Saks Fifth Avenue turns to Hollywood to promote its brand

Staff,, brandrepublic.com, Friday, 31 May 2002, 8:55am,

NEW YORK - Saks Fifth Avenue, the upmarket New York department store, has gone beyond conventional PR and signed up with Hollywood agent the William Morris Agency to promote its name.

Saks has appointed William Morris help it form partnerships with entertainment events and media companies, and expose the brand in new ways.

"Today's retail environment demands an enriched customer experience, and select media and entertainment integration can help you achieve that," Stephen Sadove, vice-chairman of Saks, said.

The move is part of a growing trend in the US for PR agencies to partner with Hollywood talent agencies to market brands in new ways. William Morris has previously worked with a range of other corporations including General Motors, Nokia and Sony.

However, Saks has already been receiving a boost from Hollywood celebrity, although perhaps not for the reasons it would like. Last year, the actress Winona Ryder was arrested after guards claimed she had shoplifted $5,000 worth of stock from Saks Fifth Avenue's Beverly Hills store.

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This article was first published on brandrepublic.com