Press Release July 12, 2010Leader in School Spirit Products Unites Under One Brand - Balfour
American Achievement Corporation consolidates on-campus marketing, branding for class ring, yearbook, letter jacket and graduation products.
Austin, TX - July 12, 2010 - Leveraging the industry-leading reputations of their various on-campus product lines, American Achievement Corporation (AAC) today announced they will begin marketing and selling under one on-campus master brand: balfour. Until today, the Austin, Texas-based parent company of prominent school spirit and recognition products (class and championship rings, yearbooks, letter jackets and graduation announcements) has been heavily invested in, and known by, multiple on-campus brands including: Balfour, Taylor Publishing, Powers and CB Announcements.
“While our company had multiple brand identities in the market, we were essentially talking with many of the same people,” said Alyce Alston, new CEO of AAC, who joined the company in April. “After nine decades, we are ready to celebrate student spirit and school tradition in one more clear and relevant Balfour voice.”
According to Alston, the corporate rebranding effort began with dialogue and research with some of the nearly five million customers of the various AAC brands. Driving product innovation – while keeping a toe-hold in the very traditions the company helped create – was the ultimate goal of the research. The findings validated several instincts and immediately put the company on a more aggressive path.
“In better understanding how today’s youth prefer to express their individual pride and passions, we determined that combining all of our resources with new, more relevant marketing tools would create significantly more power if we unified our brands under one name,” Alston added.
The Balfour name, which has been in the market for 98 years, was selected above other AAC brand names due to its high awareness with generations of customers.
In addition to a new logo and marketing materials, the launch of this unified brand will include more dynamic digital strategies, allowing consumers to interact with the brand and enabling local sales representatives to be more productive in their school engagements.
The cornerstone of this digital strategy will be a new balfour.com website, which will go live in August, just in time for the new school year. The site design was inspired by youth and their families looking for ways to express their interests and achievements. It will include, among other features and applications:
• ecommerce capabilities;
• enhanced ability for custom ring design;
• brand-consistent design for the multiple sites currently used by various AAC brands; and,
• applications and interactive content for students wanting to tap further into their respective life interests and passions.
The re-launch of balfour.com is the first phase in an overall digital strategy which will roll out during the 2010-2011 school year.
“For decades, AAC has been improving processes and creating efficiencies so that our products were within reach for any student,” Alston said. “We are committed to innovating products, experiences and services that will underscore the significance and joy of individuals and their families as they celebrate their personal milestones and strive to make their mark on the world.”
A history of Balfour and Taylor Publishing can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXA1N3SxHZ4
About American Achievement Corporation
American Achievement Corporation is a premier provider of school spirit and recognition products for students, military and professional sports teams nationwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it has sold class rings, yearbooks, graduation products, varsity letter jackets, championship and military products, and affinity jewelry on school campuses and in retail stores for more than 90 years. AAC reported sales of $290 million during fiscal year 2009. AAC is a portfolio company of Fenway Partners.
About Fenway Partners
Fenway Partners is a middle market private equity firm based in New York with approximately $1.6 billion under management. Fenway invests in profitable businesses with significant upside potential. Fenway companies typically have leading franchises and operate in two core industry segments: branded consumer products and transportation/logistics. Fenway’s current portfolio includes: 1-800- CONTACTS (the leading direct-to-consumer distributor of contact lenses); American Achievement Corporation; Coach America (largest operator of motor coach buses); Easton Bell Sports (performance sporting goods); Fastfrate (Canadian-based logistics services); Panther Expedited Services (expedited ground and air solutions); Preferred Freezer (operator of public warehouses); and RoadLink (intermodal logistics) among others.
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Contact: Lynne Skinner
lynne.skinner@balfour.com
Office: 512.440.2726
Cell: 512.623.0683
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