Eddie Bauer (Seattle) will soon begin a $12 million marketing campaign to restore its image. Returning to its roots in rugged outdoor wear, the retailer will seek to resolve an identity crisis it has suffered over the last several years.
According to a report in The New York Times, Eddie Bauer hired McKinsey & Co. last December to conduct a marketing study to help redirect the retailer. “The research said we should get back to our outdoor heritage,” said Engle Saez, senior vp and chief marketing officer.
The new strategy will include a redesigned clothing line and new ad campaign, directed by Mullen, a unit of the Interpublic Group of Cos. (Wenham, Mass.). Eddie Bauer will target a new casual, functional, durable and outdoor-inspired line primarily to 35- to 55-year-old shoppers. Ads will begin running in early September and continue through December.
While struggling to distinguish itself from competitors such as L.L. Bean, Lands'End, and J. Crew, Eddie Bauer has changed its merchandising strategy three times in the last seven years. Eddie Bauer, part of the Spiegel Group, was founded in 1920 and operates 500 stores in North America.