Metersbonwe has charged JWT with helping it take the brand battle to its mass market casual wear competitors such as Jeanswest, Baleno and Giordano. Launched in 1995, the chain has more than 1,500 stores nationwide, mostly located in a few second- and third-tier cities and showcase first-tier city stores.
Ranked fourth in brand equity in its category behind Nike, adidas and local contender Li-Ning, Anta has about 5,000 stores across China. With its distribution muscle and sponsorship of the China national basketball team, Anta advertises mainly on national broadcaster, CCTV.
"Both brands are mass market, but want to move up and become mass premium to achieve higher margins," said Tom Doctoroff, JWT Northeast Asia area director. "The two companies reflect the aspirations of their founders, and each founder in his different way has a vision of what a Chinese brand can be."
Supporting this aspiration to go mass premium, Metersbonwe has hired a French designer to introduce Chinese elements yet create a modern, contemporary look for its range, while Anta has expanded its business from sports shoes to cover sports apparel and accessories.
Metersbonwe previously relied on celebrity buzz, first with Cantopop star Aaron Kwok and currently Jay Zhou to target the 18 to 25 set. Doctoroff said the presentation of the agency's China Youth study and its brand vision were key to landing the accounts. "Both cases were examples of the agency going in to talk very deeply about brand insights and vision and then walking away with the business," he said.
Doctoroff said the strategy would be to leverage the Chinese-ness of the two brands without detracting from their international standards and quality.
"The youth study showed there is a need for young people to stand out, but to do so in a way that's understated. It's about being noticed, with a twist on convention," he added. "What we are really trying to define this -- not in the first piece of work -- Chinese youth cool." Grey China worked on both accounts previously.