Tim Wheeler is keen to keep Dan Carter as Jockey's pin-up boy. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey
International clothing company Jockey is eager for All Black pin-up Dan Carter to continue being its global face - and body - following the success of advertising campaigns featuring the rugby player in nothing but his undies.
Carter has been on billboards and buses from Moscow to London,
and Tim Wheeler, president of Jockey's international division, is keen for that to continue.
"We're always interested to have Dan be a part of the images that we use."
Despite being a virtual unknown in a good part of Europe, Wheeler said Carter was a snug fit for Jockey's image.
"We're an unpretentious, active, very authentic and real brand if you will, so from a model standpoint, Dan is perfect. He's got an excellent body but it's all natural. He is the athlete. There are some exceptions but most of the people that would be associated with the category are models effectively, and it's not the same."
The success of the moody black-and-white themed advertisements have proven such a hit that their overall look-and-feel has been adopted as part of Jockey's new global retail image for its stores, which span more than 120 countries.
It will, however, feature unnamed models; Wheeler said pragmatically, it was impossible for Carter to model every item in the Jockey range.
He said all global brands had a consistent retail image across the world, but Jockey, which is 132 years old, has not had a consistent global image to date.
"We wanted to create a global, fresh and consistent shopping experience across all 120 markets."
In New Zealand, the company is working with Farmers to roll out the new image by October. The new look Jockey stores-within-a-store have already debuted in parts of Asia, Europe and South America.
The licensing agreement with New Zealand licensee Pacific Brands - Jockey's 2007 international licensee of the year - has also been extended until 2018.
