Old Navy is reimagining its key product, the T-shirts category. The brand launches a new collection called ‘The Best-Tees’ introducing new silhouettes, softer fabrics and improved fits. The launch is supported by a nationwide ad campaign that includes a massive product giveaway.

Photo: Mr. T, from www.1800besttees.com

«It’s always a big deal when a company reformulates any of its iconic products,» said Deborah Yeh, VP-marketing at Old Navy in the interview to Ad Age. «For the marketing team, it’s a tremendous opportunity to address what’s new about this iconic item.»

The campaign’s concept was developed by Olson, while Crispin is behind the production. Being a part of the retailer’s Funnovations Inc. platform, The Best-Tees will launch with a unusually long, two-minute infomercial-inspired spot on E! network’s ‘Talk Soup’ and ‘Chelsea Lately.’

The spot features Mr. T discussing his Best Tee Machine, which improves the form and quality of tees with a deep T-shirt massage. Then actress Anna Faris appears and starts telling Mr. T about how wearing bad-fitting T-shirts made her a real «dillweed.» After watching the spot, consumers will get a link to a website where they can get a coupon for a free T-shirt. The number of T-shirts is said to be the tens of thousands.

According to Yeh, the company decided to extend storytelling and fun, that’s why the traditional 30-sec spot was replaced with a 2-min one. However, the spot will be cut down to a 30-sec version for broader distribution. Other elements of the campaign will include in-store creative, a mobile campaign and digital media buys.

Despite of the fact that the company has been without a CMO since last summer, last month it experienced a 5% jump in sales at stores open at least a year.