Jockey riding high with new strategy by Inovus

Underwear brand Jockey has relaunched itself following an extensive repositioning exercise by London design group Inovus. The rebranding is part of a programme to recapture some of Jockey’s lost younger market, since the emergence of several designer label rivals in recent years.

Inovus, which was appointed following a two-way paid credentials and proposal pitch against Wickens Tutt Southgate, explored a niche between the designer products from the likes of Calvin Klein and retail brands such as Marks & Spencer.

According to Inovus commercial director Dominic England, the new branding moves away from the “monochrome, moody style of other brands”, communicating Jockey’s heritage as a manufacturer of high quality underwear and concentrating the end packaging design on the product, rather than an overtly lifestyle proposition.

The solution was to combine a classic Jockey brand trait – the use of colour in an overtly monochrome market – with a highly contemporary photographic style to bring the brand right into the new millennium,” says England.

“Jockey is targeting its fashion range at a slightly younger and up-to-date audience. The branding gives Jockey a way of owning colour, but has blink of the eye recognition,” adds creative director Kevin Johnson.

The first range of cotton comfort underwear was launched last week, with a second range due to hit shelves next month. Jockey plans to introduce a further two ranges annually in the future as it continues its UK repositioning.