Case Study 10:
3M GREPTILE GRIP
GOLF GLOVE:
GREAT GRIPPING!
Brittany Lightheart, Adam Baker,
Marvin Isaac, Matt Burnip
3M:The Company
3M, formerly known as the Minnesota Mining
and Manufacturing Company, is a US based
corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota
The company was founded in 1902 and
originally began as a mining company
They have locations in more than 60
countries, including Canada
3M:The Company
 Products available through distributors and
retailers in more than 200 countries, as well as
online through the company itself
 3M produces more than 55 000 products with
everything from: dental products, electronic
materials, medical products, car care products to
laminate and passive fire protection
 They also have very well-known brands such as:
Post-it Notes, Scotch tape and Nexcare bandages
3M:The Company
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?
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
“After all, you only have a few
seconds to capture the customer’s
attention with the package and make
a sale,” packaging engineer Travis
Strom stated.
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