BRANDING: Bhs links with Atomic Kitten for clothing line

by RAVI CHANDIRAMANI, Marketing 23-Jan-03

Bhs has struck a deal with pop band Atomic Kitten to market an exclusive clothing range branded 'AK', designed to boost its popular appeal to young girls.

AK is aimed at six- to 13-year-old girls and will be available at 70 of Bhs' 152 stores from the end of February. Garments will carry the AK logo, which features the letters inside a paw print. The high-street retailer said the range would "reflect the funky fashions and style that the band members are renowned for".

It will comprise a sporty line of t-shirts and tracksuit bottoms and a more 'girly' line of sandblasted denim jeans and printed tops. If successful, Bhs, which is now under the ownership of retailer Philip Green, will consider rolling AK out to all its branches and could be sold in Arcadia group stores which are also owned by Green.

The deal was brokered by The Licensing Company, which represents the band while the range itself has been manufactured by Thumbprint Enterprises.

It it promising to update the range every six weeks.

Bhs has participated in smaller scale music merchandise partnerships in the past with pop groups Blue and Westlife, but the AK deal is by far its biggest tie-up.

It will back the range with a substantial in-store campaign and will aim to heighten interest through competitions and a chance to meet the band.

Atomic Kitten is due to launch AK at Bhs' Oxford Street store next month and is planning a number of single releases as well as a new album this year, supported by a nationwide tour in November. So far the band has had four number one singles and two number one albums.

Both Bhs, which axed the role of marketing director in 2001, and Arcadia have bucked the gloomy Christmas trading figures prevalent in the retail sector. Bhs reported sales for the seven weeks to January 11 to be up 1.3% on the same period last year while Arcadia said sales for the Christmas season were up 4.9%.