Brand Flagship Ecommerce Site Launched Along With Charitable
Initiative to Benefit U.S. Education
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2013--
G.H. Bass & Co., a division of PVH Corp. (NYSE: PVH), today announced
the launch of its Fall 2013 brand campaign and new ecommerce site, which
celebrates the heritage of G.H. Bass & Co. and pays homage to its iconic Weejuns,
the original penny loafer, first introduced in 1936. The campaign kicks
off this fall and will employ an integrated media approach to reach
style-savvy consumers through digital and social media channels, at
retail stores, and at ghbass.com.
Fall 2013 G.H. Bass & Co. Campaign
Conceived by New York-based creative agency, YARD, the Fall ‘13 brand
campaign features the tagline Power to the Penny, paying tribute
to Weejuns, the G.H. Bass & Co. brand’s iconic
penny loafer. Shot in studio by Paola Kudacki and styled by April
Hughes, the campaign embodies the brand’s preppy meets outdoor heritage
and features a cast of four models who personify the G.H. Bass & Co.
style point of view. Each execution is paired with customized penny art
that plays off each pair of Weejuns showcased, turning the
classic penny into an expression of personal style.
“G.H. Bass & Co. is truly an iconic brand,” said Kristin
Kohler Burrows, President of G.H. Bass & Co. “As the originator of one
of, if not the most classic shoes in footwear history, we wanted
to capitalize on our rich heritage and legacy of our iconic Weejuns,
the original penny loafer, with our new Power to the Penny
campaign. We’re using this opportunity to tell our story to new and old
consumers, alike, while continuing to push design boundaries by melding
iconic styles with modern design aesthetics.”
In honor of its Weejuns, G.H. Bass & Co. is launching Pennies
Toward Progress—an initiative to benefit the “I Have a Dream”
Foundation®. For every pair of Weejuns sold at G.H. Bass & Co.
retail stores in the U.S., on ghbass.com and by retailers in the U.S.,
G.H. Bass & Co. will donate 100 pennies toward the Foundation’s mission
to close the opportunity gap for children in low-income communities, and
empower them to achieve their full potential by providing them with
academic and financial support, as well as exposure to a life of
possibility.
“G.H. Bass & Co. was born in 1876 out of one man’s dedication to making
things better—and today that philosophy guides everything we do,” said
Kristin Kohler Burrows, President of G.H. Bass & Co. “To that end, we’re
thrilled that our Pennies Toward Progress initiative can show the
world just how powerful a penny can be. Together, we can help students
in need across the country step forward towards their own bright
futures.”
To celebrate the launch of the 2013 brand campaign and engage consumers
from a social media standpoint, G.H. Bass & Co. has launched a Penny
Yourself Facebook application at www.facebook.com/ghbass,
allowing consumers to impose their profiles onto a penny that reads “In
G.H. Bass We Trust.”
The newly unveiled ecommerce site will be a brand flagship, featuring
the full breadth of the G.H. Bass & Co. Fall 2013 collection,
including several modern interpretations of its Weejuns, in
addition to classic silhouettes such as boots and bucs for men and women
in fashion forward fabrics and colors, all with a little preppy polish
and an easy outdoor attitude. In addition, the site will offer exclusive
product, first with its patent leather candy-colored Weejuns and
the story of the G.H. Bass & Co. brand. For more information,
visit www.ghbass.com
and to watch the Fall 13 campaign video, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MucCbzaj1UQ.
About G.H. Bass & Co.
The history of G.H. Bass & Co. dates back to Maine in 1876 and George
Henry Bass—a man on a simple mission to make the very best shoe. In
1936, G.H. Bass & Co. put a stylish spin on a Norwegian farm shoe
designed for “loafing in the field,” and playfully dubbed them Weejuns
— introducing the world’s first penny loafer. From strolling across
college campuses to doing the moonwalk, Weejuns have been found
on industrious feet ever since.
They say they don’t make ‘em like that anymore, but Bass most certainly
does. Still bench crafted and hand stitched, iconic Weejuns
continue to be in demand by casual and fashion-forward crowds alike.
Imbuing classic construction with a contemporary creativity, G.H. Bass &
Co. continues to find new ways to marry the timeless with today—and
stand as proof positive that a true original is always in demand.
About PVH Corp.
PVH Corp., one of the world’s largest apparel companies, owns and
markets the iconic Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands
worldwide. It is the world’s largest shirt and neckwear company and
markets a variety of goods under its own brands, Van Heusen, Calvin
Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, IZOD, ARROW, Bass and G.H. Bass & Co.,
Warner’s and Olga, and its licensed brands, including Speedo,
Geoffrey Beene, Kenneth Cole New York, Kenneth Cole Reaction, MICHAEL
Michael Kors, Sean John, Chaps, Donald J. Trump Signature Collection,
JOE Joseph Abboud, DKNY, Ike Behar and John Varvatos.
About the “I Have a Dream” Foundation
www.ihaveadreamfoundation.org
The "I Have A Dream" Foundation empowers children in low-income
communities to achieve higher education and fulfill their leadership
potential by providing them with financial support and equipping them
with the skills, knowledge, and habits they need to gain entry to higher
education and succeed in college and beyond. By helping Dreamers gain
access to college, “I Have A Dream” is placing these students on a
different academic and life trajectory, while having a broader impact on
the students' families and the generations that follow.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130806005976/en/
Source: PVH Corp.
PVH Corp.
Investors:
Dana Perlman, 212.381-3502
Treasurer,
SVP - Business Development and Investor Relations
investorrelations@pvh.com
or
Media:
LaForce
+ Stevens
Hannah Rood, 212.242.9353
hrood@lsagency.com
or
G.H.
Bass & Co.
Laurie Heller, 212.822.4013
LaurieHeller@ghbass.com
