The Magazine
About the Client
The Magazine offers the best in modern furniture and design, from classic pieces to the latest European products. The 6,000 square foot retail showroom in Berkeley, California, has developed a strong following for its unique offerings and highly trained staff. In 2002, The Magazine launched its e-commerce web site at www.themagazine.info and online orders now comprise 65% of retail revenues.
Strategy
In the past, The Magazine relied upon expensive, full-page advertisements to attract customers. The effectiveness of these ads declined dramatically with the meltdown of the dot-com economy and co-owners Brian Ogan and Rainer Lagemann hired Galvin Communications to reevaluate their marketing strategy.
Abandoning a pure product focus, we positioned Ogan and Lagemann as trend experts on the world of modern design. Both regularly attended furniture shows in Cologne and Milan and we developed a program in which they shared their furniture finds with home and style editors across the country.
We also focused on the talents of Ogan, who specializes in the interior design of modern spaces. He has furnished urban lofts, vacation properties, and even a classic silver 1987 Airstream motor home with furniture from the exclusive European suppliers of his store. We used each project as an opportunity to write a “Tips From the Designer” article and to promote the specific products used.
Lastly, we targeted business journalists by focusing on the phenomenal success of The Magazine’s e-commerce site. In light of the high profile collapses of other online furniture sites (e.g., www.furniture.com), business journalists were eager to report on stories of innovation and success.
Results
We’ve placed The Magazine in newspapers around the country, including the Dallas Morning News, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Orlando Sentinel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Oakland Tribune and Wall Street Journal.
Glossy shelter and lifestyle magazines that have covered The Magazine include: InStyle, Cargo, Celebrated Living, Elegant Bride, Simply the Best, Florida Design, Décor & Style, 944 Magazine, 7x7 Magazine, Worth, Robb Report, New Homes Magazine, At Home in Arkansas, At Home in Memphis, InFurniture Magazine, Small Room Decorating, Outside and Diablo.
We created a website for Brian Ogan that establishes him as a modern design expert and showcases his work. His design tips have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the country and his home, a modern loft in downtown San Francisco, was featured on page one of the Home Section in the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as in the pages of Decorating Spaces. In addition, Brian has appeared on “The Genuine Article Show”, hosted by Gordon Elliott on the Fine Living Network, and “Look What I Did” on HGTV, to showcase his modern design Airstream.
Lastly, Galvin Communications helped The Magazine promote its annual warehouse sale for three years in a row, helping draw thousands of new and repeat customers. We also helped coordinate a “Modern Design Weekend” to celebrate The Magazine’s 12th Anniversary with music, refreshments and, of course, modern design. The event attracted 1,200 attendees, generated sales and promoted awareness of The Magazine.