Renewed brand focus, product innovation drives Olympic International sales

The brand – originally inspired by the two biggest sports in South Africa, football and rugby – says it's continuing its expansion into the disciplines that it believes are changing the face of sport.

Supporting some of the fastest growing and more technical sports locally, including netball, hockey, athletics, road and mountain bike cycling, tennis and hiking, the brand says they're sought-after for their "lightweight, durable, trendy and affordable" selection of sports shoes that cater to both the beginner as well as elite sports enthusiasts.

Says Stuart Hopwood, head of group marketing at Bolton Footwear, "We've made changes to the sales structure over the last couple of years. Furthermore, our marketing focus has shifted towards building Olympic International as a world-class, locally-grown sports brand."

"Today our ranges include all the latest performance-enhancing designs and technology, thus gaining popularity and acceptance from our sporty nation. Leading world technology is standard application in all our shoe designs, backed up by an international quality assurance system."

Hopwood says that as part of the repositioning, the company appointed a new marketing and sales team. He believes the increased focus on the brand has led to the growth in sales.

While the bulk of the company's product offering is currently imported, the plan is to convert as much as possible to local production to create more jobs and stimulate the economy.

"The current climate has definitely affected sales as retailers are under pressure. Consumers feel the pinch with rising costs across all basic goods and services, and with the latest fuel hike, they'll need to buckle up and hold on tight," Hopwood concludes.