LACOSTE Announces Partnership With Just Jared

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LACOSTE, known worldwide for its crocodile embroidered apparel, has teamed up with leading multi-media entertainment group, Just Jared, Inc., to produce "Just Jared Presented by LACOSTE," a syndicated content series of exclusive celebrity interviews scheduled to launch later this Spring.  

The ongoing "Just Jared Presented by LACOSTE" series will be filmed at the Just Jared lounge in the newly renovated LACOSTE penthouse showroom located in midtown Manhattan. Celebrity guests will be interviewed in an intimate atmosphere with questions being asked remotely by a Just Jared host using a state-of-the-art speaker and video system. Guests will respond to questions and explore the Just Jared lounge while automated cameras capture the interview. This unique and artistic concept will allow the audience to transport themselves into the role of Just Jared, since the interviewer is an unseen third party. The custom content will then be edited and posted on JustJared.com and JustJaredJr.com for viewers. Charlie Walk, Chairman, RJW Collective, Marketing agency for LACOSTE, produced the partnership.  

"We are excited to team up with Jared on this unique partnership," says Steve Birkhold President and CEO of LACOSTE USA. "Celebrity and entertainment news speaks to style-confident men and women everywhere.  This project allows the LACOSTE brand to continue to engage with our audience in a new way."

"LACOSTE is such an iconic brand and one I've been a fan of for a long time," said Jared Eng, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Just Jared. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with them on this exciting new creative venture, providing fans with a first-person look into celebrity interviews."

The show concept and interview format are based on a very successful interview series that ran for several years in France called "En Aparte".  The idea of speaking without seeing, or the effect of an absent interviewer enhances interviewee disclosure and allows for freedom to answer questions candidly and without restriction. The approach will be executed with modern technology reminiscent of the Just Jared digital platform. Monitors used to showcase topics of discussion via visual imagery and a public address system will be employed in lieu of the traditional interview format.  The new Just Jared Lounge will strike a bold balance between innovation and unconventional chic, ultimately becoming the essential destination for celebrities in New York City.  

About LACOSTE

A symbol of relaxed elegance since 1933, the LACOSTE brand, built on its genuine sporting roots, offers a unique and original universe through a wide range of products for men, women and children. LACOSTE S.A. animates and coordinates nine worldwide licenses granted to various industrial partners: apparel, footwear, fragrances, leather goods, eyewear, watches, jewelry, home textiles, belts and mobile phones.  In the 114 countries where the brand is present, two LACOSTE products are sold every second through LACOSTE boutiques, corners in department stores and a selective distribution network.  www.lacoste.com

About Just Jared

Just Jared is a multi-media entertainment group that includes JustJared.com and teen spin-off JustJaredJr.com, providing premium pop culture trends, extensive celebrity photo galleries and breaking entertainment news. An established internet presence since 2005, Just Jared, Inc. has grown rapidly due to the fresh perspective it brings to the often harsh world of celebrity news. Over the years it has built a team of smart, savvy contributors dedicated to delivering the latest pop culture 24/7. Today, JustJared.com and Just Jared Jr. receive over 11 million unique visitors a month from a dedicated core of loyal readers.

Just Jared was recently named to Yahoo's prestigious Top 10 Bloggers Roll (alongside the Huffington Post & TMZ) and was previously highlighted by Vanity Fair & InStyle as one of the world's leading Entertainment Sites.

SOURCE LACOSTE