Avia flying high

There’s an exhibit of a comebacking sports footwear brand at the Glorietta in Makati and it’s creating a stir among mall goers who’re looking for something different from an athletic shoe.

Avia isn’t a new kid on the block in the global multibillion dollar sports shoe industry. But it was in hibernation for 10 years in the US before resurfacing in 1996 to make a slow climb back to consumer consciousness. Now that Avia’s in the local market–thanks to the people behind Converse, Skechers, Merrell, and No Fear–it’s delivering a strong message to the big players like Nike, Adidas, and Reebok that the brand’s here to stay.

Avia was established in 1979 by American entrepreneur Jerry Stubblefield in Oregon. While flying in a jet, Stubblefield thought of the word "avia"–derived from the Latin term meaning "to fly"–and used it as a brand name for a sports shoe to suggest aviation.

Stubblefield and his son Don, an engineering degree holder from Stanford, developed shoe designs that revolutionized athletic footwear. Avia gained a reputation as a "high-tech" brand. The Stubblefields’ priority was to produce shoes that were lightweight, comfortable, durable, and extraordinary. Each shoe model was unique in that no one sole was the same. Avia became known for its "cantilever" system which centers the heel over a conclave sole acting like a trampoline to soften impact, stabilize the foot, and provide increased energy return.

Avia eventually broke into the basketball market and signed up a slew of endorsers, including pro stars Robert Parish, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen, Jerome Kersey, Clyde Drexler, Robert Pack, and Dell Curry. Then the Stubbefields decided to cash in.

After transforming Avia from a germ of an idea into a $70 Million enterprise, the Stubblefields sold the brand to Reebok in 1986 for P180 Million. But instead of promoting Avia, Reebok virtually buried it. It seemed like Reebok purchased Avia not to synergize but to kill a competing brand. Avia disappeared into thin air.

Finally, Reebok–feeling the pinch of competition–began to divest and reconsolidate. It sold Avia to Jerome Turner, president of American Sporting Goods Corp., in 1996.

Turner’s company owns five shoe brands, mostly in the outdoor sports category, but was determined to make Avia its flagship. Turner relaunched Avia as a running shoe and tried to regain the brand’s once lofty footing in the industry. The selling points were the same–lightweight, comfortable, durable, and extraordinary. Turner added another selling point–reasonably priced.

Today, Avia is one of the top 10 sports and athletic footwear brands in the US. It ranks sixth in both running and cross-training categories and fourth in walking. And Avia is slowly breaking back into the basketball market.

Aggressive global marketing has brought Avia to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland, England, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Greece, South Africa, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Israel, and Denmark.

Now, Avia has landed in the Philippines.

Avia Philippines general manager Janet Chua says the Glorietta exhibit is the second leg of a four-stop roadshow tour to introduce the brand in the local market. The roadshow began last week in Alabang. From Glorietta, the exhibit will move to Robinson’s in Ermita next week then end at SM North Edsa.

Last Saturday, movie actress Aubrey Miles was the guest of honor at the Glorietta exhibit opening. Player agent Chique de la Rosa–whose clients include Jimmy Alapag and Tony de la Cruz–came, too, with visiting former Puerto Rico Olympic trackster Nick Colon.

Avia publicist Relly de Leon says he’s on the lookout for two Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) endorsers. His targets? Alapag and Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa who’s a No Fear diehard like world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

Colon, who conducted a clinic for basketball coaches here recently, used to wear Avia during his track prime. He wonders why Avia went missing in action for several years. But now that it’s back in the market, Colon says there’s no brand like it.

"We’re not heavy into advertising," says Chua. "Word of mouth is very strong for us. Former users swear that our brand is the best and they’re telling others to try it now that Avia’s in the local market. We’ve got models for basketball, cross-training, running, walking and fitness–both for males and females. We’re proud of Avia, of what it stands for."

I checked out the Glorietta exhibit last Saturday. I missed Aubrey by a few minutes but no matter, Janet and Relly were there to show off Avia. I noticed the models on display had different looks–some were retro, others were hip-hop. The soles were out of this world. And you could fold each shoe from heel to toe without difficulty, proving resiliency and durability.

Janet confides that a UAAP championship basketball team has asked to wear Avias this season. "I think they want to fly high," says Relly. Like Eagles do.