AND 1 President & CEO Seth Berger is profiled by
PHILADELPHIA magazine's Larry Platt, who writes that the
"upstart" PA-based basketball apparel and footwear company
"is the talk of the sports gear industry -- even as the
industry itself declines." AND 1's sales have increased
400% in the last year and its '99 "projected" sales are
$80M. Berger said he has received a "string of offers" to
buy him out, the latest being for $80M: "Yeah, I'd be
loaded. I'd have a contract for three years and be bored as
hell, and then I'd be like, okay, I want to go start a
basketball company." Platt writes, "Hoops dominate the And
1 corporate culture," and the company's daily full-court
game is "an official part of the job hiring process." The
company of 55 employees has a target market of 12- to 17-
year-olds and has "stunning playground credibility, as
evidenced by the scores of kids" featuring the AND 1 tattoo
of a "faceless, raceless, brawny hoopster" on their skin.
Berger: "What sells our shoes is the brand, not the
endorsement. In fact, most of our line is unendorsed, and
kids are still playing ball and still needing shoes."
Berger said his product is geared toward youths who can
play: "You'd look silly walking onto the court wearing And 1
gear and not being able to play. ... We've never wanted the
16-year-old kid to buy And 1 because he thinks he looks cool
in them." Platt adds that, within the industry, Berger has
"cleverly cultivated a close relationship" with FAME
President David Falk (PHILADELPHIA, 12/98 issue).
AND 1 MORE CAMPAIGN: ADWEEK's Jim Osterman reports that
AND 1 is "breaking its first major campaign this week since
placing its account at" Miami-based Crispin Porter &
Bogusky. Print ads include endorsers Suns G Rex Chapman,
76ers G Larry Hughes and Nuggets C Raef Lafrentz appearing
in Slam, Blaze, ESPN Magazine, Sport and other publications.
AND 1 Dir of Corporate Communications Errin Cecil-Smith,
said that $3-4M is "earmarked" for the campaign (ADWEEK,
12/14). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Josh Gotthelf notes
the campaign, called "Moves," will highlight "each players's
signature move" and will support the launch of AND 1's new
shoe, the Lottery Mid (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/14).
