Category: Furniture PR

Furniture PR: GBS Rebrands as ProtectAll

Cherith AndesBlog, Furniture PR, Public Relations, , ,

We’re excited to partner with client GBS Enterprises as it embarks on a new company development. A 30+-year leader in the furniture protection services and healthy sleep bed product industry, GBS is rebranding to ProtectAll under the helm of new leadership as it expands its services.

We have to admit; we love the furniture industry and the many marketing campaigns we’ve been privileged to lead. Congratulations to GBS!

GBS Enterprises Rebrands as ProtectAll under New Leadership
– Long-standing Industry Executive Unveils New Vision, Welcomes New Execs and Chooses New Headquarters –

DALLAS, T.X. – January 14, 2021 – GBS Enterprises, a global provider furniture protection services and healthy sleep bed products, relaunched its 30+-year company under the name ProtectAll. Kevin Rupkey took the helm as the company’s CEO, joined by new industry leadership, as the headquarters have relocated from Deerfield Beach, Florida to Dallas, Texas.

“The new banner of ProtectAll ushers in an exciting era of growth, as we expand our product lines to include robust offerings beyond warranty and sleep products,” said Rupkey, ProtectAll, CEO. “The team’s rich expertise coupled with this expanded vision positions us to provide the highest quality, most innovative, customer-centric services and products in the industry.”

Rupkey, an insurance and warranty industry veteran, took the helm of ProtectAll as chief executive officer in August of 2020. Rupkey’s tenure entails c-level positions at cornerstone companies such as GE, Warrantech, Assurant Consumer Services, Home Buyers Resale Warranty Co., Bankers Warranty Group and Zale Life Insurance Co.

“ProtectAll is making significant investments in the company’s growth through personnel development, refreshed processes and new business lines,” Jeff McWey, former CEO and current executive chairman, ProtectAll. “Kevin is a great choice; his commitment to world-class customer service, and his fresh vision positions us to expand our footprint in the industry to better serve customers and partners across the globe.”

New executives also joined Rupkey at ProtectAll, bringing approximately 65 years of collective industry experience:

  • Bryan Myers, senior vice president of operations: Myers joined ProtectAll from Peloton Interactive, where he expanded extended warranty annual revenue from $13 million to $50 million, redesigned the programs and launched extended warranty programs in Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany.
  • Michele Gloeckler, vice president of sales: With approximately 20 years of warranty industry experience, Gloeckler touts a track record for obtaining and closing new business opportunities with Top 100 appliance and electronics retailers.

GBS Enterprises (aka: Genie B’s Specialties) was founded in 1988 as a specialty sheet producer to the trucking industry. GBS was one of the first companies to enter the mattress protection market, and in 2009, the company launched the ProtectAll brand — now one of the largest furniture warranty providers in the United States servicing Top 200 furniture retailers. In 2011, Jeff McWey took the lead as president and CEO, developed an expanded scope of products and services, and placed GBS on the international stage. In 2015, McWey launched Healthy Sleep to provide industry-leading healthy sleep products; the line remains a sister brand to ProtectAll today. McWey has taken the position of executive chairman at ProtectAll to support Rupkey in ProtectAll’s future growth.

ABOUT PROTECTALL

ProtectAll, a leading global provider of furniture protection services, provides the highest quality, most innovative, customer-centric services and products in the industry. Its core warranty services offer protection programs for indoor furniture, outdoor furniture, adjustable beds and area rugs. Sister brand Healthy Sleep offers premium mattress top-of-bed products, such as mattress and pillow protectors, mattress and pillow encasements, pillows, sheets and blankets. The company operates multiple facilities around the country, including its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, a distribution/call center in Reno, Nevada, and a large distribution center in Savannah, Georgia. For more information, please contact Claudia Ojeda at cojeda@gbsent.com, or visit www.myprotectall.com.

