Taylor Made Tees Off With Salvati Montgomery Sakoda

COSTA MESA, CALIF. – Salvati Montgomery Sakoda here landed a hole-in-one with Carlsbad, Calif.-based Taylor Made Golf Co. last week, scoring the golf equipment company’s $5.2-million ad account, which had been at Chiat/Day, Venice, Calif., for three years.
SMS beat out Honda shop Rubin Postaer & Associates/Santa Monica, Calif., and Lexus agency Team One Advertising/El Segundo, Calif., as well as San Diego shops Capener, Matthews & Walcher, Knoth & Meads and VitroRobertson for the business.
The switch came on the heels of a marketing restructuring at the golf equipment manufacturer. Last year, Taylor Made installed new management including president and ceo Chuck Yash, former chairman of the National Golf Foundation, and vp/marketing George Montgomery, former senior vp/marketing for K2 Corp.
Montgomery declined comment on his decision to leave Chiat/Day, beyond calling the split ‘amicable.’ He said Taylor Made executives were impressed with SMS’ approach and the promise of agency principal involvement.
Taylor Made’s new management has pumped the ad budget up $3 million from $2.6 million last year, to increase awareness of Taylor Made’s Midsize Metal wood clubs and Burner Midsize Irons. While Taylor Made makes the No. 1 driver and metalwood on the PGA tour, those market segments have also attracted the greatest number of brands. Taylor Made has felt that, which explains its corporate restructuring, sources said.
In terms of SMS’ golf experience, the agency worked for Yamaha several years ago.
Personally, agency partner Scott Montgomery is known around the agency as a ‘pretty good golfer.’ Ken Sakoda is taking golf lessons. And Phil Salvati lugged golf clubs around in his car, until he hurt his back.
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