Winnipeg clothing company Mondetta, which has spent the past several years focusing on its international markets, just couldn’t ignore what had been happening in its own backyard.

The company decided to boost the morale of its hometown citizens by donating 1,000 hats embroidered with the words ‘Flood 97’ to water-weary victims and volunteers.

Mondetta’s efforts should come as no surprise since the sportswear company ­ recognized for colorful clothes emblazoned with flag decorations ­ uses the slogan: ‘A Spirit of Unification.’

It’s a slogan that has inspired the Canadian company to continually broaden its efforts in international markets.

According to Raj Bahl, the company’s vice-president of sales, Mondetta is now expanding into the Middle East, to markets like Dubai, Lebanon and Israel. He says that orders for Lebanon are currently being placed for the 1997 fall/winter season. Meanwhile, the company is mapping out a marketing strategy for the region, which will start with point-of-sale merchandise such as posters.

The Middle East effort comes after the company’s success in places like the u.s., Finland, Korea, the u.k., Sweden, Italy, Holland and Japan ­ the latter two being the biggest international markets for Mondetta wear.

Around the world, the brand is merchandised in specialty shops and high-end sportswear stores that carry international brands with clout such as Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica and Polo.

Since entering Holland and Japan, the company has used what some might consider unconventional marketing tools.

In Japan, for example, actress Norika Fujiwara wears Mondetta to special appearances and in her movies. There is also talk about opening a ‘Mondetta World Cafe’ theme restaurant like the one in Winnipeg.

(That Japan is one of the company’s biggest markets is ironic, says Bahl, in light of the fact that local agents warned company executives that sportswear bearing the Japanese flag wouldn’t sell because it’s considered taboo to wear a national symbol.)

Meanwhile, in Holland, the company has created shirts for the Dutch airline klm’s rugby team. It has also focused its trade efforts on golf sportswear and equipment retailers. By focusing on golf first, the company eventually hopes to broaden its appeal in other areas.

Store brochures and catalogues are a principal marketing tool in European countries. Creative is first approved by head office in Winnipeg but translations are done in the target markets themselves. Bahl says the creative has a distinctive look, using photographs taken of locals from around the globe.

Bahl says before committing money to billboards and other media (as it has done in Canada) Mondetta must reach a critical mass.

As Bahl is the first to admit, this is easier said than done. Market variables such as size (the Japanese wear smaller sizes while Americans take larger ones, for example) must always be considered.

Founded in Winnipeg in 1986 by three young entrepreneurs, the bulk of Mondetta’s production remains in Canada (roughly 65%), while the remainder now comes from Hong Kong.

Bahl says future prospects for the company include breaking into the French and Greek markets, which have already shown interest, as well as the untapped South American market.