CLIENT: Artistic Wire™ is the leading supplier of colored copper wire to the craft industry.
CHALLENGE: Fay Wire Corp, a distributor of wire and cable to the electronic industry had a product they felt had the potential for use in a non-commercial application. Our challenge was to develop a retail product identity program on a shoestring budget for an industrial wire and cable distributor.
PROCESS: Desert Rose Design created a Go-To-Market Plan for Artistic Wire™ to launch a product into the retail design and crafting market. We first met with key staff members to gain a better understanding of their target markets. We then performed a competitive analysis to understand their marketplace, products and industry. We delivered a Go-To-Market Plan that included a defined goal, an itemized list of tactics and a schedule for program delivery.
Artistic Wire™ had three primary target audiences—designers, retailers and consumers—and the plan was created to attract all three by using initiatives that would appeal to each respectively. We embarked on a brand program to pique the interest of the design community. Getting the product into the hands of industry icons in home décor, jewelry design and stamping was key to the swift and early success. With the support of industry designers, we helped Artistic Wire™ put together a series of tradeshow programs demonstrating the various uses of the beautiful wire product.
Our secondary market was to develop a sales channel and our focus was to attract retailers and wholesalers. Since Fay Wire’s primary business focus was selling to more industrial and volume-buying customers, we decided that a distribution network would be the key to success, allowing them to operate with a small staff. We developed a program focused on attracting both retailers and wholesalers already selling products to the crafting industry. We developed a number of tactics, such as a product brochure, and eventually launched an entire retail packaging line, including wire in a variety of gauges and wire working tools. We also provided retailers with a series of project sheets free of charge that provided step-by-step instructions on everything from earring and necklace designs to card making.
The third market focus was consumers. We launched a series of print ads for a brand awareness campaign. We were showcased in a variety of magazines and books specific to Jewelry Design, Scrapbooking, Home Décor, Stamping and Floral Design. The print ad campaigns became powerfully effective after featuring industry specific projects in each issue. The projects instructions were available to consumers online. With the launch of an eCommerce website in 2006, we were able to drive traffic to a feature project area without threatening the relationship of retailers who were also selling online. The ad campaigns eventually became a resource for tracking sales and measuring results to determine our advertising budget.
Desert Rose Design managed every aspect of the development and launch process of Artistic Wire™, including:
- Logo Development and Identity Materials
- Print Advertising Campaigns
- Advertising Photography
- Product Brochures
- Targeted Mail Campaign
- Packaging Design
- Tradeshow Program
- Project Sheets
- eCommercial Website
RESULTS: Since our engagement, Artistic Wire™ has become the leading colored copper wire in the crafting industry with a national and international customer base. Online sales doubled in one year without any targeted campaign to promote the sale of wire to consumers. In October of 2009, Artistic Wire™ was acquired by Beadalon Corporation.