SPORTS-DEC09-P20:SGBGolf_NEW_template 29/12/2009 11:25 Page 20
Field Report
Intersport reaches out
Revitalised in the UK, the development of the Intersport buying group is
stepping up in 2010 with enhanced branding and a consumer marketing
campaign. Barry Mellis, general manager of Intersport in the UK, spoke to
Robin Barwick about taking ‘Sport to the People’
I
ntersport’s UK membership has enjoyed its and therefore support them in the pursuit of a
fastest ever rise in numbers over the past healthier lifestyle.”
six months, and the recent decision made
at Intersport’s global HQ in Switzerland to The home front
“
We have identified
the need to do more
update the group’s image and send out a On a global scale Intersport boasts an annual
consumer marketing.
strong brand message to consumers, retail turnover of €8 billion and it now has its
coincides neatly with the group’s UK revival. sights set on Asia/Pacific, but at home, there
Intersport is the only
Intersport is now concentrating on taking remains plenty of work for UK general manager
recognised buying
Barry Mellis and his team at Associated
Independent Stores, which holds the UK license
group with its own
for Intersport.
“We have made a concerted effort over the
brand and a
past year to grow the Intersport membership in
recognised fascia in
the UK and to make the group more relevant to
the suppliers and members alike,” Mellis tells the UK, and we
Sporting Goods Business.
At the beginning of 2009, Intersport’s UK
need to let
membership was at its lowest ebb in recent
communities know
times, with 59 members and a total of 158
stores, but in the fastest membership growth what Intersport is
spurt since Intersport entered the UK market in
1974, seven new members have joined since
June, lifting Intersport’s UK presence to 66 branding, will also be rolled out across the entire
”
members and 179 stores. Intersport group, with a view to improving
“We have given Intersport a lot more energy product presentation and the user-friendliness of
and focus,” adds Mellis, “and the re-branding is the in-store experience for consumers. Ultimately,
a way of cementing together everything we are the hope is that this strategy will generate
striving to achieve with independent retailers. customer loyalty, and hence, increased sales.
“We have identified the need to do more “We are giving Intersport greater relevance to
consumer marketing. Intersport is the only
recognised buying group with its own brand and
a recognised fascia in the UK, and we need to
let communities know what Intersport is. A lot
of our retailers carry out their own local
marketing anyway, so we hope to embellish
Man with a message: Barry Mellis, general manager
what they already do and make the marketing
Strapped in: The new identity for Intersport in 2010
for Intersport in the UK
more consistent across the Intersport group.”
the UK market,” adds Mellis, who took control
‘Sport to the People’. That is the strapline the New Year plans of the UK operation in November 2008.
group has introduced as it seeks to extend a At the time of writing, the new strapline and “Intersport had become internalised and it fell
global membership that currently includes 5,200 enhanced Intersport logo are still being off the radar, but now people are responding
sporting goods stores in 37 countries, from introduced to members and brands in the UK, positively to Intersport again, both in terms of
Canada in the west, right across Europe and into with a soft launch set for the next Intersport the membership and the brands. We need to
the Middle East. show, January 6-7. Detailed marketing plans will send out a clear message of who we are to the
“Sport is for everyone and it is our mission, as be drawn up in January and February, with a view brands and consumers, and this is key as far as
well as our daily goal, to bring sport to the to the new and improved Intersport image keeping independent retailers profitable is
people,” says Franz Julien, CEO of Intersport reaching high streets in the Spring and in time for concerned.” S
International Corporation, based in Bern. “We the build up to the 2010 World Cup.
want to motivate people to become more active A new in-store concept, reflecting the re- www.intersport.com
20 SGB SPORT DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
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