The Freddie effect reaps rewards as more customers turned to N Brown

Catalogue and online shopping group N Brown said its tie-up with former England cricket star Freddie Flintoff and a £42m campaign to attract new customers helped drive a hike in festive sales.

The Manchester-based firm, which signed Flintoff as a brand ambassador for its menswear range Jacamo last July, saw like-for-like sales rise 7.9 per cent in the 19 weeks to January 12.

The sales growth comes after an impressive performance from its Jacamo range, which grew sales by around 30 per cent.

Flintoff has helped design some of its products, which he models in its catalogue and online store.

The all-rounder’s range features wardrobe staples such as jeans, cargo trousers, casual jackets and a classic three-piece suit. Efforts to bring on board new customers have also paid off, with N Brown adding another 500,000 shoppers since the start of its financial year.

N Brown, which also has brands including lingerie range Figleaves and High & Mighty, said it increased marketing costs by an extra £2m on top of the original £40m budget as it advertised across television, newspapers and online.

But the group said introductory discounts meant profit margins from sales to new customers took a hit, while it also expects an increase in the number of customers falling behind with repayments. N Brown said full-year results would be “broadly in line” after the extra costs.

Analysts edged their full-year profit forecasts lower.