BRT Sports Performance launches 2014/15 Winter Sports Catalogue

Published by www.sportstrader.co.za

The Blackheath, Brutal and Sevenn sports brands, under the BRT Sports Performance range distributed by Kevro, took centre stage  at the BRT Sports Performance 2014/2015 Winter Sports Catalogue launch held in Cape Town on 26 November.

Kevro's show room was converted to show their sporty side.  

The Cape Town launch event was the fifth in a series of country wide launches, which have already taken place in Nelspruit (4 November), Johannesburg (11 November), Bloemfontein (12 November) and Pretoria (18 November). The last three launches will be held in Durban (27 November), Port Elizabeth (2 December) and East London (3 December).

What started off as a slow evening at the Kevro office in Cape Town turned into a fun-filled and jolly gathering of sports buyers. The company showroom was renovated to show off the best of their sporting and other brands. Guests could mingle at the tables and on chairs that were conveniently located around the showroom. They could also touch and feel the products, which were displayed in a retail store format.

Guests could pull up a seat and chat with each other. 

The intimate informal gathering was opened by Kevro’s regional executive, Manuel De Andrade, who explained the progress their brands have made in the market. “This morning we smashed our best ever figures in several spaces - the best ever gifting sales, apparel, sports in the Cape,” he said, thanking everyone for playing a part in making it possible.

Kevro’s regional executive, Manuel De Andrade welcomed guests. 

“We have tried to create some sort of exclusivity and invited only sports guys tonight,” explained Martin Ferreira, Kevro’s Director: Sport. The company is creating a sport specialist club in order to provide some exclusivity in terms of price, promotions, pre-season specials, etc. they have set up a page on the BRT Sports Performance Facebook page, which their sports specialist clients can ‘Like’ to join.

Martin Ferreira, Kevro’s Director: Sport discussing some products with guests.

Guests were entertained with a short video presentation that showed some of the products available in the newest Winter sports catalogue. Thereafter Ferreira explained some of the services the company is offering and products that their clients will have access to. The rest of the evening was all about networking and fun.

Kevro's sales team were dressed in their netball best. 

The hosts had set up a mini photo booth area where guests could have their pictures taken while wearing BRT Sports Performance products and other paraphernalia.

 

Guests enjoyed the photo opportunities at the photo booth.

At the end of the evening all the guests received a BRT Winter Sports Collection catalogue , which has 81 pages of brand related information for retailers to peruse and choose from. They also received a flyer on summer launch items that are available, as well as a gift of a mug with the BRT Sports Performance and Barron logos on it.

Each guest received their catalogue, flyer and mug at the end of the night.

Asics new office shows new brand focus

Published by www.sportstrader.co.za

The message was loud and clear at the opening of the new ASICS SA offices in Observatory, Cape Town: the brand is now about much more than just running. The wide spectrum of invited guests attested to that: sevens rugby players and youth lifestyle trendsetters rubbed shoulders with retailers and other industry people in showrooms filled with rugby jerseys, training t-shirts, tennis, hockey and lifestyle footwear, running apparel ... and, of course, the running shoes that have made ASICS famous in South Africa.

Seven’s rugby players Frankie Horne (left), Martin Delport and Kyle Browne (right) with ASICS’ head of emerging markets Stefan Heinrich, ASICS SA marketing manager Sarah Mundy and GM Brian Kerby.

Rykie van der Merwe, responsible for ASICS’ trade marketing, with Elisha from youth lifestyle company Boaston Society.

Retailers Barry Selby, from the Athlete’s Foot, and Toni Haarburger from Holdsport, deep in discussion.

The eco-friendly and health-orientated business park suits the brand, GM Brian Kerby told the guests. Apart from monitoring the sustainability of the tenants, the business park also has a cycling path, CrossFit box and running track, a soccer field and golf course close by (see more New ASICS home). The modern mechandising stands are in the global ASICS designs, featured in offices around the world, and had to be put together like “Meccano sets” says Kerby.

The showrooms are designed according to the global ASICS blueprint.

