Reuniting a global sportswear brand with its original market position.
The problem
FILA was once the coolest brand in sports. Founded in 1911 in Biella, Italy. Enough pricing power to sell a tracksuit for $1,000.
Then they lost it. Two decades of erosion. Costco. Ross. No credibility in tennis. No traction with younger consumers. A $2 billion brand playing "better athletic gear" against Nike.
That game belongs to Nike. Always has. Competing there means losing there.
The shift
At the heart of FILA's struggles was a positioning problem. They were on the wrong lot.
I led FILA's executive team through a process to fundamentally reposition the business. Not incremental. Not a campaign. A complete shift.
From: Discount Sportswear --> Italian Sport Couture
Three words. A space at the intersection of Italian heritage, sport, and fashion that nobody else occupied. Nike couldn't claim it. Adidas couldn't claim it. Only FILA could.
The campaign
With the positioning locked, I brought it to the world through a global relaunch campaign: Bellissimo.
Designed to shift consumer perception from discount sportswear to Italian Sport Couture. Not a refresh. A rebirth.
The results
+85% increase in revenue from FILA.com
+92% increase in conversion on FILA.com
+10% lift in brand consideration from 43% to 53%
The global strategy was embraced by licensees worldwide. Since launching in July 2024:
- Website traffic, users, and revenue all up
- Positive lifts across key brand metrics
- Financial analysts credited the rebrand with positive stock performance
FILA didn't get better at the old game. They started a new one. Three words. Everything changed.