• Best Feature Story 2002

• Bronze Anvil Entry: Feature Stories
Title: Living History

Objectives: By Spring, 2001, achieve public awareness and 3rd-party media endorsement in a prestigious shelter publication targeting the buyer profile for Gaines McHale Antiques & Home—the mid-Atlantic region’s largest antiques importer and retailer.

Build an image of Gaines McHale principal, Jean McHale, as a knowledgeable, accessible expert on antiques and decorating with antiques.

Convey by example the Gaines McHale philosophy that antiques are a durable, functional, creative addition to everyday life versus “hands off” museum pieces.

Audience: Families and individuals in the MD/DC/VA area with a mid- to high-net worth household income whose lifestyle and psychographic character-istics place them in the prime buyer profile for decorating with antiques.

Strategies: (1) Target a luxury home magazine for feature placement with distribution to the geographic and
demographic buyer profile: Home & Design magazine, (2) Develop a strong story angle to insure uptake by the editor to publish the story within the first half of 2001, (3) Successfully capture and convey the depth/breadth of Jean McHale’s expertise on antiques in a feature article. (4) Direct a 3-day photo documentation for publication to support the story and reinforce the message of Jean McHale’s expertise as well as the user-friendly nature of antiques.

Budget: $2,500 for photography.

Tactics: (1) Hosted a tour of the McHale’s home with the Home & Design editor to secure editorial interest through first-hand experience. (2) Provided a story angle to the publication with strong subscriber/news stand benefits— e.g. buying and decorating with antiques. (3) Combined Jean McHale’s zeal for antiques with her educational details in the story. (4) Directed a 3-day photo-shoot of the McHale’s home including a pose of Jean and husband Mike McHale on the pier of their home in a setting of Queen Anne antiques to show their joy and informality of living with antiques.

Results: Achieved an 18-page feature for Gaines McHale, within budget, in the Spring 2001 Home & Design magazine to an 80K circulation in the targeted demographic and geographic buyer pro-file as well as on the publication’s website at www.HomeandDesign.com. Comparable ad value for the magazine placement is $91,368. The client reported a near-term rise in store traffic and sales after publication, and greater long-term market awareness, as evidenced by traffic related to the article. A link to the Home & Design article on their website maintains ongoing 3rd party media endorsement.