The Golf Warehouse (TGW), founded in 1998, is the leading direct-to-consumer (online and catalog) specialty golf retailer.
Having recently been acquired by Northern Tool + Equipment, we were engaged to guide development of their Strategic Vision and Brand Strategy. In addition to understanding significant existing customer and industry research, we fielded both quantitative and qualitative customer research.
The Strategic Vision included creating a detailed current and future profile of all aspects of the company, including: business concept, driving force, customers, brand, products, geography, marketing and promotion, organizational structure, culture, financial performance, etc. And, finally, to determine the Critical Issues on which the company must focus to achieve the Strategic Vision were identified.
The objective of a Brand Strategy is to create a Brand Promise that, when effectively expressed in the marketplace, will result in profitable organic growth, i.e., more customers buying more TGW products and services more often.
We began by using the quantitative and qualitative customer research to deepen our understanding of their relationship with TGW and competitive brands. Next, we uncovered customer’s underlying needs and motivations, and determined how we wanted the TGW brand to evolve in the future. Lastly, we created a Brand Promise that was compelling, believable and distinct in order to drive growth that was consistent with the TGW Strategic Vision.
We then managed an agency search, and guided creative development, for expressing the Brand Strategy into the marketplace.
Engaged with:
- Jon Bernstein, CEO
- Ray Arnoult, Operations VP
- Ronnie Eskridge, Customer Relations Director
- Brett Hamrick, CFO
- Monique Mitchell, DMM Softgood
- Jamie Morey, DMM Baseball
- Tom Murray, Sr. Manager Content Development
- Charles Ogden, Corporate & Team Sales Director
- Aaron Paul, Human Resources Director
- Tony Ray, Online Marketing Director
- Susan Shade, Merchandising VP
- Chris Schram, DMM Hardgood
- Justin Schuster, Sr. Manager Marketing Production
- Chuck Albrecht, President & CEO, Northern Tool & Equipment
- Jay Berlin, CEO, The Sportsman’s Guide
- Wade Kotula, Owner, Northern Tool & Equipment
- Scott Wier, President, C Wenger Group