Y-3
Challenge:
Y-3, a luxury sportswear line created by adidas and internationally
acclaimed designer Yohji Yamamoto, opened its first North American store
in Atlanta in late 2005. The attractive apparel is distinctive and the
boutique offers a relaxed and extremely personalized environment for customers.
However, store sales haven't reflected Y-3's compelling points of difference.
The biggest problem has been a lack of awareness in the Atlanta market.
Many shoppers within their targeted demographic either aren't familiar
with Y-3, or, do not understand what the store and apparel stands for.
So Y-3 turned to Shira Miller Communications (SMC) for help in raising
their visibility.
Solution:
International style icon Anna Kournikova, an adidas spokesperson, is a huge supporter of Y-3 apparel. The boutique’s management team arranged for Kournikova to make an appearance at the store on May 5, 2006, while she was in town for the Mercedes-Benz Tennis Classic. SMC recognized an opportunity to leverage her visit to educate consumers about Y-3 and luxury sportswear overall. Clear, consistent brand messaging was essential - particularly since we would rely on the reporters in attendance to accurately inform their audiences about Y-3. The firm created press materials and invited key media contacts to join us at the event. SMC also crafted Y-3 speaking points for Kournikova and collaborated with Y-3 to ensure that whatever vantage photos were taken of the tennis star, its logo would be highly visible. The special event was a huge success. Strong media turnout included a segment on Fox 5 Atlanta’s 5:00 p.m. news that showcased the boutique and Kournikova for more than three minutes, an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and stories in magazines reaching our targeted customer base including Jezebel, Paper City¸ The Atlantan, Points North, Atlanta Sports and Fitness and ATL Style.
"Shira Miller Communications did a fantastic job for us. We were so pleased with the outcome of our event and couldn't have done it without them. Their team is very personable and professional - they can go into a crowded room and make anyone feel comfortable. We didn't doubt for a second that they were here for us and would get the job done right. That means a lot!"
-Ken Barber
District Manager, Y-3
