Optimedia has scooped the pounds 7 million pan-European Tommy
Hilfiger account, and plans to focus the fashion giant’s spend on event
sponsorship and a number of core media vehicles.
Optimedia saw off competition from UK incumbent CDP Media, Mediapolis
and Carat, which handled most of Hilfiger’s business in Europe. It is
the first time Hilfiger has pooled its European planning and buying
account into one agency.
The brief is to launch Hilfiger’s latest portfolio of products - which
includes women’s wear, home furnishings and accessories - as well as
handling the planning and buying for Hilfiger’s fragrances and
streetwear.
The account team in the UK will he headed by group account director
Ollie Joyce, while Lolo Brelin will be in charge of the European
business. They will look to mix event sponsorship with traditional
advertising.
Optimedia’s managing director Simon Matthews said: ’Hilfiger’s
sponsorship of Ferrari has been very successful and has been leveraged
in a number of ways. We’ll be looking to do more of this kind of thing,
linking in with key events.’
As far as advertising is concerned, media owners should be warned that
’peripheral media’ used by Hilfiger in the past may well be cut from the
roster. ’We definitely want to focus on a number of core media
vehicles,’ said Matthews. Encouragingly for media sales teams he added:
’The choice of core media vehicles is still up for grabs.’
He also said the team would be looking to tie up some of the advertising
with event sponsorship and marketing. Optimedia has a number of
specialist partners offering disciplines such as product placement,
broadcast sponsorship and event marketing.
Tommy Hilfiger launched in Europe more than two years ago and has
steadily increased its presence and spend. The account brief includes
planning and buying in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland and
Belgium as well as the UK, but it looks set to expand as Hilfiger moves
into new markets.