Read More

Fabulous Furniture PR Campaigns

Cherith AndesBlog, Case Studies, Furniture PR, , , ,

Since opening our doors in 2010, Clairemont Communications has crafted award-winning PR campaigns in the furniture, design and home interior industry. From robust media coverage and social media strategy to show-stopping Furniture Market events, our team has brought furniture brands to the forefront. We help skyrocket visibility and increase sales … with a little panache and a lot of class.

Here are just a few head-turning campaigns we’ve launched!

Theodore Alexander & Charles, 9th Earl Spencer

A ROYAL MARKET AFFAIR

During fall 2018 High Point Furniture Market, furniture manufacturer Theodore Alexander partnered with Charles, 9th Earl Spencer – the brother of Princess Diana – to debut the newest masterpieces in Lord Spencer’s furniture collection. The unveiling event culminated with a fundraiser gala supporting Whole Child International, a nonprofit founded by Countess Karen Spencer. Theodore Alexander turned to Clairemont Communications to craft the royal affair.

Clairemont secured record news coverage across television, radio, print and national and industry publications. Along with staffing the interviews, we consulted on event logistics and vendors, assisted with details and advised on social media content and strategy. Our efforts boosted furniture sales and helped Whole Child International raise $78,000 to support orphanages across the globe.

INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE DEBUT

When Lord Spencer and Theodore Alexander decided to launch new pieces in Toronto, Canada, from their Althorp Living History, Clairemont spearheaded a media campaign to local, regional and national media, along with industry trades and lifestyle publications. We also provided social media counsel, delivered on-site support and assisted with event details, such as securing a royally approved photographer.

Clairemont helped execute what the Gallery believed to be one of its largest events. Clairemont landed top media coverage in leading lifestyle magazines, The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail, and an exclusive feature story on CTV Your Morning, the country’s largest national television show.

DREXEL HERITAGE

Clairemont Communications was first selected by Drexel Heritage to help create the company’s new online presence, which included managing the creative direction for the overhaul of the website and the creation of a blog.

Clairemont also planned and executed a special Market event brimming with clout and creativity for Drexel Heritage’s new showroom at High Point Furniture Market. Festivities included a guest appearance by then-Senator Kay Hagan and the presentation of a chair named in her honor, a news conference and an interactive chalk wall for shelter magazine editors to put the final touches on the showroom. As a result, Clairemont secured wide-spread news coverage on Triad-area television stations, local print outlets and coveted furniture trade media. Clairemont received NCPRSA (North Carolina Chapter of Public Relations Society of America) InSpire Awards for Drexel’s website and blog, brochures and market news conference.

THOMASVILLE FURNITURE

Thomasville Furniture became a Clairemont client the week the agency opened its doors. Our work included new furniture collection launches, integrated communications, media relations, social media, new store openings, event management, product naming and a variety of copy writing projects.

As the strategy planners and day-to-day managers of Thomasville’s social media presence, Clairemont increased the company’s fan base by 344 percent in just a short period. Additionally, weekly interactions on its Facebook page spiked by 155 percent, vital engagement that fueled Thomasville’s purchase pipeline and boosted its visibility for Market events. For three years, this campaign was recognized by NCPRSA with Best in Category InSpire Awards, a Best in Show Award and Awards of Excellence.

Furnitureland South: The Design Network

Furnitureland South’s Jason Harris on the scene of “Space Off,” a design show that aired weekly on The Design Network.

Widely known as the top furniture destination in the Southeast, Furnitureland South launched The Design Network, the brand’s proprietary interior design show that debuted on its very own Time Warner Cable channel in North Carolina. For such a noteworthy milestone, Furnitureland South partnered with Clairemont Communications to skyrocket visibility and gain viewers for its TWC channel.

Clairemont devised a multi-prong media relations campaign targeting local media, trade media and design/industry influencers. Through creative pitches peppered with sneak peeks, behind the scenes tours and personal interviews, Clairemont secured top placements in Furnitureland South’s key outlets, including local papers, industry trade magazines and an influencer blog from New York City. These timely efforts boosted viewership and landed The Design Network on North Carolina’s must-watch list.

