• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, May 20, 2014

Chicago digital shop Elevate Studios has been awarded digital AOR duties for the direct-to-consumer business of apparel marketer HanesBrands, whose brands include Hanes, Champion and Playtex.

The selection came after a review. There was no incumbent and Elevate is the client’s first digital AOR for its direct-to-consumer business. Previously, work for the segment was done in-house.

HanesBrands spent about $3.4 million on digital display advertising in 2013, according to Kantar. The media spend attached to Elevate assignment wasn't immediately available.

The agency said that it will begin the assignment with a revamp of three of the client’s ecommerce Web sites, including Hanes, Champion and One Hanes Place. The client operates separate sites for Just My Size and Maidenform.

HanesBrands Internet vice president Carol Davis said that Elevate’s “digital experience will help us position and market our great brands to today’s online consumers.”

Lawerence Bak, Elevate president and executive creative director added that the firm’s expertise dovetails nicely “with the digital objectives for HanesBrands’ direct-to-consumer business.”

HanesBrands sells T-shirts, bras, panties, shapewear, men’s underwear, children’s underwear, socks, hosiery and active wear.  Ranked No. 512 on the Fortune 1000 list, Hanes has approximately 49,700 employees in more than 25 countries.

Elevate will handle the assignment out of its Chicago office.