NEW YORK This spring, Casual Male Big & Tall will launch its biggest TV and radio push ever, and the clothing chain hopes George Foreman can do for its brand what he did for countertop cooking.
Interpublic Group shop Avrett Free Ginsberg, New York, which picked up the Canton, Mass.-based account last month after a review, will produce a campaign to break in April that shows several Foremans in a room, each dressed in a different outfit from his exclusive new Signature Collection and Comfort Zone line. The Georges banter about big-men-friendly options like expandable collars and shirts made from fabric that wicks away sweat.
"It's very simple and elegant and takes advantage of George's qualities," said Avrett's chief marketing office, Jamie Korsen.
The chain, which was taken over by new owners in May 2002, previously relied mostly on direct response and catalogs done in-house. The Canton, Mass., retailer signed the ex-boxer this summer.
Foreman, who has backed products from his own grill to Doritos and Meineke, could "put pep into a tired chain," said retail analyst Gary M. Giblen, research director at C.L. King in New York. He said linking up with Foreman could be "a transformative event" for the chain, giving the otherwise nebulous brand an athletic image.
Casual Male's previous agency was IPG's Berenter Greenhouse & Webster, New York.