"Altitude transformed a neglected commodity accessory into a product that challenges the status quo and truly complements our new oversized driver. They showed the stodgy golf world how innovative Nike is, and we had the bonus of receiving a prestigious IDSA award and seeing them published in BusinessWeek."

Awards:
IDEA Winner

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Tee it up.

When Nike asked Altitude to help segment its golf customers, this strategic assignment led to a re-evaluation of one of the most basic components of the sport: the golf tee. With the ultimate goal of increasing sales of Nike golf products, we conducted extensive contextual research with golfers to understand their needs, attitudes, and values. We found that golfers wanted products that helped them learn the game quickly, that inspired them, and that made the game easier to play. We leveraged this knowledge to carefully analyze and segment Nike's golf customers into three new categories, thus enabling Nike to develop the appropriate clubs and products to meet their needs.

Putting segmentation into action

As part of our effort, we were also tasked to re-invent the golf tee, increasing its height to enhance the performance of Nike's new over-sized driver. We analyzed incumbent golf tees, the physics of the swing, ball set-up, and other tactical elements. We also examined the attributes customers desired, such as performance and convenience. Our research and design efforts yielded a diverse range of 33 concepts, and a standing ovation from Nike. Provided free with Nike clubs, these distinctive tees demonstrate Nike innovation, while helping golfers perform better and enjoy the sport at an elevated level. Nike is currently evaluating the four prototype designs for large-scale production.