Jumper shrugs off oldie image in brand revampk

Womenswear chain Jumper is launching a new store design as it strives to shed its classic cardi image to attract younger shoppers.

Marketing manager Caroline Guffogg said the product offer has been widened to include trousers and jackets. 'We're not just a knitwear brand anymore. We now do quite a lot of co-ordinates,' she said.

To communicate the change to shoppers, Jumper has created a new logo, point of sale material and a 'fresh' store format that will be unveiled on September 2 at Ripon, North Yorkshire.

As well as modernised oak fittings and floral graphics that will change each season, the shop will display pictures of a mother and daughter modelling the new autumn/winter collection.

Guffogg added that the aim of the photography was to encourage younger women into stores without alienating its core over 50s customer base.

Following the opening of the Ripon shop, the design will be tested at two outlets: a standalone store at Garstang in Lancashire and a Beatties concession at Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands; ahead of a company-wide roll out.

Jumper has 160 outlets in the UK and Ireland, including 70 standalone stores. Further expansion is on the cards, mainly via concessions.

Parent company Tulchan Group, which also owns Sock Shop, declined to give updated financial figures. However, in the year to June 2003 the business swung into the black, posting a pre-tax profit of£41,000 from a loss in 2002 of£29,000. Sales slumped from£33 million in 2002 to£28.9 million last year.