Irvine-based St. John Knits International Inc. has a challenge on its hand: courting younger women while reassuring the faithful they aren’t being abandoned.
Marie Gray, cofounder, director and recently retired chief designer at St. John, said the task is best left to executives and designers at the women’s clothier.
“I believe the decision on how to best satisfy our loyal customers needs to be addressed by the new team,” Gray said.
The Business Journal recently reported how some St. John devotees,well-to-do women in their 40s, 50s and 60s,have balked at fitted designs aimed at younger wearers.
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Ducks ad: playing up postseason surge |
Gray followed up on the story with her take on the company’s changes. Along with husband Robert, who’s also retired, Gray started St. John more than 40 years ago.
In the past year, the company has seen a whirlwind of changes under former chief executive Richard Cohen, who joined in late 2004 and left abruptly in April.
Cohen, who said he went back to New Jersey for family reasons, shook up the traditional women’s clothier. He revamped management with big fashion executives and tapped actress Angelina Jolie as the company’s signature model.
Jolie replaced Kelly Gray, daughter of Robert and Marie, who had been St. John’s face for decades.
Marie Gray called Cohen’s time at St. John “surprisingly brief.”
Philip Miller, a former chief executive of Saks Inc.’s Saks Fifth Avenue, is serving as interim chief executive while the company seeks a replacement.
Miller has been a St. John director since 2003.
Gray called Miller a “friend, a gentleman, a board member and a longtime supporter of St. John.”
St. John started going after younger women in a big way under former co-chief executives Bruce Fetter and Kelly Gray.
Cohen stepped it up several notches.
Marie Gray said that “perhaps” Cohen got too aggressive but couched it with “it’s always easy, and a little unfair, to second guess.”
“It’s not about age,” Gray said. “It’s all about buying a look and a brand that is recognizable as timeless and chic and gives the customer a sense of confidence.”
Industry veteran Tim Gardner is leading St. John’s design team.
The company “can never really go back,” Gray said.
“It will be best to focus on what our customers love and continue to move forward,” she said.
Gray said she’s spending time on her new passion, golf, and working with charities and children’s causes.
Playoff Marketing Push
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim has stepped up its marketing as the hockey team advances in the playoffs.
The Ducks have taken the word to the streets with ads on bus shelters, street banners and buses.
The team recently swept the Colorado Avalanche in four games to advance to the Western Conference finals.
Inside the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, the Ducks also put up window ads, pole wraps on the main and premium levels and added floor decals to entrances.
Food service operator Aramark Corp. is selling “Let’s Go Ducks” playoff cups.
The team’s Web site has added a “Ducks Playoffs Section,” which includes playoff photos, audio from press conferences and other stuff from the road.
The team also plans to host more parties at Downtown Disney’s ESPN Zone for fans to watch games, according to a spokesman.
Register Chats It Up
The Orange County Register has started a new branding campaign.
Lelani Bluner, vice president of marketing at Santa Ana-based Freedom Orange County Information, the Freedom Communications Inc. unit that publishes the Register, said the campaign takes topics and issues from the Register (think gas prices) and gives people a chance to chat about them.
The Register plans to post “Talk About It” statements and questions in the paper, on its Web site and at spots throughout the county, including about 40 Diedrich Coffee locations. Street teams are set to be hired to hold up signs.
People can respond to the questions on the Register’s Web site.
The campaign also includes radio ads during drive-time traffic and audio and video spots that will run on screens at grocery stores and on the new Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim marquee under construction along the Orange (57) Freeway.
The Register said it also plans to put booths, called “Talk About It Tubes,” in busy areas where people can videotape comments. The clips will rebroadcast on video screens above the booths.
Santa Ana-based DGWB Advertising and Communications created the campaign. Costa Mesa-based IPW Experience handled the street teams.
