Paul Frank to Open Two Shops in Japan
Newport Beach apparel designer Paul Frank, best known for the monkey logo on its clothes and accessories, plans to open its first shops outside the U.S. when it debuts a 200-square-foot Tokyo outlet and a 700-square-foot free-standing shop in Osaka in September.
Paul Frank’s icon, a smiling monkey named Julius, and other quirky cartoon characters already are coveted by young Japanese women, a fashion-savvy if fickle group of consumers.
Five Japanese shops already carry Paul Frank products.
The company has an exclusive agreement with Osaka-based Yagi Tsusho Ltd. to distribute its sportswear, accessories and home furnishings in Japan.
The deal also allows Yagi to distribute Paul Frank’s licensed watches by Fossil and eyewear by Baum Vision. Yagi plans to work through existing Japanese distributors.
“We have positioned ourselves by limiting our distribution in Japan to gain more hipness and exclusivity,” said Ryan Heuser, president and co-founder. “Now, we’ll try to reach more people.”
Paul Frank plans to introduce products exclusively for the Japanese market, Heuser said.
For example, a handbag featuring Shag paintings, one of its signature products, is set to debut in the Japanese market in October. “Extra small” and “size 0” lines are also musts in Japan, Heuser said.
Paul Frank’s initial sales goal for the September opening to December, is $1 million, according to the company.
Paul Frank is also planning to open a store in London this year.
,Yoko Ito-Peterson
Price Pfister Taps Online Marketer
Price Pfister Inc., a unit of Black & Decker Co. based in Lake Forest, has tapped Ascendant Media for online marketing.
The Nashville, Tenn.-based agency recently launched a sweepstakes promotion for the 90-year-old faucet and accessory manufacturer on its EZsweeps Web site,Price Pfister’s first foray into online sweepstakes.
The Price Pfister Home Remodeling Sweepstakes offers $1,000 worth of faucets as a prize.
In about a month, 40,000 people have entered to win, according to the marketing agency.
“In addition to building a targeted consumer database, this promotion creates brand awareness among consumers,” said Stefanie De Witt, marketing communications coordinator of Price Pfister, in a company statement.
Ascendant Media says it reaches more than 4.5 million registered consumers via proprietary Web sites, including EZsweeps and thebirthdaygame.com.
In the meantime, Price Pfister is feeling the pinch from a tight economy. The unit’s sales declined “at a mid-single-digit rate” in the first quarter, Black & Decker Co. said in its earnings statement, citing the economic slowdown and inventory reductions by customers.
,Jennifer Bellantonio
