The McRae Agency
Couleur Nature
Like many clients, Couleur Nature did not have the money to conduct formal research. Therefore, the management of Couleur Nature conducted some informal research. With expansion into the United States, management studied the demographics, tastes, likes and dislikes of its target audience. When our agency took on Couleur Nature as a client, we were briefed on every aspect of its target audience. With an extensive network of upscale retailers throughout the United States, we knew we needed to target our publicity to the specific cities where the product could be found. We obtained a list of retailers throughout the country and used it as a reference for compiling the custom database. We needed to create a colorful, interesting and effective press kit. Because the company produces a large array of linens, including tablecloths, napkins, placemats, decorative pillows and sarongs, we needed to develop a press kit that would fairly represent the product and communicate its key attributes. We would need color photography to show off the high quality of the product.
As a result of meetings with the management of Couleur Nature we developed the following objectives for the new product introduction:
The target audience is women who have enough money to spend on decorating, but who are not extremely wealthy. We knew that we needed to use the designer’s name and Parisian origins as a way to build the Couleur Nature brand. Since it was Couleur Nature’s first venture into the American market, we were introducing the product to the media for the first time.
We created the press materials, including a fact sheet, news release announcing the available table linen collection, unique features summary (to build the brand), trade show schedule, listing of the spring/summer 2000 collection, listing of the table linen motifs and colors, and a complete list of retailers throughout the United States. The press kit also included sample linens and beautiful product photography. We also created an extensive, custom database of consumer and trade print, television and radio, syndicated columnist, and daily newspaper media contacts. We specifically targeted fashion, home and garden, general interest, women’s, metropolitan, bridal, food and wine, and interior design publications. We built the brand of Couleur Nature through the use of press materials and incorporating the designer, Bruno Lamy. We introduced him to the media as a veteran designer with an air of intrigue about him. Since the French culture is known for beautiful linens and Lamy is the French artist personified, it worked to our advantage.
Results
We created an identity for Couleur Nature through the press materials and successfully introduced the company to the United States media for the first time. We built a custom database of almost 300 contacts. We communicated the product key attributes throughout the introduction. We created contacts with national and local media who were impressed with the product, thus resulting in coverage in Bridal Guide, New York Magazine, Naples Illustrated, San Diego Home and Garden, San Jose Mercury-News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and St. Petersburg Times, to name just a few. The Rosie O’Donnell Show has expressed an interest in the product for a future show. The coverage accurately represented the product line and incorporated the key attributes from our press materials. The estimated number of impressions for the program thus far is 1,325,595. Because of the small budget, we were unable to use a clipping service and may have missed a few clips. We are still in the process of acquiring copies of all the coverage. According to our Couleur Nature client, since the product’s launch into the United States, sales are up by 15 percent. The client attributes the rise in sales to our public relations efforts during the new product launch.