Reitmans is positioning itself as a source for fashion that’s both stylish and accessible, even though that idea might be surprising to some.
During Montreal’s Fashion and Design Festival in August, the retailer set up a station on the city’s streets that featured three models. Passersby were invited to guess where the models’ clothes came from. They mentioned several high-end luxury retailers before they were informed that the looks are, in fact, from Reitmans.
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The videos, in English and French, debuted on TV over this past weekend in a campaign that will also feature OOH. The digital side of the campaign features interactive banners inviting users to also guess where the looks are from. The campaign is the first handled by Tank since it was named lead agency for the retailer last month, with OMD handling the media buy.
When the Tank win was announced, it was also revealed that actress Meghan Markle would be the new spokesperson for the brand. Though ads featuring Markle have already debuted in print, a new TV spot also launched this weekend (in English and French).
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Both of the spots are part of the new “Reitmans. Really.” platform developed by Tank, which looks to communicate that Reitmans, traditionally positioned as a source for accessible and mid-priced fashion, can also being stylish.
The mid-priced fashion space has been a competitive one in Canada, with competitors like Jacob and Mexx closing their doors and the Reitmans-owned Smart Set in the midst of shutting down its retail locations. Jeannie Vondjidis-Miller, VP of marketing and visual presentation for Reitmans, told strategy last month that the retailer was competing by focusing on more fashionable collections and an improved customer experience.
“But you can’t just tell people about [your offering], you have to demonstrate it and show it in the way you speak,” she said. “I don’t think the brand has ever really spoken about what it offers with confidence, so we’re putting a stake in the ground and taking a position on what it is we offer.”
