Canterbury is a company which, outside the States, is a household name. Now, the company is trying to take on America.
The New Zealand-based rugby company was recently purchased by British clothing and footwear retailer JD Sports Fashion plc, and they are now setting up a North American subsidiary for Canterbury, their first ever outside Europe.
The aim in the U.S. is less rugby-related, but rather the goal is to establish a solid lifestyle clothing brand, selling at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.
Colin Gillooly, who runs the American sect of the company, said:
├óΓé¼┼ôWe├óΓé¼Γäóre not going to be famous because people will suddenly love the sport. We can├óΓé¼Γäót stand on our rugby roots, but we can play to them. If people like the product and they read the label, it reinforces the purchase rather than initiates it. I think that├óΓé¼Γäós what authentic heritage brands can do.”
And they have a little help with publicity – the brand supplied costumes for Clint Eastwood‘s Invictus.
Good luck on the new frontier!
[Image courtesy of Canterbury.