NEW YORK Avirex, the 30-year-old leather-bomber-jacket brand, will launch a fall campaign that seeks to recapture the sexy pin-ups that graced World War II fighter planes. The work, via David Sirieix in New York, includes outdoor, point-of-purchase and a sweepstakes in which consumers can win a dream date with Hispanic supermodel Vida Guerra, who appears in an ad wearing a custom-made leather bomber bikini.
The execution, launching in October issues of FHM, Cargo, Vibe and Blender, will appear with an attached postcard that features a peel-off sticker strategically placed over Guerra's bikini top. Consumers may remove the sticker to view more of her anatomy and obtain a secret code to enter the sweepstakes. The winning code will be posted on Avirex's Web site; the magazines' and Guerra's Web sites also will promote the contest.
The push is part of Avirex's strategy to expand beyond its urban following to become more of a mainstream brand. The line has been redesigned to be more upscale and contemporary with an aviation accent. The flight jackets will be worn in the upcoming movie Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, starring Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. Avirex jackets also were worn in Top Gun and appeared in the Indiana Jones series.
"We expect newcomers and guys who know Guerra to participate," said agency president David Sirieix. "The '40s and '50s were a time when sex and good-luck charms had a different meaning. We just went back and embellished something that was existing and updated it."
Avirex spent less than $1 million on advertising in 2003, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.