Brittany Lightheart, Adam Baker, Marvin Isaac, Matt Burnip
Case Study 10: 3M GREPTILE GRIP GOLF GLOVE: GREAT GRIPPING!
3M is a multi-national, multi-million dollar company that makes over fifty-five thousand
products with locations in more than sixty countries, including Canada. Formerly known as the
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, 3M is a US based corporation based in
Maplewood, Minnesota. The company was founded in 1902 and originally began as a mining
company. 3M India is the only public company (offers stocks for sale to general public) other
than the parent company. The many products are available through distributors and retailers in
more than 200 countries, as well as online through the company itself. Some of the many
products they produce and sell include: dental products, electronic materials, medical products,
car care products to laminate and passive fire protection, among many others. They also have
very well-known brands such as: Post-it Notes, Scotch tape and Nexcare bandages. With the
success of all their products, 3M decided to embark on The Sports and Leisure Products Project,
leading to the creation of their 3M Greptile Grip golf glove idea and execution introduced in
2004.
Question 1: What are the characteristics of the target market for the 3M Greptile Grip glove?
The 3M Greptile Grip golf glove is targeted both to avid and professional golfers who want to
improve their game. The primary target market is mainly consistent of the baby boomers
population, those born between the years 1946-1964. Also targeted are dual income couples.
The baby boomers are largely retired, and have those additional funds set aside for recreational
activities, giving opportunity for sales in their specific target market. American population
shifted from east and north, to south and west, due to warmer weather. This is where the glove
is more directly sold, and competes for market share. With an increase in female golfers by 25%
of total golfers, of which totalled to 37.9 million in 2003, it lead to an all-time high of
participants. The sales of golf equipment had increased to 3.1 billion, an increase of 2 percent
since 2003, as recorded in 2004.
Golf gloves account for $300 million of total sales, with the United States at $180 million,
totalling 60 percent of the worldwide sales.
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?
The technology that is implemented into the glove, called micro-replication, is the gripping
together of thousands of tiny fingers. This helps to increase the friction of a user’s grip, allowing
for a tighter grip with less force exerted by the user’s hand. Its competitors don’t have this
patented micro-replication technology and instead rely on making the best of low-tech
materials like leather or rubber, a decidedly unscientific approach to improving a key
component of athletic performance. Compared to its competitors it boasts some of the
following statistics:
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Brittany Lightheart, Adam Baker, Marvin Isaac, Matt Burnip
 260% increase in gripping friction in dry weather conditions
 300% increase in gripping friction in wet weather conditions
 An average increase in driving range when used by 6.8 yards.
The glove and grip have such a superior gripping ability, that in professional play, the USGA
determined the grip and glove were non-conforming.1 While it is possible to use the tape or
glove separately under their ruling, it eliminates the entire purpose and function of the two.
This however does not stop the average person from using it in a game of golf, so 3m is on no
lesser footing than its competitors in this market via actual product.
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
3M meets the three criteria as it is most definitely a trademarked technology. It was successful
in its attempt to make a ‘point of difference’ so that it would not fail as a new product. The
technology the golf glove offers with the micro-replication gripping material sets it apart from
the competitors’ products. As explained earlier, the Greptile Grip golf glove offers a superior
value to consumers as it improves the golfers’ game. It allows for a greater, more relaxed grip
of the club, leading to longer driving distance of the golf ball. These characteristics of the golf
glove allow for the company to meet the third criteria for new products by changing the basis
of competition by achieving a significant point of difference with the new technology and the
tape for the golf clubs that can be purchased with it.
In the creation of the Greptile Grip golf glove, 3M used a seven-step process:
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Ideas
Concept
Feasibility
Development
Scale-up
Launch
Post-launch
The seven-step process allowed for the company to create and introduce a product that was
very carefully planned out. As learned in the textbook, if a company takes the sequence of steps,
it will enhance the opportunity for their new product to succeed as they will have been able to
work through any potential problems that could have arose after distribution into the market.
In the case of 3M, they went through the extensive seven-step process, but still were faced
with a problem once the product was available to customers. They were able to release the
product, but then had to make adjustments and changes accordingly to the product design.
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The United Stated Golf Association had to implement new rules so that the glove could not be used.
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Brittany Lightheart, Adam Baker, Marvin Isaac, Matt Burnip
Changes to the golf glove packaging were imperative after complaints that the text on it was
hard to read and it looked bulked up on the shelf. They changed the packaging and its
information so that it would be more appealing to the consumer and easier to read. They also
changed the price points and sharpened the advertisement of the 3M Greptile Grip golf glove.
As the 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.” So this is what 3M
corrected in order to make its new product a success.
Question 4: Because 3M has no prior products for the golf market, what special promotion
and distribution problems might 3M have?
With no prior entry in the golf market, 3M may not inherently have the distribution network to
deliver product to new stores which would carry their Greptile Grip Glove. Another possible
distribution problem is getting the product into new stores that 3m does not have a business
relationship with. While it might present an initial setback in getting the product into the store,
3m is a well-known brand so it should not be difficult convincing stores to sell their product.
Promotion problems could include being an unknown brand as far as golf is concerned.
Consumers are going to be more likely to buy a brand that they already know such as Nike or
Footjoy instead of testing the new 3m product. 3m could capitalize on the fact that they are a
trusted manufacturer of tape and that the grip is based on their tape technology in order to
advertise their new product. The excellent quality and specifications of the glove would allow
commercials based solely on the details to sell their product.
Question 5: What would be some new markets and new applications of the greptile grip
technology that 3M could pursue?
3M Greptile Grip golf glove has introduced its product to a few new markets in Japan and
Europe. These two new markets are the second and third largest golf markets next to the US. A
great market they could expand into is the construction market. The ability to hold large tools
that require immense hand strength, with ease could be an excellent area for sales. Tools aren’t
the easiest things to hold; hammers, screwdrivers, drills, and jackhammers are prime examples
of tools that require high-intensity hand strength. They have also started to enter into markets
of different sports like baseball with new softball batting gloves. This will help increase profits
and take other companies’ market share.
With the number of competitors in today’s society, it is imperative that a company stays on top
of the growing trends and all that the competitors have to offer. It is not only important for this,
but to stay one step ahead and have a product that has a significant point of difference, such as
the Greptile Grip golf glove. The glove has a lot to offer, from the design and features to the
price being fairly affordable to the average customer. Upon completing their seven-step
process, 3M was able to successfully introduce and profit from their product line of sporting
goods such as: the golf club tape, hockey grip tape, hockey stick tape, hockey gear tape,
baseball and softball batting gloves and their Greptile Grip golf glove.
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