Football Republic hands digital and media account to IPG Mediabrands

Ansible and BPN, both part of the IPG Mediabrands network, have respectively been appointed as the new digital and media agency for Al-Ikhsan’s premium category outlet, Football Republic.Ansible is tasked to launch Football Republic, which includes development of all digital assets, digital campaign strategy and execution, and will play the role of a consultant for the in-store experience. BPN will be responsible for managing media planning for the brand, providing media planning and buying across platforms.The contract officially kick-started in July, and will involve the agencies driving retail success in a technological driven environment both in-store and online for Al-Ikhsan.Al-Ikhsan’s CEO, Vach Pillutla said, “We believe that engagement with these target segments cannot just be restricted to the store, but needs to go beyond, especially through social media activation of our own assets as well as established content providers. This is where agencies with impressive credentials like Ansible and BPN come in, to ensure strong 360 degree engagement with all key segments.”Managing director of Ansible, Manu Menon said Al-Ikhsan was looking for an agency to integrate the technological advancements in the communication space with the retail industry. The Ansible team is made up of sports fanatics, and this passion enabled us to truly understand their needs and deliver great ideas to help build the brand.Al-Ikhsan holds a market leading position in the multi-brand sports retail industry, encompassing sports equipment, apparel and footwear, with over 100 outlets across Peninsular Malaysia. The concept of Al-Ikhsan’s Football Republic is to bring to life the first true football lifestyle experience store in Malaysia, with digital assets and elements that provide connectivity and interactivity across different levels of target audience.Managing director of BPN, Darren Yuen said, “The opportunity to work with Football Republic is a unique one that allows BPN and Ansible to showcase our ideas and our combined holistic thinking. We look forward to supporting Football Republic with its ambitions to become the leading brand in this category.”