ERSA Pro Stringer Issue 2 - 2018 ProStringer_0218_07 final | Page 18
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Legendary Snauwaert brand re-enters
U.S. Tennis Market
Known for groundbreaking racquet design and elite craftsmanship beginning in 1928, Snauwaert has officially
announced its re-entry into the US tennis market. With a new, first-of-its-kind business model that departs from,
and disrupts, current category conventions, Snauwaert will deliver, exclusively, direct-to-consumer services.
The brand will sell its newly designed range of performance and youth racquets, strings, grips and bags through
its e-commerce website, www.snauwaert.com. In the process, the typical intermediate steps of traditional
retail will be fully eliminated, thus allowing for significant investment in the development of a widereaching,
full service brand ambassador network of coaches globally. Counter to what other brands have traditionally
done, Snauwaert ambassadors will receive a commission, and be compensated, for the first time ever, for their
promotional activities, thus fuelling the growth of the brand and its sales.
The company is led by an all-star collective of
sporting goods executives who, in recent years,
have delivered some of tennis’ most innovative
thinking in product design, promotions,
marketing, logistics and customer service. Chief
Executive Officer and owner, Roberto Gazzara,
former head of research and design for Prince
Sports, Inc. will be based out of the company’s
Italian headquarters, and will be joined by Vice
President of Sales and Marketing, Ken Merritt,
an acclaimed grassroots and promotional
marketing expert credited for helping to create
the blueprint for modern day tennis promotional marketing. An expert third-party operator will oversee all
logistics, customer service and warehousing out of its Louisville, Colorado facility, while a hand-selected team
of branding, public relations and digital/social media agency partners based in Italy, Spain, Argentina and New
York City will develop and execute the brands’ marketing communications initiatives.
“Our mission is simple. We are here to serve tennis and finally take a truly active role in helping the player,”
said Gazzara. “We have created a full product line designed to suit players of all levels and have developed an
innovative program that will provide high-touch, ‘white glove’ individual concierge support to every Snauwaert
player prior to, during and after their equipment selection process - in order to ensure each has the absolute
right product in hand.”
In less than two full months, the brand has grown its tribe of promotional sales representatives in the US to
more than fifty elite ambassadors. These individuals are top-tier instructors in their local markets charged with
providing the consumer with a real-time resource and a better, more personal experience, at every touch point
along their journey.
“Our customers are our end users,” said Merritt. “Our business model is to present Snauwaert racquets direct
from us to the end user. We answer to, and want to interact directly with, them. We made a conscious decision
to serve at the pleasure of the people who play this great game of tennis. They, not anyone else, are our number
one priority, period.”
For more information, images, interview requests or product demo opportunities,
please contact: [email protected] or visit: www.snauwaert.com
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ERSA PRO STRINGER // ISSUE 2-2018