Summary
Developed a new sub-brand that served as a beach-head to gain new distribution and reposition an aging brand for a new target market. Launched B2B with themed premiums at regular intervals and supported with social media to gain consumer awareness and access at a very low cost.
Problem / Opportunity
Pulaski Furniture was known as purveyor of traditional, carved furniture. As the market changed to more contemporary styling to target Millennials, it was unable to establish credibility with retailers. In the fast changing retail furniture trade, where each manufacturer introduces new products 4 times a year and start up costs are high, it was looking for a way to extend product lifecycles. Nearly every new collection is named after a forgettable provenance. Pulaski needed a concept that was fresh and hip without being pandering, memorable, distinctive and appealing to a completely new target base. Further it needed to gain distribution and awareness among a highly targeted audience without spending much money.
Barriers to Overcome
- Thousands of collection names tied to locations, with hundreds more being added every 6 months. How can we be distinctive and memorable?
- Pulaski is perceived to be a traditional, heavily carved brand. This is a fresh, minimalist transitional product.
- Exploit Pulaski / HMI heritage, yet still be fresh and new.
- Be hip enough to be fresh and distinctive, but not so hip it misses the target, or becomes obsolete in two years.
- Brand name and POS materials must tell the story.
- Concept must lend itself to low cost awareness building techniques.
- Connect to a story salesmen can tell and FSP can repeat
Solution
- Develop a unique brand name that connoted freshness. Make it graphic, bold and distinctive so it would stand out from a sea of brown on the retail floor.
- Create a portfolio under which many new collections can be added. New collections have been added at every Las Vegas and High Point Market since it was introduced.
- Incorporate signature tangible features to each collection (charging station, underbed storage, media chests) that appealed to the Millennial target audience. Create differences that can be advertised and promoted and allow the FSP to tell a story at retail.
- Support at retail with distinctive hangtags and mirror clings that stand out and tell the story.
- Build trade awareness with a targeted direct mail campaign using Tangerine themed premiums to break through the clutter and reinforce the message.
- Build a Tangerine Facebook page.
Results
- Within two years of launch, Tangerine had 6 collections in its Tangerine portfolio with distribution in 50+ key accounts.
- Pulaski is now known and respected in the industry as a reliable provider of transitional furniture and has a beach head for building a significant brand.
Tangerine Case Study
