Meridian bags Levi brands, Dockers and Slates

The WPP Group’s two month old Bangalore based agency, Meridian Communications, has had its first significant win. The agency has bagged the Dockers and Slates brands from Levi Strauss & Co. The media duties are presently with MindShare.

Industry sources peg the size of the business to be around Rs 4-6 crore, although when quizzed, both the agency and the client refused to give out any information.

It is learnt that there were four or five agencies in the fray, but their names could not be ascertained.

Shyam Sukhramani, brand head, Dockers, says that the brand is on the threshold of taking a giant leap in India and the need of the hour was to have an advertising agency that would project its vision and passion.

“The idea was to assign the task to an agency that would not only provide an insight-led strategy, but also a positioning platform that would elevate Dockers to a higher level,” he says. “Meridian presented us with some path-breaking work, which we definitely think can be made applicable pan-Asia. It will present a new face of Dockers that will blend well with the global Dockers positioning.”

Ganesh Raman, executive vice-president, Meridian, says, “Levi’s was on the lookout for an agency that explored the traditional mould and could break it. We shared our vision for the brand, which the client appreciated. This win is a great start for us.”

The media mix is likely to include press, outdoor and the Internet. Radio may be a possibility in case of tactical communication, but television will be used only next year, if at all.

Dockers is globally positioned as a brand known for its comfort, durability and style and targets consumers who subscribe to the notion that clothes are both a means of expression and a way to live a more interesting life. Slates, on the other hand, is targeted at people who appreciate quality and style, even though it comes at a premium.

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