hell out of that thing.
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Always brings people out of the woodworks.
 
TaylorMade for me. Always too loud and mostly under delivering. The M1 however does deliver.
 
#Cookie said:
RocketballzDriver_1.jpg
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I thought that was a very successful campaign. Heck I went out and bought one and loved it
 
dustin8538 said:
I thought that was a very successful campaign. Heck I went out and bought one and loved it
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I posted shortly after I posted this. I thought it was corny (albeit admittedly successful). Definitely not a "silent" launch.
 
fupresti said:
Jetspeed. Creepy puppets only sell horror movies.
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I thought the puppets were hilarious. but I'm a creepy kind of guy...wait....that didn't sound right.
 
Any Wilson Staff driver.
Bridgestone Drivers.
 
Callaway Optiforce.
 
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