Skechers Performance Division Extends Multi-Year Agreement with Elite Runner Meb
Award-Winning Athletic Footwear Brand Expands Partnership with Champion Distance Runner
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SKECHERS USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX) announces a new, multi-year agreement with famed distance runner, Meb Keflezighi, under the Skechers Performance Division. Meb will continue as the official brand ambassador for the GOrun line of athletic footwear through 2016.
Elite marathoner Meb Keflezighi in Skechers Performance footwear. (Photo: Business Wire)
The ongoing partnership is a testament to Skechers Performance Division’s commitment to the category and dedicated focus on developing innovative technical shoes in the GOrun platform specifically for runners—ranging from serious elite runners to weekend warriors.
“Our relationship with Meb has been instrumental in elevating Skechers Performance and GOrun into the award-winning line that it is today,” said Michael Greenberg, SKECHERS President. “Meb’s hands-on approach, tireless commitment and genuine love of the brand and products have further solidified our partnership, and we are looking forward to future successes, both for SKECHERS and Meb, in the years to come.”
Originally signed in 2011, Meb’s role has evolved from appearing in media campaigns and racing in Skechers Performance footwear (in which he has won multiple accolades including the Houston Trials in 2012 and the first American finisher in London) to a deeper integration with the brand in the design and development process.
Rick Higgins, Vice President of Merchandising/Marketing for Skechers Performance Division said: "We really have enjoyed working with Meb—he's aided us tremendously with our specialty running accounts, and we are excited to launch a new product line, Skechers GO MEB, for our segmented distribution.” Meb’s namesake line will serve as the elite running platform and consists of the GO MEB Speed 2, Meb’s official racing shoe, and the GO MEB Strada, Skechers Performance Divisions’ first 8mm neutral running shoe. The line will be targeted for specialty accounts and priced from $90-$140.
Additionally, Meb will continue to appear in media with an expanded global marketing campaign for print, broadcast and digital. He will also continue working hand-in-hand with the Skechers Performance Division in testing and developing new products in the Skechers GOrun category.
"I'm grateful for Skechers’ unconditional support during the last few years, and I am so excited to be working with the Performance Division for three more years,” said Meb. “If it wasn't for the support and Skechers GOrun midfoot technology, I may not have won the 2012 Olympic Trials, finished 4th in the 2012 Olympics Games and run two personal bests in the marathon. I run to get the best out of myself and to inspire others to do the same. I am thankful to Skechers for giving me the support I need to do what I love."
Skechers Performance products are available in sporting goods, department, specialty athletic stores, and SKECHERS stores around the world. Learn more at skechersperformance.com and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SkechersPerformance), Twitter (twitter.com/skechersGO) and Instagram (instagram.com/skechersperformance).
ABOUT MEB
On November 1, 2009,
during the 40th running of the New York City Marathon, Mebrahtom
Keflezighi (pronounced Kef-lez-ghee), better known as just Meb, secured
a place in history by becoming the first American since Alberto Salazar
in 1982 to win the largest marathon in the world. His journey to the
pinnacle of distance running has been called one of the best
illustrations of the American Dream. A graduate of UCLA, Meb won four
NCAA titles in one year and earned his B.A. in communication studies
with a specialization in business. Meb is an Olympic silver medalist
(Athens 2004) and a three-time national champion in cross-country
running (2001, 2002, and 2009). He is the author of “Run To Overcome,”
about his journey from humble beginnings in Eritrea to winning the New
York City Marathon and is also the founder of the MEB Foundation
(Maintaining Excellent Balance) to promote health, education and
fitness. He lives in California, with his wife and their three
daughters. For more information visit www.MarathonMeb.com
and follow him on Facebook (facebook.com/MarathonMeb)
and Twitter at twitter.com/RunMeb).
ABOUT SKECHERS USA, INC.
SKECHERS
USA, Inc. (NYSE: SKX), based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs,
develops and markets a diverse range of footwear for men, women and
children under the SKECHERS name. SKECHERS footwear is available in the
United States via department and specialty stores, company-owned
SKECHERS retail stores and its e-commerce website, and over 100
countries and territories through the company’s global network of
distributors and subsidiaries in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Japan and across
Europe, as well as through joint ventures in Asia. For more information,
please visit www.skechers.com
and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/SKECHERS)
and Twitter (twitter.com/SKECHERSUSA).
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or simply state future results, performance or achievements, and can be identified by the use of forward looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will result," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include the resignation of the Company’s former independent registered public accounting firm, and its withdrawal of its audit reports with respect to certain of the Company’s historical financial statements; international, national and local general economic, political and market conditions including the ongoing global economic slowdown and market instability; entry into the highly competitive performance footwear market; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers, decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2013. The risks included here are not exhaustive. The Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.
SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Jolene Abbott, 310-318-3100 x4839
jolenea@skechers.com
Source: SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Released Nov 5, 2013 • 8:55 am EST