$20M in ads for industry
World Market Center to pay for effort
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, August 10, 2009
LAS VEGAS — The World Market Center is planning to launch a $20 million, multi-year national advertising campaign in September to stimulate consumer interest in home furnishings.
The campaign will have the tag line, “Is It Home Yet?”
Although the WMC will go it alone on the funding, it will have the support of industry groups including the National Home Furnishings Assn., the Western Home Furnishings Assn. and the American Home Furnishings Alliance.
Collaboration with the NHFA and WHFA is expected to drive retailer participation among the associations' 10,000-plus member stores, WMC officials said. In addition, the campaign has received the endorsement of other industry groups, including the Sustainable Furnishings Council, WithIt and the Home Furnishings Independents Assn.
September will be billed as “National Home Furnishings Month” ending in a highly promoted 10-day national sales event.
The $20 million in funding will likely be spread over five years. The World Market Center said its owners, not WMC tenants, are providing the money for the campaign and consider it an investment.
The home furnishings industry has tried other consumer awareness campaigns, but never with this much financing.
AHFA officials noted that the manufacturer, importer and supplier organization's members have spent $5 million over the past 10 years in a campaign to educate and motivate consumers. “We see multiple advantages to building a similar campaign with an expanded array of industry partners,” said Andy Counts, the AHFA's CEO.
Ogilvy North America has been awarded the creative contract for the campaign. The agency says it is positioning home furnishings as a needed and desired enhancement to the family's home and lifestyle, not a luxury.
The first phase will be supported by advertising, branding, education, promotions, sales events, policy efforts, public events, social media outreach and consumer research, officials said.
September was chosen because it is when consumers are focusing attention on their home, family and holiday planning, and because it leads to the critical fourth- quarter retail sales period.
“Is It Home Yet? is a consumer-oriented marketing strategy designed to reach people at multiple touch points that will ultimately benefit the entire home furnishings industry,” said Bob Maricich, WMC president and CEO.
The campaign is targeted to the household's core furnishings decision maker — the “every woman” who turns to the Internet as her No. 1 source of information about the home, according to Market Research Insight data.
The advertising plan, which will consist of print, outdoor and digital components, will take a two-pronged approach — a national media plan will reach consumers who are looking for content about refurnishing their homes, and retailers will be provided a “tool kit” to help them activate the campaign in their local markets.
The core of the national media campaign is a digital program that will be anchored by owning and designing the “Room Design” section of MSN's Lifestyle Web site, which will run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 30.
A display and search program will run on MSN and elsewhere online. National print ads will run in Elle Décor and Metropolitan Home. Billboards will be used in several key markets.
Consumers visiting the MSN site will be able to access the new dealer locator for members of NHFA and its affiliates, through the NHFA's homefurnishings.com site.
The brand is expected to be further leveraged by retailers in their existing advertising spend for September, multiplying the frequency and reach of the message.
Doug Scott, president of Ogilvy Entertainment, said the positioning of the campaign is designed to engage the audience in thinking about furnishings and decorating their home as a continual process — not a single event — and believes the phrase “Is It Home Yet?” is both timely and timeless.
“We are extremely proud to be a part in this initiative in cooperation with World Market Center, which brings together retailers and manufacturers and presents an incredible opportunity for consumers to connect with home furnishings information, education and product to make 'her' home more comfortable, inspirational, beautiful and warm,” said Steve DeHaan, the NHFA's executive vice president. “Through this campaign, manufacturers and retailers will have an opportunity to work toward the same common goal, with a unified message that reinforces the incredible value for consumers.”
Participating retailers will have access to a kit with marketing tools, including print advertising templates and other components they can adapt to promote themselves during National Home Furnishings Month and beyond.
An “Is It Home Yet?” promotion during the last 10 days of September will be aimed at driving traffic and building sales in stores. By visiting the MSN Room Design microsite, consumers will be able to find participating retailers near them.
In celebration of National Home Furnishings Month, WMC officials said, a sweepstakes will be conducted throughout September with five winners a week awarded room makeovers valued at $5,000.
Consumers will be able to visit the campaign's Web site, www.homeyet.com, beginning Aug. 24 for more information, including the sweepstakes rules.
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Second phase set for ‘Is It Home Yet?'
Jan 28, 2010 -
NHFA plans consumer site
Mar 16, 2009
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