The "rise of Fila" was featured by CNN's Sean Callebs during
Friday's "Moneyline." Callebs: "With orders up 40% this year,
Wall Street is taking notice. ... Much of the credit goes to
basketball superstar Grant Hill." Fila VP/Advertising &
Communication Howe Burch: "It's been an exciting ride. The
company's sales have virtually tripled over the last three
years." Deutsch, Inc. CEO Donny Deutsch, on Fila targeting the
urban market: "The inner-city kids set the fashion and athletic
trends for what's happening in the suburbs. So, if you see a kid
in the city wearing Fila sneakers and baggy pants, six months
later, you'll see the lily white kid out in Skokie, Illinois
wearing them." Callebs notes that Fila has about 6% of the U.S.
market, while Reebok and Nike still control 50% of U.S. sales.
Callebs: "If Fila is going to make a dent in that lead, it may
have to change it's image. Right now, Fila is known primarily
for its stylish designs. Nike and Reebok have more than style,
they have a reputation for performance, whether that performer is
a basketball superstar or a weekend jogger" ("Moneyline," CNN,
10/11).
NEW AD: A new Fila ad featuring Grant Hill getting "a lesson
in being bad" from former Piston Bill Laimbeer aired last night
during ABC's "Monday Night Football." Hill: "We do everything
from throwing elbows, to dancing, to punching Bill Laimbeer,
something I'm sure a lot of people would want to do" ("ET This
Week," 10/13).
