Preserving a Global Brand's Home-Team Advantage

Abstract

Turning around a troubled company is an unusual challenge when the company is a complex, international organization with a well-known brand. This case study recounts the turnaround of Umbro International, Inc., a leading brand of sports apparel that commands the loyalty of soccer fans around the world. To keep this venerable company out of bankruptcy, a turnaround team transformed Umbro from an old-line manufacturing company to a dynamic licensing and marketing organization. This article, developed from a session at the Turnaround Management Association's annual conference, October 2001, highlights the importance of the right lenders as partners, critical considerations and issues in a global restructuring, building consensus in a non-judicial process, and leveraging brand value through the restructuring and sale process.