Standing on what is arguably the city's most famous public basketball court, called "the Cage," Merianne Roth, J.C. Penney’s brand marketing and publicity director, said the company is always on the lookout for new ideas. With the Monday-evening editor preview of J.C. Penney's Joe Joseph Abboud fall 2009 collection, the retailer managed to pull off the unprecedented: The launch marked the first time the court at Sixth Avenue and West Third Street served as the site of a private event.
"We wanted to have a fresh venue to show the clothing," Roth said. "[This line] is one of our biggest stories for men this year."
As is often the case, pulling off something that has never been done before presented some challenges. Lanie Lefkowitz, executive producer at MKG Productions, which designed and produced the preview, explained that although the company followed city regulations in securing permits for the event, the neighborhood's community board members were not thrilled with the idea, objecting to closing off the public space for a private event. Ultimately, MKG and community members settled on a compromise—instead of completely blocking outsiders' views into the space, select areas would allow the public to see the action on the court.
MKG's design let the court itself provide most of the atmosphere. "We didn't want to mask the court, just highlight it a bit more," said Lefkowitz. Large panels of corrugated metal served as the dominant element, surrounding much of the court and providing an industrial accent. Male models dressed in Joe Joseph Abboud stood on gray platforms, and signage in muted, masculine colors displayed the brand's marketing messages, such as "Meet Joe: He's anything but average" and "He's cut from a different cloth." Additional branding appeared on the court's backboards, drink glasses, and napkins.
Thanks to a partnership between Joseph Abboud parent company JA Apparel Corporation and the N.B.A., basketball stars Cal Ramsey, director of special projects and community relations representative for the New York Knicks, former Knicks player Allan Houston, current Knicks point guard Nate Robinson, and projected 2009 top N.B.A. draft pick Blake Griffin attended the event.
