Venus Swimwear Looks to Make Local Splash with Jacksonville Jaguars Roar Sponsorship
Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Jacksonville Business Journal
Venus Swimwear and Clothing’s eponymous fashion catalogue has arrived in mailboxes in across the U.S. and Canada for decades, but its executives think that their company isn’t well known enough in its hometown of Jacksonville.
The team has started taking small steps — employees who put a Venus decal on their cars are eligible to win prizes, for example — and now, Venus is hoping to capitalize on the cachet of the Roar, the Jacksonville Jaguars cheerleaders, by signing on as official sponsor of the squad.
Venus and the Jaguars announced the sponsorship on Feb. 5. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Venus will receive stadium electronic signage, online and print recognition as part of the partnership — advertisements of Venus outfits for Valentine’s Day, modeled by Roar cheerleaders, are live on jaguars.com.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to partner with an international fashion company also based in Jacksonville; our two brands go together perfectly,” Christy Stechman Zynda, Jaguars senior manager of cheerleading, promotions and programs, said in a news release.
Venus will also be the presenting sponsor of Roar auditions and the annual calendar launch party, to which the Roar will wear Venus clothing. The Roar are a key part of the Jaguars marketing strategy, with dozens of appearances around the community and now around London, with the team playing games there for the next three years.
“This will bring national exposure, local exposure and an opportunity to reach outside of the U.S. market,” said Carole Wood, a Venus spokeswoman, “with the visits and appearances in London.”
The Roar sponsorship will also help Venus reach its target market locally, Wood said — affluent women 35 to 50 — and expand that target demographic to include women as young as 25.
Venus could at some point design outfits for the Roar, Wood said; the topic has been discussed, but no details have been finalized.
“We have a lot of flexibility with working with them,” Wood said. “As it moves forward, you’ll see a lot more exciting and out-of-the-box promotions.”
Venus was on the verge of bankruptcy when it was acquired by German clothing and homegoods retailer Bon Prix in 2009. But it’s been on an upswing since. In 2012, two of its swimsuits were featured in Sports Illustrated. About 300 people are employed at its Jacksonville headquarters and distribution center on the city’s Southside.
Bon Prix has aided in the ramping up of more fashion offerings, Wood said, expanding the Venus offerings beyond swimwear.
