Starter is "trading athletic positioning for fashion,"
and is "returning to its roots as an urban brand," according
to Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK. Starter is now focusing on
stores like Dr. Jay's in New York City and City Sports in
Philadelphia, which are "the top of the influence pyramid
when it comes to reaching trend setting youths." AND 1 VP/
Product Development Jay Gilbert: "Those kinds of retailers
are important because they are known as the place to get the
newest and hottest stuff, much more so than the mall-based
store." Starter VP/Marketing Ian Gomar: "In our case, inner
city is not code for black, Hispanic or Asian. We had been
concentrating so much on our on-field authenticity, we
forgot what originally made us legitimate and authentic off
the field." Starter's latest endorser, N.Y. hip-hop deejay
Funkmaster Flex, will lend his name to a CD that will serve
as a gift-with-purchase when Starter "breaks a variety of
new marketing events and programs around next February's NBA
All-Star Game." A new TV spot will break with Funkmaster
"reprising one of Starter's most popular ads" from '92 and
Starter will also offer a sweepstakes where the winner will
sit with Funkmaster at the '98 NBA Finals (BRANDWEEK, 12/8).
MORE EXPOSURE: Lefton adds that Starter has extended
its official NCAA men's and women's Final Four locker room
T-shirt and cap deal for two years. It has also added 10
other NCAA championships to its cap and T-shirt roster.
Starter holds both the official locker room cap and T-shirt
for the NBA Finals this season and, for the first time, will
support it through a TV spot (BRANDWEEK, 12/8 issue).
