Reebok Pacific GM talks new Chadstone store and growth plans

Published in Inside Retail 14th July 2023. Words: Aron Lewin

Following its acquisition by Brand Collective earlier this year, Reebok Pacific has been taking big strides in Australia. The brand has a range of partnerships in the works, and recently opened its first domestic flagship – a 167sqm store at Chadstone Shopping Centre, showcasing new trends and styles, and introducing new customers to the vintage brand.

Inside Retail spoke to Reebok Pacific general manager Ashley Sampson about all things Reebok – including the brand’s plans for growth in the region, how it stands out from the crowd and what excites him most about the brand’s future

Inside Retail: To start with, how is Reebok performing in Australia, and how has the brand’s presence in the market evolved over the years?

Ashley Sampson: Reebok has been in this market for many years, and has operated under different entities. At the end of April last year, the keys changed hands to the current operating partner, Brand Collective.

What we’ve seen since this handover is a period of exponential growth across our direct-to-consumer (DTC)  channels, as well as with our wholesale distribution. We’ve also seen a resurgence of the Reebok brand, with demand at levels we hadn’t seen before. 

It looks like this is going to continue.

IR: Has Reebok’s growth in the Asia-Pacific region mirrored what’s occurring across the world?

AS: When Authentic Brands Group took over the global Reebok brand from Adidas last year, it set pretty bold ambitions to double the size of Reebok over a five-year period. We’ve subsequently adopted quite an entrepreneurial mindset around how to expand the brand. 

We’ve done so through opening retail channels – including our new Chadstone store – by growing the number of strategic partnerships across the wholesale channel, and by increasing the focus on our consumers through digital marketing campaigns. Reebok has undertaken a similar process overseas and, in many markets, we’re seeing similar results to what’s been happening in Australia. 

Globally, the brand is on track to achieve their ambitions of doubling the brand in a relatively short period of time, and we’re certainly reflecting that growth in Australia.

IR: Can you tell me about Reebok’s new Chadstone store? How has it been tracking since its launch in early July?

AS: We’ve never had retail stores in this market, so it’s really exciting. Our Chadstone store is perfectly located – positioned amongst some of the leading brands in the market – and enabling us to highlight the story and history behind Reebok. The flagship needs to be our shining light. It’s an opportunity to echo our brand voice, really connect with Reebok consumers, and highlight the best of our product range across all our categories. 

We opened the concept store earlier this month, and the sales results have so far have blown us away. Obviously, it’s a marathon, not a sprint, but we’re confident that we can sustain this success over a long period of time.

There will also be more locations to come across other states.

IR: Can you discuss what the future of Reebok’s store network might look like in Australia? 

AS: Our intention is to initially open premium concept stores in key locations across the eastern seaboard. Then, as part of our longer-term plan, we will look to expand to other locations. The concept stores will provide us with the ability to ship from store, and ship to door. The plan is to support the concepts with outlets in similar areas. 

IR: Are you also able to discuss how Reebok is planning to combat intense cost-of-living pressures at the moment?

AS: We’re absolutely seeing signs of it, as everyone is. Also coming out of Covid-19, a lot of supply chain costs and sourcing costs have gone up, which has forced [retail prices] to go up as a result. Those price increases across multiple brands are certainly putting pressure on spending as well. 

The way that we will ensure that people continue to shop at Reebok amid current headwinds is by simply getting better at what we do. That means constantly improving service and deepening wholesale partnerships. It means strong, impactful marketing, and engaging more and more with the local community to drive brand relevance. It’s also about connecting with our consumers more often. These are the things that we really need to focus on [which will] help us stand out as a leader in the market.

IR: How have you seen Australian consumers, and their relationship with runners and footwear, evolve over the years?

AS: Credit to the local consumer, I really think they’re quite sophisticated. I’ve been on trips to other markets for work – and Australians and New Zealanders, especially in big cities, are really switched on to trends and style. They wear their sneakers well, and style them well with their apparel. It’s increasingly important to really keep up with them, and make sure that we’re bringing the best of the brand to the market to engage with them. 

IR: What excites you most about Reebok moving forward?

AS: The energy and momentum that we’re seeing, the product pipeline that’s coming through to us and the exciting collaborations that the brand is delivering. It really shines a great light on the brand, and helps us increase the growing consumer demand that we’ve been experiencing over the last couple of years.