British streetwear label Bench is refocusing its marketing efforts in print advertising after pulling out of an upcoming trade show.
Drapersonline.com reports that the Manchester-based company would rather invest its money in its UK stockists than participate in streetwear event Bread & Butter Berlin.
The rising costs of exhibiting at shows such as this is to blame for Bench's U-turn, according to Bench's chief executive officer Paul Masters.
Despite being a part of Bread & Butter from the beginning, Masters said that brand presentation has evolved to such a high level that participants are forced to bring increasingly high budgets in "order to stand out".
He concluded that the savings could instead be used to support Bench retailers globally through a rigorous print and digital marketing campaign.
Bench will roll out the printing machines to support its key in-store growth areas, which include point-of-sale items and window displays. It is also to invest in its customer services, delivery, consumer events and social media channels.
Speaking of its attempts to reconnect with the UK market, UK sales manager Jamie Nichols said: "Market conditions within the UK require us to focus on more targeted UK relevant marketing activity.
"The business is fully committed to supporting all our retailers throughout the challenging time and we are incredibly excited about all the avenues we are exploring and the opportunities this will bring going forward."
According to fashionunited.co.uk, Bread & Butter announced in March it was to increase exhibition prices by 5.5 per cent, representing a rise of EUR360 to EUR380 per square metre.