Other furniture and home interior clients

Clairemont spearheaded a social media and shelter media relations campaign for Lloyd Flanders, spotlighting this high-end outdoor furniture company’s up-and-coming lines.

Our team members have also worked with these home product and interior design clients:
– Darryl Carter (interior designer) for branding, media relations and social – media support
– Andrea Garrity (interior designer) for media relations support and branding consultation
– Hampton Products/Brinks Home Security for the launch of new interior hardware
– Schlage for media relations support

Clairemont team members have been speakers at WithIt (Women in the Home Industry Today) conferences and served on the industry advisory board of the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University.

Let us help you with your next project!

Drop Us a Line!

Read More

What does a PR agency do? A Royal Media Event

Clairemont InternCase Studies, Furniture PR, , , ,

During fall 2018 High Point Furniture Market, furniture manufacturer Theodore Alexander in collaboration with Charles, 9th Earl Spencer – the brother of Princess Diana – unveiled the newest masterpieces in the Althorp Living History furniture collection.

This collection encapsulates reproductions from the Althorp Estate, the Spencer family’s ancestral home of 19 generations of British nobility. After the unveiling, Theodore Alexander hosted a dinner and silent auction supporting Whole Child International (WCI),a nonprofit founded by Countess Karen Spencer, Lord Spencer’s wife, to increase quality childcare around the world. Clairemont Communications was selected to help plan and execute a successful furniture unveiling and fundraiser gala during Market.

STRATEGY

Clairemont established an event strategy targeting two main audiences: local and industry media, and market guests who would attend the ticketed fundraising dinner. Clairemont’s objective was to secure exposure for the Althorp Living History line as well as to raise support for WCI, with the goals of securing at least 10 news stories featuring the furniture collection and securing gala attendance to assist with raising at least $50,000 on-site at the event to support WCI.

Clairemont crafted a campaign with pillars including media relations, social media, email marketing and experiential marketing. Since email and social media offered targeting options, we utilized Instagram and Facebook to provide sneak previews of the collection to curated guest lists, High Point Market attendees and specific demographics likely to attend. Guests and media received a VIP on-site experience as well, one brimming with a high-end dinner, gifts, champagne toasts and photo opportunities – adding to the allure to attend and support the fundraiser.

EXECUTION

Hefty primary and secondary research guided our process, including market demographics, market challenges and successes, and product sales as well as the protocol for addressing Lord Spencer. Clairemont devised a timeline and managed on-site logistics.

Clairemont’s creativity added a “royal touch” to the evening, securing record coverage and top attendance by implementing these creative elements.

  • A Royal Affair: Clairemont and Theodore Alexander created a “royal wing” of the showroom and offered reporters one-on-one interviews with Lord Spencer. Our tailored pitches invited media on a personal tour of the Althorp showroom as Lord Spencer shared tales of his and Diana’s memories of each piece.
  • The Gallant Gala: The tour with Lord Spencer culminated in an evening dinner in the Theodore Alexander dining room, and Clairemont ensured that the Whole Child International story filled every nook and cranny. During the event, Lady Spencer issued a personal invitation for guests to donate, sharing her vision to reach orphanages across the globe with the funds.
  • Social Media Sneak Peaks: Ahead of the event, Clairemont worked with Theodore Alexander’s social media team to create teasing tidbits about both the Althorp Furniture collection and the Whole Child International dinner. Stunning videos, for example, unveiled a small detail or design of the coming Althorp pieces. Stories of children benefiting from Whole Child International piqued the interest of followers on social media, and of course, targeted social ads invited Market-goers to purchase a ticket to the dinner.
  • More at Market: Clairemont maximized reporters’ time at the Theodore Alexander showroom by curating the top picks from its other leading collections. Clear information and assets were neatly packaged for on-site reporters to collect after their appointment with Lord Spencer.

