Officials of WHP Global, a New York-based brand acquisition and management firm, announced in a press release that the firm has acquired the rights to promote branding for Lotto Sport Italia S.p.A. (LSI), an Italian sports equipment manufacturer of clothing and footwear, including tee-shirts, jackets and shorts.
The firm will reportedly help guide the sports company’s brand promotion, product development, design and marketing worldwide.
“I am excited about this partnership as it is a key step to ensuring the growth of Lotto, a brand with a great reputation and well-known all over the world,” Andrea Tomat, LSI president and CEO, said in the release.“With WHP Global, we immediately shared the relevance of the values that Lotto brings with it – values linked to sport, innovation, well-being, lifestyle and Italian taste.”
One of WHP’s best known client brands is the toy retail giant Toys R Us.
LSI's top-selling items include tee-shirts featuring the name “Lotto.” The company’s website indicated athletic shoes are also among its top sellers. The shoes are priced in the $150 range.
Core markets for the brand include Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The WHP website said the firm acts partly in the role of a consultant helping clients to reposition their brand names globally through the use of digital commerce platforms and high-growth distribution channels.
The agreement between the two companies will provide new financial investments for LSI and the Lotto brand globally, the release said. WHP acquired the trademark for LSI and the right to promote its products through 50 retail partners around the world who generate more than $450 million in retail sales.
“These are the strengths we will invest in to ensure a growing global presence in key international markets,” Tomat said. “This partnership is an Italian success too, because, thanks to an innovative collaboration with WHP, Lotto will be able to compete at the highest levels to become one of the most loved sportswear brands in the world.”