NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nautica®, the leading global lifestyle brand for modern nautical style, is shifting course with a re-imagined take on its image. Nautica's new approach to design and marketing celebrates the brand's roots in New York City and its established nautical heritage through its new message: "Inspired by the sea, designed in the city."  

Two years ago the Nautica team embarked on a brand journey interviewing over 15,000 people worldwide in an effort to better address the needs of its target consumer and refine their brand positioning. The results will enable the brand to resonate more with the target consumer, broaden its reach, and differentiate itself from other fashion brands. 

"By concentrating on our target consumer and having a clearly articulated brand positioning, Nautica is truly being reimagined for a more modern, sophisticated take on nautical style," says Karen Murray, President of Nautica. "Unwavering focus on our consumer's desires has helped us refocus the brand's design and messaging to meet their needs in regards to style and sophistication. Our new advertising campaign is inspired by, and speaks to, our target's versatile lifestyle."

Starting with the Nautica Spring 2016 Collection, consumers will see an extended range of nautically inspired looks and styles that can be worn day-to-night. Infusing more neutrals, such as blacks, whites and tans, in addition to the brighter colors the brand is known for, adds more tonal pieces that allow for more versatile wearing occasions. 

The men's selection will offer updated outerwear in new fabrications, such as high-twist poly and water repellent cotton nylon as well as new elements such as engineered pockets and inverted pleats. More wovens, sweaters, sport coats and pants have been added to help consumers build head-to-toe looks.

The women's line will include timeless pieces that are versatile. Expect to see day-to-night staples, like chambray shift dresses, tailored trousers, and modern jumpsuits, available in a feminine mix of neutrals and sea glass shades.

As the brand moves into Fall 2016, consumers can look forward to even more design updates, with the first runway debut of the brand's new direction at New York Fashion Week: Men's this February. 

To serve the target consumer and build experience around the new positioning, a newly redesigned store concept has been created. The Nautica Cityscape concept, unveiled in Barcelona and Prague in late 2015, celebrates where the city meets the sea with a reimagined nautical environment, including a more sophisticated color palette, natural white oak flooring, and a redesigned storefront. Two U.S. stores are planned to open in 2016. 

Communicating the new strategy takes an equally fresh approach in the Spring 2016 advertising campaign. Shooting the television and print campaign in New York City, where the brand was founded in 1983 and is headquartered today, was a first in the history of Nautica and essential to bringing the message, "Inspired by the sea, designed in the city," to life. Photographed by Anders Overgaard, the print campaign feels like a high-end fashion editorial with city backgrounds and street style shots, featuring sophisticated, nautically inspired looks that are designed to be worn for a more versatile lifestyle. 

In 2016, the marketing plan will include advertisements placed across all media platforms, including print, digital, television, and out of home. Print advertisements are set to run in more style-focused men's and women's publications, connecting strongly to the brand's target consumers. Social campaigns and partnerships will align the brand with top influencers, and there will be experiential updates to ecommerce. Guerrilla marketing and in-store events will celebrate the new brand positioning in US stores and key cities around the world. 

The spirit of the Nautica brand will always remain the same: effortless, classic, and inspired by the sea. Now, by celebrating its roots, designed in the city, the brand is set to evolve its position as the authority in nautical style. 

SOURCE Nautica