The Ultra Performance shoe is spearheading ECCO's 2009 men's range. Can this shoe live up to its name?
We certainly believe so. ECCO has perfected the art of shoemaking over the last 45 years and has been an innovator in golf shoes for the last 10 years. All of this heritage and knowledge has come together within our best ever golf shoe.
I understand ECCO's Direct Injection process is a crucial factor in the construction of the Ultra Performance. Please explain what it is and why it is so good.
Direct injection is a vital, and totally unique part of ECCO's shoe construction. This highly technical process allows the Polyurethane (PU) midsole to be directly injected into a shoe mould, and then bonded to the upper of the shoe with perfect adhesion - meaning no stitching and a seamless, watertight construction. Additionally, and in spite of its relatively light weight, the PU material provides excellent shock absorption and durability throughout the life of the shoe.
Where are the shoes made?
At ECCO we manage all our own factories, with our golf shoes made in both Europe and the Far East (depending upon the shoe technologies used). Crucially, we also ensure supreme leather quality by owning all our own tanneries, the largest of these being in Holland, Portugal and Thailand.
The Ultra Performance has an RRP of £150. Can you really have high expectations for a shoe with such a high price in a slow economy?
We believe so, because we believe the Ultra Performance is the best golf shoe ever made, and that in spite of tough economic times, the discerning golfer will be prepared to invest in quality.
What else is ECCO bringing to the golf market in 2009?
ECCO is fantastically positioned to offer one of the most important areas that drive the market: innovation, which is absolutely crucial within golf. If you don't innovate in golf then you will stand still and eventually move backwards. We have taken our proprietary innovations, such as Direct Injection as well as other technologies, and we have brought them together in an entirely new collection, which is about a lot more than simply the Ultra Performance. Those that innovate the most generally come out on top. You have also got to look good in-store and you have got to train shop staff. We are going to put even more emphasis on how we look in store, on the shelf, and we are going to put more investment into making sure shop staff can talk the ECCO story and the technology. At a time when the economy is struggling, we are bringing something that is new and fresh to the market, we have a clear strategy and so we can confidently look forward to growth in spite of the difficult [economic] situation.
As a strong high street brand outside golf, will ECCO sell its golf shoes on the high street too?
Some of our largest owned and operated stores do feature our best golf shoes, as they are a vital part of our overall brand offering, but other than this we only sell our shoes via leading golf outlets.
What proportion of the ECCO business does golf account for?
I'm afraid that's confidential information - but suffice to say, golf is a vitally important part of ECCO's overall global business, and will remain so in the years ahead.
As a brand that is traditionally strong in the general women's shoe market, is the women's golf market very difficult in comparison?
With our Ladies' Casual and Formal shoes leading the way in many premium high street shoe shops, we have a head start in meeting the demands of the style-conscious female golfer. Without doubt, both markets are highly competitive, but with our unique technologies and ever-increasing focus upon both performance and style we are in a great position to grow our market share in the years ahead.
There are many uncertainties in tournament sponsorship around the world right now.
Are ECCO's associations with the Ladies' European Tour and the Solheim Cup going to continue in 2009 and beyond?
Yes they are. Being chosen by some of the world's leading players and being seen at some of the biggest tournaments remains crucial to ECCO.
How do you expect the European golf shoe market to perform in 2009?
For sure it won't be easy, but as with most businesses, those that offer something different, and can keep the promises they make to customers and consumers, will continue to prosper.
