Article Number : 2794 |
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| Date | 12/26/2007 9:21:03 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2794 |
| Abstract | By Matthew Spieler Anaheim, Calif.—With business conditions in general continuing to be tough, retailers are seeking new ways to drive traffic into their stores... |
| Article | By Matthew Spieler Anaheim, Calif.—With business conditions in general continuing to be tough, retailers are seeking new ways to drive traffic into their stores. Enter the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), which this month embarked on a national consumer advertising and public relations program through the second quarter of 2008 and is designed to increase floor covering awareness as well as drive online traffic to the organization’s Web site, www.wfca.org. To get the most bang for its first foray into consumer marketing, WFCA has partnered with Meredith Corp., one of the nation’s top publishing companies of shelter magazines, including Better Homes & Gardens and sister special interest publications (SIPS) such as Renovation Style, Kitchen & Bath Ideas, Beautiful Kitchens, Kitchen Makeovers, Creative Home and Beautiful Homes. Seven ads have been created for the campaign, consisting of 1/3 and 2/3 page designs, which will be featured in 11 of Meredith’s leading SIPS. In total the campaign stands to reach over 22 million consumers, said Chris Davis, WFCA’s president and CEO. The ads feature the taglines: “Your unbiased resource for everything under your feet” and “Come see what a mouse can do to your house” as they direct readers to WFCA’s Web site. “The ads are generic,” he added, “and meant to drive traffic to our consumer Web site for more info—we do not mention specific brands.” WFCA partnered with Meredith “based on our consumer research that it provides the ideal platform with its highly sought after special interest publications,” Davis explained. “The Better Homes & Gardens family of publications provides the ideal fit and consumer reach to help us accomplish our consumer campaign objectives.” The ad sizes were chosen so “WFCA is able to stretch its advertising dollars farther and maximize print real estate in every publication,” he added. “Our research shows that readers of these magazines skew the demographic bracket we and our retail members want to reach—women age 35 to 54.” Davis said the campaign will help accomplish two goals: generating new business leads for its retail members and increase the image and the relevance of the WFCA. “We already know consumers go to the Internet before they buy. We just want to make sure they go to the premier unbiased site on the web: www.w fca.org. Go learn everything you can before you go to the store. Then use our dealer locator to go shopping with a local dealer who is reputable and has agreed to abide by a code of conduct in dealing fairly with you. That’s what this is all about.” And, with many of its members mired in tough business conditions, he noted, “Now is probably the best time of all for WFCA to mount this campaign. Times are tough, the market has slowed down, and Meredith’s specialized and niche publications are the best vehicles to reach consumers interested in information about floor coverings.” In addition to launching its first national ad campaign, WFCA is also working with North American Press Syndicate on camera-ready flooring articles that will be featured in daily and weekly newspapers across the country, he noted. Davis said the articles cover everything from green flooring to how to chose the right flooring, and will be distributed to over 10,000 national and regional daily and weekly publications with over 225 million in cumulative circulation. For more information on WFCA’s consumer campaigns, call 800.624.6880. |