How did Body Glove® become one of the most recognizable outdoor sports brands in the world? Well, the story begins in Missouri, where twin brothers, Bob and Bill Meistrell, taught themselves to swim in a pond on their family farm. Their interest in water led them to California where they opened the Dive N’ Surf sports shop in Redondo Beach with $1,800 they borrowed from their mother. They grew the business with a simple philosophy of quality products, great customer service, and a fair price. The real secret to their success, though, may have been their personal approach to business and life. Billy Meistrell, son and nephew of the founders, explains, “I constantly heard my dad and uncle say, ‘Do what you love and love what you do!’”

THE BODY GLOVE BRAND The combination of their approach to business and being pioneers in diving and surfing was a powerful business model for the Meistrell brothers. According to Billy, “their work was their playground, and with that came so much passion and creativity that they developed many new products which gave everybody a much richer lifestyle in the water.” One of their first innovations, for example, was the result of using the insulation from the back of a refrigerator, neoprene, to create the first practical wetsuit, which they called the Dive N’ Surf Thermocline. The name, however, was difficult to explain so they began discussing potential new brand names. An observation that the wetsuit “fit like a glove” led to the now famous name Body Glove!

Questions 1 How does Body Glove’s heritage and philosophy contribute to its success?
2 Which of the criteria mentioned in Chapter 10 help explain why changing the brand name to Body Glove was a good decision?
3 Describe Body Glove’s use of traditional marketing tools.
4 What social media platforms does Body Glove use to communicate with its customers today?
5 Why are social media and mobile marketing an increasingly important part of Body Glove’s marketing plan?