Spiegel Catalog Inc., Downers Grove, IL, last week named Partners & Shevack, New York, as its agency to handle all advertising for the women's clothing catalog.
Plans for Partners & Shevack, which was chosen for its creative expertise, include creation and management of all media advertising for the main Spiegel catalog and its sister publications. In the past, Spiegel has relied mainly on print advertising bearing toll-free numbers catalog requests.
The company expects print to remain a substantial part of its advertising plan, said spokeswoman Debbie Koopman, although she added that the strategy has not yet been developed. Similarly, while the creative tone of the ads has not been determined, it is expected to be aligned with the company's position as the lifestyle resource for the working woman.
The company, which has experienced financial trouble in recent years, restructured itself into lifestyle sectors 14 months ago. Last year, the company also closed two call centers and two catalogs as part of the restructuring of the Spiegel catalog group.
Spiegel CFO James Sievers had cited Spiegel catalog as the “single most significant factor” contributing to the company's $33 million net loss for 1997. Recently, however, although July sales were down 8 percent to $148.9 million compared to $161.6 million last year, company officials stated that the catalog sales in all divisions were meeting expectations.
