Rug lifestyle ads target women's lives and 'love'

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 4/21/2003 12:00:00 AM

FORT LEE, NJ —

Looking to enhance its brand recognition among consumers, Couristan this spring is launching a new print advertising campaign that positions its residential broadloom carpet and area rugs as lifestyle products for the home.

The campaign is based extensive marketing research that company has been conducting over the past several months.

It targets women of ages from 35 to 50. While all boasting the new slogan, "living the life. loving my Couristan," the three full-page ads created for the campaign are color-coded and feature lifestyle photography that speaks to women: red for women 35 to 40, royal blue for 40- to 45-year-olds and olive for the more mature shopper of 45 to 50.

The red ad is rolling out this spring, the royal blue will appear in the fall and the olive format is slated next spring.

"As a company we recognize the need to intensify dialogue directly with the consumer to communicate and strengthen our brand," George Couri, chairman, said. "Capturing the personality and aspirations of our target consumer was an important element toward the creativity of the campaign's concept."

Residential broadloom is Couristan's initial focus for the campaign. But a similar effort for the company's area rug offerings will roll out during the fourth quarter.

"This is only the first step in the development of a lifestyle image for Couristan, Larry Mahurter, dir. of advertising and sales promotion, said.

The ads will appear in several national shelter magazines, including Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home, Town & Country, Traditional Home and Veranda.

To support the effort, Couristan is also creating new in-store signage and direct-mail pieces.

The ads depict Couristan's carpet in vignettes of swatches that are attractively arranged to emphasize colorways and texture. The company chose some of its more innovative carpets to be included in the photography, such as Balmoral, Floral Majestic, the Chateau de Balleroy Series, Phoenician Colors and two new additions to the company's roster — Legacy and Rose Medley.