The company detailed its major expansion plans in the Kingdom and earmarked over $2.5 million over a period of two months starting May.

This includes advertisement campaigns across a diverse mix of media encompassing Arab and Asian TV networks, outdoor and market activation programs.

This is the highest media spend by a luggage brand in the Kingdom.

Jai Krishnan, American Tourister’s VP for Middle East, East Africa and SAARC, said: “American Tourister is entering its 80th year — as you know, it was born in the US in 1933. We’ve had this continued tradition over the years of offering the latest designs and the best quality at a great value. We believe that the Kingdom is a very important market for us. We have, therefore, decided to invest heavily in Saudi Arabia.

We have organized a series of product launch seminars in the country during which 16 new collections were unveiled to our trade partners. Our plan is to double the number of retail outlets of American Tourister in 2012, so that the brand will have the right spread in terms of availability — hence making it more convenient for the consumer.”

This year’s advertising campaign, starting in May will be a “truly integrated one.” It plans to reach the consumers through various media — TV, print, outdoor and in-store. It’s going to be a high impact campaign with up to 650 TV exposures per day across channels and will definitely catch the attention of the discerning Saudi consumer.