"We're recreating a similar structure that Jamie and I built while we ran Ride Snowboards; a tiered branded strategy. At Ride, we had incredible demand for that brand, which is great, but if you sell your brand to every level of distribution, you won't last long. So we started several other brands and even bought a few more to target certain levels of distribution to keep each brand clean. That's what we're doing here...the brand is going to get back to its roots and expand into athletic sportswear. TapouT is all about respect, discipline and the will and desire to train to be the best. We're not afraid to say that we're going right after Under Armour and Nike," stated Tim Pogue, Chief Marketing Officer for Authentic Brands, as he talked about the recent acquisition and the future plans of TapouT, Hitman Fight Gear and Silver Star Casting Company. Check it out!
PC: How is it going Tim?
TP: Crazy busy, but it's all good.
PC: Could you give us a little background on yourself and let us know where you come from?
TP: I've been involved in the action sports business for over 20 years. I was with Burton Snowboards, in marketing, before I started Ride Snowboards with Authentic Brands Group CEO Jamie Salter in 1991, and went on to start several other brands over the years. I've run several companies since, but my specialty is marketing.
PC: There seems to be some confusion, and I'm sure you can clear it up. Was Hitman Fight Gear a part of the purchase as well?
TP: Yes. TapouT owned Hitman, so we acquired that brand in the purchase of TapouT.
PC: Authentic Brands Group just pulled off one of the biggest purchases ever in the sport of mixed martial arts. What was the thought process behind purchasing Hitman Fight Wear, Tapout and Silver Star Casting Company?
TP: We're recreating a similar structure that Jamie and I built while we ran Ride Snowboards; a tiered branded strategy. At Ride, we had incredible demand for that brand, which is great, but if you sell your brand to every level of distribution, you won't last long. So we started several other brands and even bought a few more to target certain levels of distribution to keep each brand clean. That's what we're doing here.
PC: Now that the deal is done, what can fans expect from this situation with each company purchased and from ABG?
TP: Simply said, great things! Dan "Punk Ass" Caldwell is staying on as the President of TapouT and Skyskrape is staying, the artists that were here when Mask first started the company are staying on board, and the brand is going to get back to its roots and expand into athletic sportswear. TapouT is all about respect, discipline and the will and desire to train to be the best. We're not afraid to say that we're going right after Under Armour and Nike. And with Silver Star, founder and president Luke Burrett is also staying on to help guide Silver Star into its ultimate destiny of a mixed sports and lifestyle brand, featuring only champions like Anderson Silva from MMA and the top athletes from action sports and motor sports. So we won't just make the same products and put different logos on them; the brands will be totally different in art direction, product categories and even in the types of athletes they sponsor.
PC: I'm sure you have a ton of job titles and duties as far as ABG is concerned. What are some of the things you do for the company?
TP: I am the Chief Marketing Officer for Authentic Brands, so I oversee all marketing efforts for all brands. So from the fighters and other athletes to advertising, art direction to events, that all falls in under me.
PC: How important is it to get these brands in retail stores for the public to really take notice?
TP: Part of why we liked these brands enough to buy them is because they already have such a strong presence at retail. It's no secret that strong brands need to have a strong presence in both online and in the stores, so we plan on keeping that rolling through our best in class licensees.
PC: Any upcoming projects that you want to mention?
TP: We just bought the companies, so project #1 is integrating them together and into our structure.
PC: I appreciate your time. I look forward to upcoming events and projects from you guys and if there is anything we can do to help out at FightHype.com, let me know. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
TP: I'd just like to add that it's not just by chance, or because MMA is growing so fast, that we chose to enter this sport as our first acquisition. I trained in both Karate and Judo in my younger years and have been an MMA fan ever since the first time I saw Royce Gracie dominating back in the day. The UFC has done some amazing things to clean up and grow the sport and we're both excited and honored to be a part of it.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]