Zellers Partners with Ashlee Simpson Just in Time for Back to School

Pop Starlet Re-Energizes Request Line and Visits Toronto Area Store

TORONTO, Aug. 18 /CNW/ - It's back to school time again and Zellers has partnered with pop sensation Ashlee Simpson to re-launch Request clothing exclusively at Zellers. Ashlee will visit a Toronto area Zellers store on August 23 to promote the line and meet with her fans.

"I love that Request is a brand that is both stylish and affordable so people can stock up and look cute," said Ashlee Simpson. "I am so excited to come to Toronto and see all my fans. It's been a few years since I have been to Canada and I am really looking forward to the trip!"

Being a lifestyle brand Request covers all age groups, allowing young style mavens to dress each garment up or down with their own personal flare. The trend-minded customer can easily go from casual to dressy by mixing and matching the relaxed Blue Label with the party-ready Black Label.

"Ashlee Simpson is known for her edgy rock star style, said Suzanne Timmins, Fashion Director, Hbc. "She is a trendsetter who adds her own twist to the latest fashions. The expansion of the line also enables us to offer the latest in sportswear to all age groups.

To support the launch of the line, a :30 television spot featuring Ashlee Simpson starts running nationally on August 4th. The TV spot, as well as direct marketing and in-store point of sale materials, are all part of Zellers' current "everything from A-Z" campaign to support the critical Back-to-School period. Details of Ashlee's personal appearance will be available soon.

The television spot was created by Leo Burnett Toronto in conjunction with the UK animation house, BitState. The commercial features cleverly animated stills of Ashlee Simpson selecting different outfits before a concert. All of this occurs against the backdrop of a textile world. Cam Boyd, Sr. Copywriter at Leo explains, "We wanted the spot to be reminiscent of the character selection screen you find in a lot of video games. But after collaborating with Bitstate we evolved Ashlee's world to include these intricate textile details. I think the results are a really fresh looking and a great addition to the A to Z Campaign."

"We're excited about this exclusive partnership with Ashlee. The campaign is fun and a departure from traditional apparel advertising. Ashlee is a great endorser for the Request line that is young, stylish and priced right. The clothing line is proof positive to our consumers, that Zellers has everything from A to Z for back to school." said Geoff Hardwicke, Director of Marketing for Zellers

In addition, Zellers has partnered with YTV Next Star in a contest starting August 18th where viewers (ages 13+) can text to win a chance to win a trip for two to Toronto for $1000 Zellers Request shopping Spree and a makeover session with a celebrity stylist.

Hbc is Canada's largest diversified general merchandise retailer, operating in department store (the Bay), mass merchandise (Zellers), specialty (Home Outfitters and Designer Depot) and discount (Fields) formats. With more than 580 retail outlets and nearly 70,000 associates located in every province in Canada, Hbc provides Canadians with stylish, quality merchandise at great value, through retail banners focused on exceptional customer service. Hbc is a Canadian retail leader in corporate social responsibility, and the sixth annual Hbc CSR report can be found at www.hbc.com.

Contacts

Patricia Pytel
Hbc Public Relations
(416) 216-7375
patricia.pytel@hbc.com