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In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, host Jenny Rooney sits down with Eric Gibson, chief commercial officer of Golf Pride, to explore the delicate balance between heritage and innovation in sports marketing.
Discover how Golf Pride is transforming from a traditional golf equipment manufacturer into a brand that champions confidence and accessibility, while maintaining its position as the grip of choice for many of the world’s golf professionals.
From unexpected collaborations with James Bond and Steph Curry to meeting modern golfers where they are, this conversation offers valuable insights into brand elevation, purposeful partnerships, and navigating the evolving landscape of golf culture.
“We are arguably the most recognized and used yet undervalued brands in all of golf,” Eric says on the podcast. There’s a staggering contrast between the awareness of the brand and the perceived value of the brand.”
Prior to joining Golf Pride, Eric spent seven years in food marketing with Smithfield Foods. His background includes roles at Sara Lee/Hillshire Brands and Sears Holdings Corporation. Eric brings a passion for enhancing consumer experiences and adapting brand strategies to changing market conditions.
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Key takeaways:
[08:01] Repositioning a 76-Year-Old Brand — Eric discusses the internal culture journey at Golf Pride to redefine what they’re selling: “If you believe that golf in a lot of ways is played in between your ears, then I’d like to think that we sell confidence.” This shift has transformed their business from selling a handle for golf clubs to a piece of performance equipment for hands.
[14:31] Adapting to Golf’s Changing Demographics — Eric challenges the stereotype of the “atypical golfer” as a middle-aged white man, noting that growth in participation is being driven by women, people of color, and youth aged 6-17. He emphasizes that Golf Pride’s creative messaging, tone, and hiring practices must evolve to reflect these changes: “If our brand is gonna be here for the next six generations, internally, we have to not only look more like the future of the game in terms of the talent in which we hire, but the way we show up in creative and messaging and tone and adaptability of that has to be in lockstep with how the game is changing.”
[17:14] Strategic Collaborations with Steph Curry and James Bond — Eric explains Golf Pride’s collaboration philosophy: “For Golf Pride, we prioritize relationships over revenue when it comes to collaborations.” He details their partnership with Steph Curry, which focuses on reinvesting in greater accessibility for underprivileged athletes, and their James Bond collaboration celebrating the 60th anniversary of Goldfinger, which allowed the brand to show a more playful side.
[27:28] Innovation Through Consistent Performance — Eric introduces Golf Pride’s newest product, Alignmax, which features a pronounced exterior rib to ensure consistent hand placement: “Any golfer, you shoot a hundred or you shoot 65, this grip is going to help you ensure that your hands are placed consistently on the grip every single time.” He explains how this innovation addresses the mental game by removing variables that might distract players.
[30:58] Changing Content Consumption in Golf — Eric highlights a significant trend in golf content consumption: “More people last year consumed nontraditional golf content on YouTube than traditional golf content on all professional golf tours combined around the world.” This insight is reshaping Golf Pride’s content strategy and media placement as they recognize that “our golfers are not where we thought they were.”
