Tullio Formicola Filho: 'We are very proud to be with Flamengo'
Read an exclusive interview with the sports marketing director of the Vulcabras/azaleia Group
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
With the sports equipment supply contract, the Olympikus brand has created 1.200 jobs, thanks to the Flamengo brand's presence. This information comes from Tullio Formicola Filho, Sports Marketing Director at Grupo Vulcabras/azaleia. In an exclusive interview with Flamengo's official website, Formicola Filho explains the reasons that led the company to announce record sales this week, surpassing 800.000 items.
Tullio Formicola Filho has been with the Vulcabras/azaleia Group since 1998. With a degree in Advertising and Propaganda, and a postgraduate degree in Marketing, he has worked in retail chains and major sports brands in Brazil and Latin America.
Check out the interview, given via email.
Flamengo's official website – In four months, Olympikus has already broken the record for shirt sales, with over 800 pieces sold in 120 days. What are the reasons for this sales volume?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – The reason is as simple as it gets: hard work and dedication. Using our nationwide sales network, with over 15.000 points of sale, it's easier for fans to find the product thanks to our extensive reach.
Flamengo's official website – Do sales exceed the company's initial expectations and projections?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – Yes, they did exceed our target. We had imagined and planned to sell close to 650.000 units in six months. But the important thing is our rapid response in terms of production when we surpassed this amount.
Flamengo's official website – The impressive number of shirts sold, over 800.000, has led fans of other major clubs to argue that it's due to Flamengo's supposedly cheaper jerseys. What's your take on this?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – This doesn't exist. The price of a Flamengo jersey is R$10,00 lower than that of some other clubs. This record, as I said, is due to Vulcabras' distribution capacity and the strength of Flamengo's fans. And retailers aren't even managing to build up inventory. The product leaving the factory is reaching consumers in a short time. This difference in price cannot be considered a differentiator in achieving this sales volume. If it had cost R$10,00 more, the volume would have been the same.
Flamengo's official website – Olympikus has launched pieces for children, women, and larger sizes for those with more weight. What has the demand been like for this type of material? What criteria guided the development of the casual line? And how has the public's reception been?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – In the total number of items sold, these are very important, not in terms of volume, as the fans are not yet accustomed to this type of product, having spent many years only buying official shirts, but it is very important to start showing that Flamengo is much bigger than just the number 1 and number 2 shirts. The reception has been very good, considering the profile I just mentioned.
Flamengo's official website – Today, what is the industrial structure that helps meet the demand for Flamengo's sports equipment?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – Our industrial structure is very large, with over 35.000 employees in our factories. In the apparel factory, we currently have over 5.000 employees, with 1.200 jobs created by Flamengo.
Flamengo's official website – What concept inspired the development of the new Olympikus store, which will open this month in Gávea?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – The concept of technology blends with the club's history. Integration with nature was also a key aspect of the project, particularly given the store's location and the views of the lagoon it offers.
Flamengo's official website – The company maintains an employee in Gávea to provide daily support to the club. How has this investment been instrumental in strengthening the relationship between the club and the company?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – This is a Vulcabras standard of service. This professional has the autonomy to resolve any unforeseen issues that may arise. This is crucial, as they become the point of contact between the company and the club, 24/XNUMX.
Flamengo's official website – Olympikus helped facilitate Adriano's return to Flamengo. What's the outcome of this investment?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – When making this decision, we didn't consider the financial return. Instead, we considered Adriano's importance to Flamengo's plan, a plan that is being realized through the club's performance in the championship and, consequently, through strong product sales.
Flamengo's official website – Fans are demanding items with some players' numbers and names already printed on the backs? What can be done to meet this demand?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – We sell shirts without numbers to stores. We authorize these stores to purchase numbers and letters from our suppliers, and the stores then add whatever fans want.
Flamengo's official website – How has the company been working to combat piracy?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – With seizures in the games. And investigations to find the pirate factories.
Flamengo's official website – At the launch parade, Olympikus presented a commercial, aired on Brazilian primetime television, that explored the slogan "Olympikus - Pride of Being Rubro-Negra." How does the company plan to leverage this identity with the Flamengo brand throughout the contract?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – This slogan reflects the reality of the situation. We are very proud to be with Flamengo, very proud to be able to serve Flamengo. In the way Flamengo deserves. We have demonstrated this in our daily work, but it is not a campaign slogan, but rather the transformation of a company sentiment into words. We can, indeed, carry out another electronic media campaign. However, we have not yet defined how, when, and where.
