How we helped turn a niche player into an industry leader

CHALLENGE

Cobra Golf was a niche company looking to break into the first rank of club manufacturers. It needed to build a strong brand on a conservative budget, while attempting to take significant market share from established leaders in a highly competitive industry.

SOLUTION

John DeBello was chosen to help the organization improve its profile—and sales—among desired consumers by creating and producing an integrated series of marketing tactics.

DeBello wrote and directed national broadcast campaigns, “win” ads, infomercials, and product introduction videos that helped Cobra position itself as the manufacturer of choice for a younger, hipper (and growing) demographic.

Greg Norman starred in a series of dazzling motion graphics-driven spots that propelled the company’s new King Cobra oversize woods and irons to marketplace leadership. Three years later, King Cobra II irons hit #1 in the wake of a national broadcast campaign featuring sardonic comedian Dennis Miller.

When the company adopted titanium as an integral club component, a campaign associating Cobra “Ti” with leading aerospace technology resonated strongly among the core consumer audience.

DeBello also exec produced stunning multimedia events at successive PGA Shows that earned a “Wow!” from Golf Digest. “The message came in loud and clear,” added Sports Illustrated—as Cobra’s year-over-year sales doubled.

RESULTS

From a $12 million specialty club manufacturer, Cobra blossomed into a recognized industry leader over the course of the engagement. When the company was sold to Fortune Brands for a then-record $750 million, it had reached the top tier of industry success.