Rhone Designates First Advertising Agency of Record to Accelerate Growth in Women's Apparel and Wellness Sector
Performance apparel brand Rhone has announced a new partnership with media agency Kepler, marking the company's first dedicated media agency relationship. The three-month competitive review involved eight agencies before Rhone selected Kepler.
Rhone, a privately-owned company founded in 2014, has set its sights on expansion, particularly in the women's activewear market and the mental fitness sector. The brand's growth strategy, as outlined in its partnership with Kepler, focuses on expanding its women's collection, deepening its mental fitness focus, and scaling across digital and retail channels.
The strategy includes leveraging Kepler to lead strategy, media buying, and measurement across ecommerce, Amazon, in-store retail, and wholesale partners. With nearly all of its estimated $27 million 2024 media spend planned for digital channels, Rhone aims to fuel its ecommerce and retail growth.
Kepler will use its proprietary AI tool, Kip AIR, to optimize Rhone's positioning in AI search engines. This move is designed to help Rhone understand how emerging AI platforms perceive and recommend its brand, thereby increasing its brand relevance and reach.
Rhone's Chief Marketing Officer, Bethany Evans, stated that the brand needed a media partner to help it scale intentionally without losing its unique identity. The partnership intends to achieve this balance by maintaining the brand's core identity, particularly cementing its position as a leader in the mental fitness and wellness sectors.
In addition to the digital focus, Rhone is doubling down on its Mind & Muscle wellness events series and launching campaigns with sports personalities such as NBA veteran Kevin Love and LPGA stars Lilia Vu and Lauren Hartlage. The brand's goals include growing its direct-to-consumer business, driving awareness and engagement for its women's line, and establishing itself as a leader in the mental fitness space.
Remy Stiles, North America CEO at Kepler, noted that the brands they work with prioritize loyalty, agility, and bold thinking. This partnership reflects Rhone's commitment to these values as it embarks on this new phase of growth.
Rhone's recent entrance into the women's market has seen strong traction without relying on flashy campaigns but on superior product quality and fit. The strategy explicitly targets expanding brand relevance and reach for women’s activewear, reflecting this shift.
The goal for this partnership is to help Rhone deepen brand relevance while expanding its reach across new and existing audiences. With Kepler on board, Rhone is poised to make significant strides in its growth journey, leveraging advanced AI-driven media optimization for precise brand positioning and scaling its omnichannel retail presence.
[1] Source: PR Newswire, Rhone Partners with Kepler, 2022 [2] Source: Glossy, Rhone names Kepler as media agency of record, 2022 [3] Source: Rhone, Rhone's Women's Line Gains Traction Without Flashy Campaigns, 2022
- Rhone's partnership with Kepler signifies a strategic move to fuel ecommerce and retail growth, particularly focusing on expanding its women's collection and deepening its mental fitness focus.
- To optimize its positioning in AI search engines, Rhone will utilize Kepler's proprietary AI tool, Kip AIR, to increase brand relevance and reach.
- With Kepler as its media agency, Rhone is positioning itself to make significant strides in its growth journey, poised to scale across digital and retail channels, and cement its position as a leader in the mental fitness sector.
