Fore!
Just read a piece in the USA Today (not that I read that publication much) which talked about Callaway’s new direction in marketing. They’ve brought on a new agency (Factory Design Labs) and also Justin Timberlake to consult with them.
“Looking to pump up sales and promote its two new products for 2012— the RAZR Fit driver and the Hex Black Tour golf ball — Callaway Golf is pumping up the volume in a game long known for its tranquility. Callaway hired marketing agency Factory Design Labs, who came up with the concept to take golf to a place it has never been – the neon-induced, over-the-top, volume-busting Las Vegas Strip. Factory Design then got in touch with Kahn and Justin Timberlake, the multiple Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actor, musician and avid golfer, to collaborate on a campaign that is as unique as it is eye-catching.”
The result is a campaign which is going to start toward the end of January which features Phil Mickelson and other Callaway players hitting shots on the Las Vegas strip with volcanoes erupting and pyrotechnics exploding. Sounds fun. I’d like to try that. I’m not really a Justin Timberlake fan so I guess I’m not the demographic they’re going for, even though my demographic is the one with the money to spend.
It will be interesting to see what they do and how successful the campaign is.
The Callaway vs Acushnet (parent company of Titleist) patent case has been going on now for about five years. It has been like a boxing match with each heavyweight fighter seemingly getting knocked out, only to gain consciousness at the last second and deliver a near-knockout blow of their own.
Callaway scored a big victory in 2007, forcing Acushnet to stop selling the current revision of the ProV1, though that took nearly two years to happen. Acushnet was forced to change the golf balls at that time. I remember those few months when my buddies were stocking up on ProV1’s, just in case the new versions weren’t as good. Acushnet later won an appeal on that ruling, and the court game was back on.
This past time around, Acushnet won as the judge upheld a jury verdict from March 2010, determining that the four patents in dispute were invalid. Callaway was denied a request for a new trial. Callaway has the option to appeal, but apparently will start a new suit for alleged infringement of other patents.
Acushnet’s Press Release Below – Click read more if you can’t see it
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Here’s a first look at the new Callaway RazrX Tour Hybrid. I really like the leading edge of this club. Haven’t hit it yet, but looks like it should dig through bad lies pretty well.
Callaway RazrX Tour Hybrid - Click for more Callaway images
Acushnet (parent company of Titleist) has won a jury verdict against Callaway regarding four patents which Callaway owned related to the previous generation of Pro V1 golf balls. I wonder if this means Titleist will alter the next generation ball to utilize that technology again, now that they’ve been found not to be infringing on Callaway’s patents? I noticed quite a difference in the balls from the two different years, not in performance per se, but in the feel, durability and tackiness of the ball.
Official Acushnet press release below
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Wow this is big news for Titleist/Acushnet. A court of appeals granted their request for a new trial regarding their golf ball patent dispute with Callaway Golf.
Click the read more link below to view Acushnet’s press release from yesterday.
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