Smithe brothers promote uph. sale from high chairs
By Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, March 30, 2009
Itasca, Ill. — In the latest quirky television commercial by Walter E. Smithe Furniture, the heads of Smithe brothers Walter, Tim and Mark appear atop the bodies of three babies in high chairs to promote the retailer's first custom upholstery sale.
While the tots clap and squirm, the brothers discuss the promotion and their "big brown trucks." Mark Smithe asks whether his baby pants make him look fat.
"We filmed the spot with employees' babies, inserting our faces during editing," Tim Smithe said. "It was supposed to be a Mother's Day commercial to surprise our mom. But since everyone on the set was laughing so hard, we decided to release it now, to coincide with our first-ever upholstery event."
In the spot — which can be viewed at www.smithe.com — the brothers talk about the discount offer and the styles available.
"And when it's ready, your furniture comes in a big brown truck — big brown truck!" says the youngest brother, Mark Smithe, as the baby's arms go up over his head.
For the sale, the retailer cut prices 20% for those who pay with cash or by check. Customers using the retailer's private credit card can get two years of no interest and no payments with no money down.
Customers can provide their own fabric, or choose from thousands of fabrics, hundreds of leathers and thousands of frames offered by the Top 100 company, which has 13 upscale showrooms in Chicagoland and northwest Indiana.
"While we don't know what we will film next," Mark Smithe said. "If something makes my brothers and I laugh soon, odds are pretty good that it will be made into a Smithe commercial."
