Stayin’ Hollywood

PR Plays Big Role
Because Frederick’s is so heavily California/West Coast-oriented, the company does very little national brand advertising. “Public relations has been our largest marketing tactic,” Dunbar says, “in terms of word-of-mouth and creating a buzz.”

Among Frederick’s public relations efforts are its steady pitches to fashion magazines and its lingerie design show. The two-day event included an online contest where customers could design a corset. The rock band Foo Fighters performed during the first night of the event, held last October at the Hollywood Palladium, in what became a “star-studded” evening, she points out. Other celebrities included Jessica Simpson, Ashley Olsen and Janet Jackson. “The lingerie event last year equated to $6 million in advertising,” says Frederick’s public relations director Jennifer Cornwall.