Greetings!  I haven’t blogged in a while, and there’s a lot to share as we race into the 4th Quarter of 2009.  The market research efforts that have been essential to the upcoming launch of KENTWOOL’s new product line of high-tech golf socks have been ongoing, productive and entertaining.

I had the opportunity to join some of our sponsored professional golfers at the recent LPGA Navistar Tournament in Alabama.  In addition to playing in the Pro-Am, we had the opportunity to meet & engage with almost every professional golfer in the tournament, as well as a lot of new audiences who were "wowed” by the socks – including former NBA star, Charles Barkley, who enthusiastically referred to us as "the sock guys” – a name that we realize may stick!

Over the past months, the golf pros have been systematically testing our socks in practice and competition around the globe and have been incredibly enthusiastic about the merits of the product, the performance characteristics, and the sheer wearability of them through multiple rounds of golf.

The development of our integrated marketing strategies for the new golf apparel line got very involved and took a fun turn in early October when all 5 KENTWOOL sponsored professional golfers flew or drove into Greenville from literally around the globe:  Kristy McPherson, Dustin Bray, Jenny Gleason, Anna Scott [from England], and Sarah Kemp [from Australia].  A great deal of hard work by our extended team went into getting everybody together for this extravaganza, and the expectations and spirits were high at KENTWOOL.  We weren’t disappointed.

Following a big night out in downtown Greenville in which the golfers got a chance to properly experience the hometown of KENTWOOL, we descended upon Chanticleer Country Club the next morning for a major video/photo shoot.  With the support of Chanticleer and top-flight partners, we turned the golf course into the equivalent of a Hollywood set – getting loads of video footage and photographs that will ultimately support a major advertising campaign, new online sales website, PGA Show display, product packaging and beyond.  Even though the weather forecast was gloomy, the Sock Gods were with us, and we even enjoyed a little sunshine at different intervals while we fearlessly faced the cameras [following a pretty late night!].

Beyond the hard work that everyone exerted to insure that we achieved our goals for the shoot, the day was sheer fun.  If you have not seen true tour professionals at play, it is this mix of good nature banter  and laughter, followed by watching them snap back to full concentration every time they approach a shot.  On one par three, no matter the weather or the distraction of our camera crews and the WYFF-TV news crew which was kind enough to come out and cover the story, the golfers hit shot after shot within four feet of the pin.  Every time – Amazing.

In addition to the fact that we actually played a hole without our golf shoes [Yes – The socks are that good!...Wait until you see the photos], my favorite shot is of all 5 golfers sitting on a low stone wall, dangling their feet in our KENTWOOL socks.  Only when you watch the video footage, it is clear that their feet weren’t dangling… These socks feel so good, every one of them was rotating their ankles and flexing their toes.  It was a great moment.

There is so much that goes into developing and launching a new product line like this, but this will remain a great memory for all of us at KENTWOOL – and believe me, we have a lot of video footage and photos to remember it by!

These socks are going to revolutionize how you feel about "putting on socks” – period, and the build-up to the launch has us all excited and motivated.  I only wish I could see each of your faces when you try on your first pair!

Get ready for the new KENTWOOL brand which will help propel our high-tech socks into the marketplace.  There’s a lot of cool new stuff coming soon.

Signing-off until next time.

All the best.
Mark

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