Flamengo's official website – When does the company plan to launch the new line of official uniforms?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – According to the official Brazilian calendar, in January 2010.
Read more:
Flamengo launches shirt sales counter
Flamengo and Olympikus sell more than 807 thousand shirts in four months
Tullio Formicola Filho has been with the Vulcabras/azaleia Group since 1998. With a degree in Advertising and Propaganda, and a postgraduate degree in Marketing, he has worked in retail chains and major sports brands in Brazil and Latin America.
Check out the interview, given via email.
Flamengo's official website – In four months, Olympikus has already broken the record for shirt sales, with over 800 pieces sold in 120 days. What are the reasons for this sales volume?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – The reason is as simple as it gets: hard work and dedication. Using our nationwide sales network, with over 15.000 points of sale, it's easier for fans to find the product thanks to our extensive reach.
Flamengo's official website – Do sales exceed the company's initial expectations and projections?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – Yes, they did exceed our target. We had imagined and planned to sell close to 650.000 units in six months. But the important thing is our rapid response in terms of production when we surpassed this amount.
Flamengo's official website – The impressive number of shirts sold, over 800.000, has led fans of other major clubs to argue that it's due to Flamengo's supposedly cheaper jerseys. What's your take on this?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – This doesn't exist. The price of a Flamengo jersey is R$10,00 lower than that of some other clubs. This record, as I said, is due to Vulcabras' distribution capacity and the strength of Flamengo's fans. And retailers aren't even managing to build up inventory. The product leaving the factory is reaching consumers in a short time. This difference in price cannot be considered a differentiator in achieving this sales volume. If it had cost R$10,00 more, the volume would have been the same.
Flamengo's official website – Olympikus has launched pieces for children, women, and larger sizes for those with more weight. What has the demand been like for this type of material? What criteria guided the development of the casual line? And how has the public's reception been?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – In the total number of items sold, these are very important, not in terms of volume, as the fans are not yet accustomed to this type of product, having spent many years only buying official shirts, but it is very important to start showing that Flamengo is much bigger than just the number 1 and number 2 shirts. The reception has been very good, considering the profile I just mentioned.
Flamengo's official website – Today, what is the industrial structure that helps meet the demand for Flamengo's sports equipment?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – Our industrial structure is very large, with over 35.000 employees in our factories. In the apparel factory, we currently have over 5.000 employees, with 1.200 jobs created by Flamengo.
Flamengo's official website – What concept inspired the development of the new Olympikus store, which will open this month in Gávea?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – The concept of technology blends with the club's history. Integration with nature was also a key aspect of the project, particularly given the store's location and the views of the lagoon it offers.
Flamengo's official website – The company maintains an employee in Gávea to provide daily support to the club. How has this investment been instrumental in strengthening the relationship between the club and the company?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – This is a Vulcabras standard of service. This professional has the autonomy to resolve any unforeseen issues that may arise. This is crucial, as they become the point of contact between the company and the club, 24/XNUMX.
Flamengo's official website – Olympikus helped facilitate Adriano's return to Flamengo. What's the outcome of this investment?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – When making this decision, we didn't consider the financial return. Instead, we considered Adriano's importance to Flamengo's plan, a plan that is being realized through the club's performance in the championship and, consequently, through strong product sales.
Flamengo's official website – Fans are demanding items with some players' numbers and names already printed on the backs? What can be done to meet this demand?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – We sell shirts without numbers to stores. We authorize these stores to purchase numbers and letters from our suppliers, and the stores then add whatever fans want.
Flamengo's official website – How has the company been working to combat piracy?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – With seizures in the games. And investigations to find the pirate factories.
Flamengo's official website – At the launch parade, Olympikus presented a commercial, aired on Brazilian primetime television, that explored the slogan "Olympikus - Pride of Being Rubro-Negra." How does the company plan to leverage this identity with the Flamengo brand throughout the contract?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – This slogan reflects the reality of the situation. We are very proud to be with Flamengo, very proud to be able to serve Flamengo. In the way Flamengo deserves. We have demonstrated this in our daily work, but it is not a campaign slogan, but rather the transformation of a company sentiment into words. We can, indeed, carry out another electronic media campaign. However, we have not yet defined how, when, and where.
Flamengo's official website – When does the company plan to launch the new line of official uniforms?
Tullio Formicola Jr. – According to the official Brazilian calendar, in January 2010.
Read more:
Flamengo launches shirt sales counter
Flamengo and Olympikus sell more than 807 thousand shirts in four months