VF Jeanswear has appointed Ketchum Life to reposition the Lee brand
in spring 1999.
The consumer account is believed to carry annual fees of around pounds
200,000 and was won following a non-competitive pitch.
Ketchum Life already handles consumer PR for VF brand Wrangler, the UK’s
second biggest-selling jeans brand. The agency won the Wrangler account
from Anderson Whitehill last year. The account is believed to be worth
pounds 250,000.
Outgoing incumbent Jackie Cooper PR has handled Lee for around three
years.
Ketchum Life has been briefed to position Lee to a market of 15- to
20-year-olds and will use the youth mass media to publicise the brand.
Wrangler, meanwhile, is aimed at a slightly older market of 20- to
30-year-olds.
The award comes as VF attempts to ensure that its two jeans brands,
Wrangler and Lee, do not end up competing for the same market share.
VF marketing controller Tim Henshall said: ’Previously the brands have
acted autonomously and ended up competing with each other.’
Ketchum Life’s other fashion accounts include Playtex, London Fashion
Week and Puma.
