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Dave Fogelson, spokesperson for the Stoughton, Mass.-based athletic footwear manufacturer, would confirm only that the region had made a recommendation to Dave Ropes, Reebok’s vp of marketing services worldwide. He said no announcement will be made until all regional agencies are chosen. That could delay final decisions by 30 days, according to Fogelson, as Reebok gives its new domestic and international agency, Leo Burnett Co., time to participate in the review for the Chicago regional business. GBS officials were unavailable for comment.
Ketchum/S.F. and Chiat/Day, which maintains a field service office here for its Nissan client, were also reported contenders.
The regional campaigns are believed to come in response to retailer concerns. Reebok’s sales during the first six months of 1993 dropped 3.4% to $683 million from $706.9 million for the same period last year.
“The old days when you can take a basketball player and $20 million into a campaign and watch sales explode are over,” said John Horan, publisher of Sporting Goods Intelligence, a Glen Mills, Pa.-based newsletter. “I think they’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t make sense to try and out-Nike Nike in the U.S. market. They need to do a little more grass roots stuff.”
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)
