Furniture companies donate goods, time
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, April 12, 2005
High Point — Furniture companies are increasingly donating goods, and even their executives' and employees' time, to television shows as part of a win-win situation.
Product placement on TV shows is nothing new, but shows like ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" allow manufacturers and retailers to get exposure for their products and also help families in need.
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based retailer Breuners Arizona donated more than $60,000 in furniture and home accessories to fill a newly built 5,300-square-foot, five-bedroom house for the Okvath family in a show that aired March 13–14.
"Kassandra, their 8-year-old daughter, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer over a year ago," said Tom Daley, Breuners Arizona executive vice president and general manager.
After visiting the home to learn the family's tastes and styles, the retailer provided a variety of merchandise from a roster of manufacturers: AP Inds., Bernhardt, Boyd Furniture, Clay Metal & Stone, Creative Elegance, Environments Furniture, Golden Oaks, Guardsman, Hooker, Klaussner, Miresco Rugs, Pastel, Rowe, Sam Moore, University Loft and Young America by Stanley.
"Most reality TV shows are not known for the quality of their content," said Daley. "This is reality TV at its best — showing Americans at their best."
Zocalo echoed those words after helping the family of a drive-by shooting victim in January.
"We're honored to work with the show because they do such great things for people," said Matthew Beytien, sales director.
Brand partners for the National Geographic line donated furniture and accessories to help a family that adopted five orphaned children. In 2004, the five Higgins children lost their parents. Their neighbors, the Leomiti family, welcomed the children even though the couple already had four kids.
In the episode that aired March 27, Lane Home Furnishings and Palecek provided goods from the National Geographic line.
For the April 3 "Extreme Makeover," Bassett provided furniture for several rooms for the Leslie family of Braithwaite, La. Robin Leslie's husband and oldest son died in a car crash, leaving her with three boys in an old house the couple had bought with dreams of renovation.
Working with the producer was Damon Casemore, owner of the Bassett Furniture Direct stores in Baton Rouge, La.
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