2000 - present day


 
Moving into the 21st Century Pretty Polly continued with strong product development but was probably more famous for advertising and marketing campaigns in particular with hot celebrities of the moment.
The stylish Italia range had a great new face lift, with iconic packaging once again hitting the press as a huge banner was displayed outside the head office in Sutton in Ashfield.
A decision was made to move into PR rather than a more traditional route of advertising, as links with Julian Macdonald helped raise awareness on the fashion industry.
The lingerie range enjoyed continued success with Rachael Stevens ’Pop Princess’ fronting brand awareness campaign.
Moving into 2004 Pretty Polly reclaimed the legwear market after making a decision with withdraw the lingerie products from a very cluttered market place. The hot new item for 2004 and the greatest innovation since the hold up.
The launch of Link Up developed a stocking range that simply hooked into newly developed briefs no more fiddling about with buckles or sitting on clips.
Jamelia was signed to be the face of Pretty Polly. With fantastic legs and a high achiever in the music industry. The launch of Link Up was supported with stunning imagery of Jamelia supported with great shots featuring the Pretty Polly.
2005 and still gaining momentum, the brand was the darling of the press once more. Continuing innovation in marketing and product development, Pretty Polly extended the successful Niks range into Bodywear offering a contemporary range of products perfect for a young consumer.
Funky packaging with great grab appeal supported the launch.
 

Spring 2005 and Gemma Kidd joins Jamelia to promote the new Naturals range. Almost transparent, and knitted with Sideria yarn, they are a perfect match for every skin tone.
The summer was spent with Holly Bailey a totally unique proposition for Pretty Polly, she had the title of Club Women for the year for the past five years. Her experience had also led her into becoming a stunt driver -  you will have seen her at least once! The Fiat Punto commercial driving through Rome and many driving roles in film.
Appealing to Pretty Polly with an all girls crew, the Pretty Polly Racing team was launched, and whilst no trophies were held high the team did fantastically well racing on an equal footing with the men in the British Rally Car Championships.
Autumn 2005 Pretty Polly was recognised and awarded superbrands status.
Only those brands already highly rated by the council qualify for inclusion within the programme.
A ’Superbrand’ has established the finest reputation in its field.
This would open the door for many other brands wanting to link up with Pretty Polly to help promote sales.
Now synonymous with beautiful women . . . .
 

Autumn 2005 and the No 1 girl band teamed up with the No 1 legwear brand to create the perfect hit. Fantastic media coverage was created especially as one band member left half way through the campaign. Actually great news for Pretty Polly as we had images of the new band member the press were waiting to see. Featured in the Red Dress Video Competitions to meet and great the girls and in-store events all ensured Pretty Polly remained at No 1 in the legwear charts.
As a result of breakthrough technology in 2006, Pretty Polly launched.
Whilst it would take a while for consumers to believe this concept the brand knew that this range would be huge.
Fresh, a range of socks & knee highs that contained a silver finish. Not only did they look great they stopped you getting smelly feet.
By Autumn 2006 the hosiery market had been in decline for nearly 10 years, but interest in Footless tights sparked in main by the fashion press resulted in a new younger consumer wanting to buy tights.Once again tights were becoming the must have fashion accessory for the season.
Consumer research recognised that there were younger women that needed to wear support hosiery. Many women spend all day on their feet including nurses and air hostesses, acknowledging this the brand launched Leg Lift a contemporary support range backed by cabin crew for BMI.
With a renewed interest in the market, Pretty Polly changed tactics on marketing campaigns and recruited creative agency Point Blank to develop an outdoor campaign.
The tallest billboard in the UK was booked at Chiswick Roundabout and a special build 3D image created.
Supported with 48 sheets and mega rears Pretty Polly was again being talked about by the advertising press.
2007 and back under private ownership resulted in increased brand investment. Beattie McGuinness Bungay were appointed as the new advertising agency.
The first campaign was for Silver Fresh. First to market to provide a true cool finish with total anti-bacterial control, the campaign took a tongue in cheek look at stinky feet.
Once again we featured on the tallest billboard in the UK, at point of whiff in gym changing rooms, perimeter advertising at the Ladies Cricket World Cup.
Building the fashion credentials of the brand and celebrating the joy of legs the brand capitalised on the buoyant opaques market.
The campaign was kick started with a living billboard, using live dancers in the style of the Japanese art of Kuruko. The campaign extended into outdoor poster sites, and magazines culminating with a film showcased at the ’Take That’ 2007 stadium tour, entitled the ’Changing of the Tights’.
A new web site was created as the brand and the brand continued to be recognised as the leg expert brand.
 

2008 and Pretty Polly, the leg expert brand stretches into leg cosmetics with the launch of Love Legs. By offering products to pamper & ’dress’ bare legs Pretty Polly was able to offer retailers an option to help sales during the summer months when hosiery sales would traditionally decline.
Supported with a £3 million advertising campaign encompassing magazine, outdoor posters and cinema advertising along side the release of the highest box office film Sex & The City.
Campaign was created by Beattie McGuiness Bungay & shot by internally famous fashion photographer Rankin. Pretty Polly was rewarded with a Pure Beauty Award in recognition for a fantastic launch, a much sort after industry prize.
 

Autumn 2008, and the success of Love Legs was followed up with the launch of Secret Slimmer, capitalising on the growing shaping market, by offering young women an opportunity to cheat their way to gorgeousness. Featuring a second campaign again shot by Rankin, the brand featured an unknown model discovered by television reality show “Coleens real Women”.
The campaign was launched with a protest on Harley Street, with 15 leggy models marching through the west end of London with placards offering a quicker, cheaper alternative to cosmetic surgery. With the hosiery market continuing to decline and a global recession looming, marketing the brand was becoming ever more important.