1985 Club Mistral Adds to the Brands Prestige
Club Mistral was established in 1985. It was exclusive, new, and exciting. It had the advantage of being a windsurfing brand and having the best equipment possible. It was an initiative of Mistral’s Marketing Department, owned by Adia in Switzerland, and money was no object. Mistral board sales were strong, and much money was around in the ‘80s. Club Mistral was a pure marketing exercise, and the Clubs, though not profitable, would eventually raise concerns for the management despite the huge marketing pay-offs. Mistral would even supply some Club Med Resorts with Mistral boards for no fee as a pure marketing exercise amongst the demographic classes they were aiming for.
At a Time When the Sport Was Slowing New Impetus Was Found
Mistral sales were in decline by 1985: a reflection of the general state of the sport, and the establishment of Club Mistral locations was in sync with other sporting holiday destinations relating to snow skiing. Key destinations, such as Lake Garda (Italy) and Sardinia, had been chosen, but the venues were expensive, if not exclusive. The idea was simple: leave your board at home, travel to a Club Mistral destination, hire familiar equipment or take a lesson and become a Mistral fan. By 1989, the Clubs were costing more than they were making. At this point, they approached Yola Bichler, who had been working with Robinson's Travel and had opened windsurfing schools in Spain, France and Greece with Mistral boards. She initially turned down an offer to purchase the Clubs but agreed to manage them and develop a profitable strategy. After several changes in Mistral's Management, she bid to purchase the franchise five years later but settled for a Licensing Agreement between herself and Mistral that would endure until 2014.
A Strong Philosophy Ensured Club Mistral Venues Endured
‘In the 90s, half of our centres were licensed, and the other half was owned by us. This philosophy and the business plan at the time enabled us to grow fast. By the mid-90s, we decided we wanted to aim for high quality. The licensed centres did not agree as they had to spend more money to create the quality we wanted. So, we stopped all the licensing by about 1998, so we had centres only owned by us and with partners, and this is still the case because, with this in place, we can control the quality, which means it builds and protects our corporate identity.’ German-based and owned, Club Mistral readily exploited the German, Swiss and Austrian markets, which, as a brand, it had associations with since its formation. Visitors benefitted from familiarity with the equipment even before arriving and pre-ordering hire options relative to their skill levels. Over 20 Club Mistrals were established in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Venezuela, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, North Africa, Greece, Spain, Mauritius, and Turkey, two of which are in Fuerteventura.
Together with Mistral Sportswear, the development of exciting equipment, the World Cup Team and the outstanding imagery and marketing, these brand enhancement activities helped define the Mistral image and influenced public perception of the sport in the first two decades of its development.
Club Mistral - 1985 - 2014 With the Promise of a Return
