Cheetham Bell to help Dorma widen appeal

Dorma, the high-end bed linen and toweling company, has appointed Cheetham Bell JWT to work on a national repositioning of the company.

The agency won the business without a pitch.

The company has traditionally appealed to women aged 45-plus but wants to position itself to appeal to a wider market. It is expected to start targeting younger customers as part of that shift.

The repositioning will be completed by the end of the year and is likely to include rebranding, a redesign of packaging and a national ad campaign. The company is already preparing to launch a range of bedlinen in the summer that has been designed for a younger market.

Jane Clancy, managing director of Manchester-based Cheetham Bell JWT, says: "We have a very strong reputation in marketing among women, particularly when it comes to fabrics and items for the home. It’s a category we understand."

The agency is now carrying out research to formulate a new market position for Dorma and will start on creative work shortly for its latest product launch.

The company was started in Manchester in 1841. In 1920 the Dorma brand was created and it has since become one of the country’s top bedlinen brands. It holds three Royal warrants and is stocked in leading department stores such as House of Fraser and Debenhams.

The company has long held a reputation for fabric innovation and quality.