A fresh look. That's what Keds is hoping for as it approaches its centennial, and the sneakermaker has tapped Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners in New York to provide it.
The MDC Partners shop won the business after a review. Sources said that Pereira & O'Dell in San Francisco and Grey in New York were among finalists for the business, which includes strategy, creative, digital and retail and was previously handled in-house.
"Keds is going to be celebrating its centennial in 2016," said Chris Lindner, president of Keds. "With that we have a real opportunity to look back at where the brand came from and articulate where we are going in a compelling way. We've charged kbs+ with giving us a modern voice as we take our brand into next century."
Keds' media spending totaled $5 million last year, according to Kantar Media.
"Keds is, in many ways, an iconic American brand," said Ed Brojerdi, CEO of kbs+ in New York. "What we want to do is to put a fresh look, perspective and feel to make Keds appropriate for today's culture and modern world."
The agency's top accounts include BMW, Vanguard and Harman.