RESULTS

As its “crowning achievement,” Clairemont successfully implemented the unveiling and gala, exceeding all objectives. We secured 19 news stories and helped raise a total of $75,685 to support Whole Child International by the end of the evening’s event.

To read more about successful unveilings and events for other clients, visit the case study section of our blog.

Read More

A “Royal” Furniture Affair

Cherith AndesBlog, Furniture PR, , , , , ,

With the royal wedding just around the bend, Clairemont is stacking its tea tray with scones for another noble occasion. We have the immense privilege of partnering with Theodore Alexander, one of the world’s leading furniture manufacturers, for a gala in Toronto featuring a furniture collection of “royal” proportions.

On May 23, 2018, Charles, 9th Earl Spencer will personally unveil the latest masterpieces in the Althorp Living History furniture collection. Designed in partnership with Theodore Alexander, this collection encapsulates reproductions from the Althorp Estate, the Spencer family’s ancestral mansion that housed 19 generations of British nobility, including Diana, Princess of Wales, Earl Spencer’s older sister.

Photo credit to the Althorp Estate.

Photo credit to Theodore Alexander.

Launched in 2004, the Althorp Living History Collection came to life under the artful craftsmanship of Theodore Alexander; artisans combed the 90-room Tudor mansion to select more than 300 pieces for inspiration from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Theodore Alexander captured hand-tailored, old-world artistry to create historically rich pieces and imbue the 21st century home with royal elegance.

If you’re in Toronto in late May, don your best plumed hat and join the gala at the Kennedy Galleries to meet Lord Spencer in person.

If not, set up a time to join us in the Clairemont kitchen for a spot of tea and see how we can make your next event a “crowning” success!

Cover image courtesy of Althorp Estate and John Robertson.

Read More

What Does a PR Agency Do? The Design Network

Tracy LathanBlog, Case Studies, Furniture PR,

Photo from thedesignnetwork.com

Furnitureland South is widely known as a top furniture destination in the Southeast. In April 2013, Furnitureland South executives Jason and Jeff Harris launched The Design Network, a broadband, all-screens network that aligns the best designers, architects and home enthusiasts to offer instructional and entertaining videos about home design and fashion. In just one year’s time, The Design Network garnered more than a million page views and approximately 10,000 subscribers. Due to this success, the decision was made that on April 1, 2014 The Design Network would make its debut on its own channel on Time Warner Cable in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

The new Time Warner Cable partnership was a milestone for The Design Network and Furnitureland South. As such, Furnitureland South retained Clairemont Communications for media relations support surrounding the announcement of the launch. We established the objectives as follows:

  1. Build awareness of the new Design Network channel on Time Warner Cable in the Triad by securing placements in at least three top Triad area local media outlets.
  2. Build industry awareness of Furnitureland South and The Design Network by securing placement in at least one furniture trade outlet.

With a tight budget and quick turn around time, we devised a focused media outreach strategy to determine proper timing and pitch targets. Since the cable channel was scheduled to launch on April 1, it was determined the news announcement would coincide and be made that same day. We established our goals and objectives and created our media target list, which included local triad media (TV and print), trade media and design industry bloggers/influencers.

Once the targets were determined, we crafted a news release announcing the new Design Network channel. On the morning of April 1, we kicked off the campaign by reaching out to our media targets with personal calls to pitch the story. We also complemented our pitching efforts by posting the news release on Business Wire. The response was impressive, thus we spent a great deal of time in the days that followed scheduling and facilitating interviews with Furnitureland South representatives and key media contacts, including The Triad Business Journal and the Tomorrow Will be Televised radio program based in New York.

The media relations campaign was a success. We secured placements in three top local papers (Triad Business Journal, Greensboro News & Record, High Point Enterprise), a national online radio program and one top industry trade magazine. Additionally, the Business Wire release was viewed more than 1,700 times and the news was tweeted almost 21 times by a variety of Twitter accounts. Most importantly, traffic to The Design Network website increased, which the client attributed to the buzz about the new channel on Time Warner Cable.

Read More