Footwear Retailer Launches http://www.iloveshoes.com, an Online Environment
Dedicated to People With Passion for Shoes; Site Launches with Contest
Offering Daily Prizes Including a Year of Shoes Awarded Everyday for 30
Days
TOPEKA, Kan., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Payless ShoeSource,
dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories
for all to enjoy, is launching a new marketing campaign, "I Love Shoes(R),"
featuring new TV and print ads, as well as the launch of
http://www.iloveshoes.com, an online environment dedicated to consumers who
want to share their love of shoes.
"People -- women in particular -- love shoes and for a range of
reasons," said Matt Rubel, president and chief executive officer of Payless
ShoeSource. "Our new I Love Shoes campaign plays on this fact, and our just
launched site, iloveshoes.com, is an online world dedicated to allowing
people to profess and share their passion for shoes in fun, inspiring and
rewarding ways."
The new site launched last Friday and more than 100,000 people have
already visited the site and played the I Love Shoes game. Players complete
the phrase "I Love Shoes Because ... " Winners are selected randomly each
day. Prizes are, of course, shoes. Daily winners receive either a pair of
shoes or the grand prize of a year of shoes. Payless said it will give away
30 years of shoes through the contest -- a year of shoes to 30 lucky
winners each day for the run of the contest. An additional 900 pairs will
also be given away over the 30-day long game.
The "I Love Shoes Because" responses are posted within 36 hours,
enabling the site visitors to see why other people love shoes, to vote for
those they think are interesting, fun and unique and to share comments.
Current top picks include: "because the right pair of shoes can make a
boring outfit stylish and chic," "because shoes can both inspire and finish
a look," and "because high heels are empowering and I love feeling taller
than I really am."
"The idea of loving shoes is an international concept shared by women
everywhere -- it transcends cultures and languages," said Rubel. "We have
created an environment where people can share their love of shoes, and we
plan to evolve the site with additional functionality to build an
interactive community for people and their passion for shoes."
Current site features include a graphic front page with I Love Shoes
depicted in global languages. Content includes consumer "vids" (videos) on
why they love shoes captured in Payless stores and recently at New York
Fashion Week, as well as the latest Payless TV ads. Payless plans to evolve
iloveshoes.com into an interactive platform enabling people to post their
own videos, download music, and share content and special features on
shoes.
Payless launched its new I Love Shoes campaign with new print ads in
Vogue's March edition, which just hit news stands last week, as well as TV
ads popping in late Jan. The retailer launched the new campaign at New York
Fashion Week, where it handed out I Love Shoes branded tote bags at its
Bryant Park runway shows to unveil the Fall '08 Payless Designer
Collections with fashion designers Laura Poretzky for Abaete for Payless
and Lela Rose for Lela Rose for Payless. Payless plans to integrate I Love
Shoes into all its marketing going forward.
About Payless ShoeSource
Payless ShoeSource, Inc., a unit of Collective Brands, Inc., is the
largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere and is
dedicated to democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories
and inspiring fun, fashion possibilities for the family at a great value.
As of the end of the third quarter 2007, the company operated more than
4,500 stores. In addition, customers can buy shoes over the Internet
through Payless.com(R) at http://www.payless.com.
Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling
lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related
accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic
units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points
and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing.
Collective Brands, Inc. includes Payless ShoeSource, focused on
democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its
more than 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands American Eagle(R),
Airwalk(R), Dexter(R), Champion(R) and designer collections Abaeté for
Payless, Lela Rose for Payless and alice + olivia for Payless, among
others; Stride Rite, focused on lifestyle and athletic branded footwear and
high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with
its brands including Stride Rite(R), Keds(R), Sperry Top-Sider(R),
Robeez(R), and Saucony(R), among others; and Collective Licensing
International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit,
with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk(R), Vision Street Wear(R),
Lamar(R), Sims(R), LTD(R), genetic(R), Dukes(R), Rage(R), Ultra-Wheels(R),
and Skate Attack(R). Information about, and links for shopping on, each of
the Collective Brand's units can be found at
http://www.collectivebrands.com.
SOURCE Payless ShoeSource
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