Year: Spring/Summer 1998
Model: Scott Dequine
Photographer: Bruce Weber
PERRY ELLIS INT'L AGAIN USES BRUCE WEBER TO SHOOT A CLEAN, SOPHISTICATED AD CAMPAIGN
LAS VEGAS -- Perry Ellis International president Max Garelick may have been a little ahead of the advertising trend three seasons ago when he insisted on a positive, healthy advertising campaign at a time when the sickly waif image was rampant in image portrayal. "I didn't want erotic, neurotic, psychotic," he said. "I wanted a healthy, intelligent image for our advertising."
Garelick's foresight might have just put his imagery in the forefront of advertising, as other marketers are discovering that consumers react better to cheerier, active models in campaigns.
In March, Perry Ellis International is kicking off its third season of campaigns that reflect a clean , sophisticated feeling. As with the first two for spring '97, the current ads were created by Sam Shahid, owner of agency Shahid & Co., and shot by big-star photographer Bruce Weber
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And like the first two clean campaigns, this spring '98 effort consists of two separate image groups. For the Perry Ellis label, the photos were shot in black and white and feature a new face for the company. George Van Reenen , who was in the last two efforts, has been replaced by part-time San Francisco school teacher Scott Dequine, , whose looks have been compared with John F. Kennedy Jr. The ads have an inspirational look, with some elements of glamour, but glamour that works in real life.
As for the Perry Ellis America label, model Boris Kodjoe is back for the third time. The color effort is more youthful in feel.
In the Perry Ellis segment, Dequine is joined by a female model. And while Garelick said she's used as an accessory, it's also a way for the company to draw women into the ads, either as buying for a male or even for buying items for herself. The accessories in the Perry Ellis America segment are kids, capitalizing on the company's growing boys' business, Garelick said.
We wanted to use attractive models, because they are the kinds of guys that our consumers relate to, Garelick said. These guys aren't just models. They're really intelligent guys, just like the consumers we're trying to attract. Shahid said he thinks the apparel items look better than they ever have in the campaign.
Scott looks so great in the clothes. He's all American and glamorous like a matinee idol, or a movie star from another era. Garelick didn't want to say how much the company is spending on the ads but said it was in the millions. The initial launch of the campaign
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PH: Bruce Weber
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