Big sports brands have completely taken over the football boots industry. Whilst these giant sports companies control the football boot monopoly, Stylo Matchmakers, one of the most iconic football boot labels of all time has returned under multi-brand football expert Scott Michaels in order to take back a market position.
Today we have interviewed Scott Michaels about how Stylo Matchmakers competes with today’s big brands.
When did Stylo Matchmakers first launch?
The brand established itself the late sixties, partners Paul Ziff and IMG founder Mark McCormack launched what they thought would be a cool “rock and roll” sports brand. After put on the feet of Pele and George Best, a majority of the English football clubs followed suit and the brand went global.
Since the 2017 relaunch, how does Stylo Matchmakers compete with the big brands today?
It doesn’t. Stylo Matchmakers never needed to compete, nor does it intend to sell more football boots than it’s rivals. For this brand, catering for the majority is not an ambition, it’s simply an alternative option for the people who choose not to follow the crowd and for those who campaign for change.
Can you explain why people would not want big brand football boots?
Stylo Matchmakers services the mass, uncatered for sectors, audiences include unhappy big brand customers, or those with conflicting beliefs to what the big brands campaign. Not everybody gets excited when a new £300 football boot is released, some groups are tired of the domination, even the bright colours, or everybody looking the same as everybody else.
Others don’t agree with the big brand political direction, or the fact that boot prices are high because players get paid to advertise them. There’s so many problems corporate brands create for themselves, it’s a fact that they can’t service and satisfy everybody and in 2021, the people have a right to demonstrate and campaign if there are repercussions of big brand and corporation actions.
What else is unique about Stylo Matchmakers?
Stylo Matchmakers also values a British heritage, it’s not a German or American corporation so it appeals to those who are proud to support UK business, so to some it’s about supporting local.
Saying no to sponsoring, is this a first for a football boot brand?
Back in the day Stylo Matchmakers were huge sponsors. But in this day and age financially influencing athletes is wrong. If players want paying to wear boots, they should ask the big brands for a cheque. Stylo Matchmakers has come a long way since the sixties. Bribery and back handers are immoral. Stylo Matchmakers audience like the fact they’re not being pressured by people in numbers, sponsored pros, or hype from the media. Instead, they like the fact Stylo Matchmakers is a family run underdog at war with the big brands.
You say Stylo Matchmakers isn’t for everybody, but can anybody buy a pair?
Stylo Matchmakers give the 100% of footballers the opportunity to represent their label, but despite Against Modern Football campaigning it’s statistically only 5% who comprehend the brand’s message, that the brand really progresses with in a sales capacity. The remaining 95% unfortunately do not have the capability to think or care about some of the issues and concerns which are brought to light. Stylo Matchmakers understand it’s an easy choice for the majority of people to ignore big brand accountability. It’s much easier to roll over to big budget advertising and let the corporates take control. By targeting the niche audiences who refuse to comply with the corporate way, Stylo Matchmakers are left with a much smaller, more exclusive, group of proactive demonstrators that represent change and who want to put things right.
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