Ryka Awards Contract to Frank About Women for Footwear and Sportswear Apparel Promotion

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Frank About Women, the country's premier marketing-to-women consultancy, has secured marketing communications duties for Ryka, a leader in performance fitness products for women.

Frank About Women will develop the company's launch campaign highlighting Kelly Ripa, the new spokesperson for the brand's footwear and sporting apparel. The campaign will include print and online advertising, integration into the Ryka Web site experience, in-store collateral and launch events.

"The Frank About Women team blew us away with their insights into the varying, multi-dimensional worlds of today's women," said Katie Clifford, marketing manager for Ryka. "They brought great ideas to the table on ways to cultivate relationships with our key consumers and integrate our products into their busy lives. Out of all the marketing agencies we spoke with about the campaign, they were the only group who undeniably hit the mark on all fronts."

Ryka recently announced it has entered a three-year partnership with Ripa to serve as Ryka's official spokesperson and to co-design a footwear and apparel collection of active and lifestyle products. Frank About Women will leverage the partnership as a major part of its campaign to bring to life the "race" women live out each day and the real-life moments to which all women can relate.

"We couldn't be more pleased to be working with a company that puts women first," said Siobhan Olson with Frank About Women. "Our expertise in the new female reality, matched with Ryka's passion for women's health and well-being, will help us create a campaign that resonates with women who demand high-performance products that fit into their everyday realities."

Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., Frank About Women, a division of Mullen, has become well known for its ability to help clients avoid women's-focused marketing efforts based on stereotypes and, instead, build programs based on qualitative research that provides breakthrough insights into the female psyche.

About American Sporting Goods

American Sporting Goods (ASG) is a manufacturer of performance athletic footwear and apparel based out of Aliso Viejo, Calif. Brands under the ASG umbrella include Ryka, Avia, And 1, Nevados, Yukon, NSS, APEX, Turntec and Triple Five Soul.

About Frank About Women

Frank About Women, a division of Mullen, is the country's leading marketing-to-women communications company, specializing in brand strategy, marketing communications and research. Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., the organization is comprised of strategists and communications specialists, a national alliance of female industry thought-leaders, and an online panel of more than 1,000 female consumers. It works with Fortune 500 companies across a spectrum of industries including financial services, healthcare products and services, retail, food and beverage, consumer products, fashion, health & beauty, publishing, home improvement and furnishings, and travel and entertainment. Frank About Women is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, one of the world's largest marketing communications firms. For more information, visit www.frankaboutwomen.com.

About Mullen

Mullen is a full-service agency and an independent brand within the Interpublic Group of Companies. Mullen's client portfolio includes General Motors, XM Satellite Radio, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Stride Rite Children's Group, Royal Ahold, HSBC, LendingTree, Match.com, Ask.com, Gifts.com, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Stanley Works, Wachovia, Embarq, MassMutual, Panera Bread, La Quinta and Orbitz. Headquartered in Wenham, Massachusetts, the agency operates offices in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Detroit, Michigan; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more on Mullen, visit www.mullen.com.