• by Larissa Faw , September 22, 2016

Sperry, maker of the iconic Sperry Top-Sider boat shoe and other apparel  has appointed Horizon Media as its media agency of record following a formal review.

The brand spent nearly $16 million on ads in 2015 according to Kantar Media. 

Horizon will handle all media planning and activation for the brand including digital, print, OOH, audio, and television with the exception of search and e-commerce. The business will be managed out of the agency’s New York headquarters, effective immediately.

Sperry does not have an official creative agency of record at this time, but they say they continue to partner with agencies as appropriate for specific creative assignments.

Horizon's first work will be for the Fall 2016 campaign. The messaging will continue to convey how it is an iconic American brand that embodies the soul and salt of the sea. 

Sperry also plans on introducing the new Seven Seas collection that is a modern interpretation of the classic boat shoe with an athletic-inspired design. The collection is planned to launch in early 2017 and will be supported through a partnership deal with the Oracle Team USA at next year's America's Cup

Last year, Sperry's parent company Wolverine Worldwide partnered with Minneapolis-based creative agency mono on a makeover for the iconic shoe brand to coincide with its 80th anniversary. The Odyssey Project chronicled the adventures of 80 brand ambassadors across social media. 

“We were impressed with Horizon’s inventive mind set and their proven ability to deliver results efficiently across a complex media environment, which made them the clear choice as our agency partner,” says Adrienne Mathias, director of consumer marketing, Sperry. “We look forward to working together to further enhance Sperry’s positioning in the marketplace and to launch new product offerings.