Monsoon to award account to Partners BDDH

Partners BDDH is tipped to pick up the creative account for high street clothing retailer Monsoon after a two-way pitch against Archibald Ingall Stretton.

The agency will handle the fashion retailer’s first above-the-line advertising campaign for three years.

It is understood that the brief, worth over £1m, is to look at ways of revamping Monsoon’s image, with a view to moving away from its “ethnic-hippy” look and competing head on with other high street stores such as Gap (MW July 26).

In April, the fashion retailer poached New Look director of retail operations Rose Foster to become its managing director. At the same time Graham Frost, a former deputy chief executive at Great Universal Stores and Argos, was handed the role of non-executive chairman.

Under Foster’s leadership, the chain is planning to embark on an aggressive growth strategy from its London base. It has 128 wholly-owned stores in the UK and Jersey, plus 116 Accessorize outlets.

In November, Monsoon announced a joint venture – with US company Charming Shoppes – to develop the Monsoon and Accessorize brands in the US.

Earlier this year, the fashion retailer announced its intention to appoint its first marketing director in an effort to rejuvenate the brand. The marketing director, yet to be appointed, will report to chairman Peter Simon and will be responsible for developing aboveand below-the-line advertising for the brand.