 “I think we have the best team in the industry,” Kerby said, thanking the Japanese board and European directors for the support and confidence they’ve shown in the newly-appointed South African team. "We’ll keep the Japanese shareholders happy and take the brand to a new level."

GM Brian Kerby addressing the guests, with marketing manager, Sarah Mundy, formerly from SARU, with him. 

ASICS signed the contract with SARU to be their official technical supplier a year ago – but plans for a subsidiary was still a blank piece of paper, said Stefan Heinrich, who as head of emerging markets was intimately involved with the establishment of the new subsidiary. “Now we have a talented team in place – a mixture of Jordan people, our former successful partner, and new people.”

Stefan Heinrich is impressed with the speed in which a talented team at ASICS SA had been assembled.

ATF Trade Exhibition

Published by www.sportstrader.co.za

The 16^th international Apparel, Textile and Footwear Trade Exhibition had a slow day one when it opened on 19 November, when the SA Sports Trader team had a peak.

A number of local and international exhibitors showcased at the 16^th international Apparel, Textile and Footwear Trade Exhibition. 

The show, held in Hall1 at the CTICC in Cape Town, showcased products and services from more than ten countries, which included African countries such as Zambia, Ethiopia, Madagascar, etc. But, it was dominated by Chinese exhibitors, who made up approximately 54% of the exhibitors list and took up almost half of the exhibition space.

A variety of fashion and lifestyle women-, men- and children’s garments were on display, but very few in the technical sporting and outdoor categories.

Ajit Valjee showed visitors the J.M.V. Textiles knitted fabrics, dyers, finishers and rotary screenprinters. 

J.M.V Textiles, manufacturers of sport apparel fabrics, introduced some of their latest textiles, for example, new jacket fabrics, said Ajit Valjee.

Approximately 12% of the exhibitors were from South Africa and offered imported and locally made products, as well as services such as couriering, and next year’s Source Africa exhibition.

Copies of the latest African Clothing and Textile trade sourcing directory were available at the Source Africa stand.

Adidas SA celebrates their second annual Tracksuit Day

Published by www.sportstrader.co.za

This year adidas SA celebrated their second annual Tracksuit Day on 4 November. The event was hosted across the globe by adidas offices and celebrated the birth of Adolf ‘Adi’ Dassler, the founder of the brand, who was born on 3 November 1900.

Adidas SA Public Relations manager, Gugu Ntuli, proudly sporting her National Tracksuit Day sticker.

The adidas SA team again held a fitness class, headed by physiotherapist Wessel Coetzee and adidas’ tech reps, for employees in their staff canteen. The superset class required staff to do cardiovascular exercises such as push-ups, lunges, planking, etc.

Lunge exercise proved to be an easy task for some.

“All adidas offices across the world are doing something today,” Gugu Ntuli, adidas SA Public Relations Manager welcomed her colleagues. “We got the staff together  for a bit of a workout and to have some cake.”

Gugu Ntuli, Wessel Coetzee and Tamaryn Daya, adidas SA’s communications specialist, all took part in the fun-filled event.

Employees could try out some of the brand’s latest shoes during the workout to get an idea of what they like about it and to establish their correct style, fit and size to ensure peace of mind when deciding on purchases, said Geoff Batcheller-Adams, adidas SA’s technical team supervisor. It also gave staff members the chance to get involved and gain insight into what the adidas products are about. After wear-testing the product, staff members will be able to spread the news about the great features of the shoes via word of mouth, he explained.

Geoff Batcheller-Adams (middle), adidas SA’s technical team supervisor, ran point on most of the exercises.

At the end of the day adidas collected the trendy trainers the staff wear-tested to be donated to one of the charity organisations that adidas partners with.

An exercise moved called the Mohammed Ali seemed to quickly turn into a dance move.

Staff  members who participated were rewarded with gifts such as spa vouchers and wine farm getaways that were purchased using the cash collected from their National Tracksuit Day sticker sales.

Some staff members won getaways and spa vouchers.

The stickers were sold for R5 and the proceeds were used to promote staff wellbeing.  “This event was really about the adidas SA staff so that they could celebrate the birth of their brand’s founder, said Ntuli.

All participants could wind down with a cupcake at the end of the exercise session.