Pink Ribbon Golf just announced an agreement with Hi-Tec Sports to produce its first women’s golf shoe, the Carnaby Pink Ribbon. The pink and white shoes will be available throughout Europe next June at suggested retail prices of €89 to €99 per pair, or £60 in the U.K. David Drachmann-Sunne, Pink Ribbon Golf’s founder and chief executive, said he would be happy if the brand sold 10,000 pairs in the first year.
Women are still the target consumers, and the same principle that this Austrian-based supplier uses for its golf clothing and accessories will apply: 10 percent of the recommended retail price before VAT of all Pink Ribbon Golf products sold goes directly to selected breast cancer research charities in the countries were they are sold. In the U.K. for example, it’s the Pink Ribbon Foundation.
Drachmann-Sunne didn’t start golfing until 2001.He was selling Weber barbecues until three years ago, when he decided to launch Pink Ribbon Golf at the age of 45 to make a difference in the market. He is now cooking up the idea of starting another brand, Pink Ribbon Sports. Expected to be up and running by 2010, it should cover other sports as well such as running or hiking, supporting breast cancer charities in the same way.
Until now his Pink Ribbon Golf has limited its offering to golf-related products such as T-shirts, socks, gloves, hand towels, bags, headgear, ball markers and pitchforks. Most of the products are imported from China, but some garments are brought in from Turkey.
With its unique story and brand strategy, after two years Pink Ribbon is now sold in many countries including Finland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the U.K, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and, since very recently, the USA. It is working on penetrating Canada, Sweden and South Africa. Pink Ribbon Golf had sales of less than €2 million last year, but Drachmann-Sunne is ambitious.
