ABC’s hit drama Scandal will get an assist from mall shoppers this season thanks to a new clothing line at The Limited inspired by lead character Olivia Pope’s impeccable wardrobe.
The 70-item Scandal collection is the result of a collaboration between star Kerry Washington, series costume designer Lyn Paolo, and the store’s head of design Elliot Staples.
Customers will be able to buy the items—which range from $49 to $250—throughout the 2014-15 television season. The line could, in effect, extend the style of the series into the street and serve as an added marketing vehicle throughout the season.
Logos for the network and the series appear in print ads for the line, part of a licensing deal with the retailer. Washington, Paolo and Staples also appear in a launch video for the line.
Everyone involved was quick to stress to The New York Times that the goal wasn’t to have an army of women in Olivia Pope costumes, but to offer shoppers an experience that allows them to feel like the character.
New York-based Yard created the campaign for the line, with Laforce + Stevens handling social media (see hashtag #scandalstylethelimited).
Read more: The New York Times
Brief Take: Successful licensing deals can nab anywhere from $50-100 million in retail sales, and help extend the brand conversation around a particular property or network into streets and shopping malls, even when viewers aren’t tuned in to a program.
Tags: