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According to Reebok, it will be targeting three markets for the test effort, including Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco.
‘It’s being done so we can do a better job with our local retailers,’ said David Ropes, vp of marketing services worldwide for Reebok. ‘It’s to strengthen our marketing partnerships with our local and regional retailers.’
Other sources said the move comes in response to retailers who have complained that the Planet Reebok campaign produced by Chiat/Day, N.Y. has not done enough to ring their cash registers. The regional campaigns are expected to take a variety of forms and will range from coop advertising to promotional events such as sponsoring local runs. Regional campaigns, for instance, may use local sports stars who may not have national appeal. Unlike the national advertising, the regional work is expected to be highly focused on specific products.
Though the company would not confirm it, Reebok will budget $1-3 million for each region, funds expected to be drawn from its national ad budget – $85 million in 1992, according to Competitive Media.
The role of the new agencies selected in relation to Reebok’s agency of record is not known. Reebok said it is talking to agencies that are event and promotion specialists as well as traditional agencies. Ropes declined to disclose the names of the shops he is talking to.
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