Case Study 10:
3M GREPTILE GRIP
GOLF GLOVE:
GREAT GRIPPING!
Brittany Lightheart, Adam Baker,
Marvin Isaac, Matt Burnip
Question 1: What are the characteristics
of the target market for the 3M Greptile
Grip glove?
Targeted both to avid and professional golfers
who want to improve their game
Primary target market is mainly consistent of
the baby boomers population, those born
between the years 1946-1964
Dual income couples
Places with warmer climate allowing for year
round playing
Question 2: What are the key points of
difference of the 3M Greptile Grip golf
glove when compared with competitors’
products, such as Footjoy and Nike?
Substitute products, such as golf grips?
Micro replication helps to increase the grip of
the club
Thousands of micro-replication fingers
An average of 6.8 yards (10.5 feet) farther
Banned by usga for being too good
Have to buy both the tape and glove for either
to work
Question 3: How does the Greptile Grip
golf glove meet 3M’s three criteria for
new products?
3M’s three criteria for new products are:
Be a patentable or trademarked technology
Offer a superior value of proposition to
consumers
Change the basis of competition by achieving
a significant point of difference
Question 3: How does the Greptile Grip
golf glove meet 3M’s three criteria for
new products?
In the creation of the Greptile Grip golf glove, 3M used a seven-step
process:
 Ideas
 Concept
 Feasibility
 Development
 Scale-up
 Launch
 Post-launch
3M packaging engineer, Travis Strom said, “After all, you only have a
few seconds to capture the customer’s attention with the package and
make a sale.”
Question 4: Because 3M has no prior
products for the golf market, what
special promotion and distribution
problems might 3M have?
Not inherently have the distribution network
to deliver product to new stores
Problem getting the product into new stores
that 3m does not have a business relationship
with
Being an unknown brand in golf
Question 5: What would be some new
markets and new applications of the
greptile grip technology that 3M could
pursue?
Introduced its product to a few new markets
in Japan and Europe
Other ways to introduce their product is
through their greptile tape in:
• Sports
• Tools (ie. hammers, drills)
• Construction tool industry