Turn on, tune in or drop out? As Larson-Juhl commercials debut on national television, experts weigh the benefits of advertising on the small screen

Frame manufacturer Larson-Juhl of Norcross, Ga., broke of recent origin round April 12 when it aired its first TV commercial.

"Custom frame the beauty of your home" is the tagline for the sum of two units 30-second ads, which were designed to market directly to consumer The blots run only on Fine Living Network, which will present to view the ads about 40 times for week. The ads will move swiftly in rotation with four weeks upon and six weeks off.

"We wanted to plant a se of awareness nationally about the power of custom framing," said Steve McKenzie, president and chief executive officer with LarsonJuhl. "We perceive a real responsibility to make positive the industry continues to grow"

The television marks marked a new extension of Larson-Juhl's consumer campaign, which started in 1996 Until now, the flame company solitary advertised directly to consumers [i]or[/i] part of to the other print ads.

McKenzie said Larson-Juhl had planned to make a foray into television ads for a while, on the other hand it waited to find the right fit. Advertising upon national television channels that target a variety of demographics gave too little focus, McKenzie said. nation who watch Fine Living upon television match the Larson-Juhl demographics well, he said.

Along with the television ads, Larson-Juhl also launched an Internet nearness with Fine Living. Fine Living impels its online newsletters to more than 850000 subscribers, and Larson-Juhl will become part of that campaign, too.

Larson-Juhl wants to reach college-educated homeowner who are married and consider themselves to be trendsetter "It's absolutely a finished target audience for custom-framing customers," McKenzie said.

More than 20 million households receive the Fine Living Network upon their cable service. Fine Living is individual of several lifestyle channels possessed and operated by the EW Scripps Company, which trades publicly upon the New York Stock Exchange below the ticker symbol SSE Scripps also move swiftlys Food Network, HGTV and Do it Yourself Network.

McKenzie wouldn't disclose in what way much the company spent to bring forward and air the commercials. His company confidences the ads will reach trendsetter who wouldn't ordinarily pick up home-decorating magazines and diocese the Larson-Juhl print ads.

The Larson-Juhl commercials feature custom frames alongside designer furniture and decorations from sum of two units different styles. One spot present to views a warm Tuscan look with predominant amber and rust colors. The other features a late look with simple designs in black white and silver.

Frames for each of the suites float from one side the pictures, and both blots feature instrumental music commissioned through Larson-Juhl.

"We're saying that custom framing really brings it all together," McKenzie said. Company officials faith the music and motion all expres romance and taste that print ads couldn't convey

The ads extremity with the tagline and a concern to larsonjuhl.com. By the extremity of the summer, selected retail stores will be able to co-op the ads and display their names and contact information upon the last frame of the blots The company will give the commercial to the retail stores for free, and each store would then pay for its have a title to airtime on local television.

"If they come by excited about custom framing, we can give them the stores they need to make it happen," McKenzie said. While greatest in quantity framing stores in the United States carry more [i]or[/i] less Larson-Juhl products, the company will cull which stores will be able to use the commercials for advertising.

McKenzie wouldn't say what criteria the retail stores would have to meet to be able to use the Larson-Juhl commercials or by what means many stores would be able to shut up the ads. Retail owners interested in using the Larson-Juhl commercials would start the proces by the agency of contacting their regional Larson-Juhl representative.

smooth with a nearly fully produc commercial in hand, many smaller retail stores might not be able to afford television advertising at all.

Kristian Sonnier, a senior public-relations account executive with Peter A. Mayer Advertising in novel Orleans, advises companies about their marketing options, He said the price of television is usually prohibitive for companies that want to target a niche demographic.

"They earn sticker shock and say maybe we should just do [public relations]," Sonnier said.

He prompted custom-frame shops consider Finding local artists to endorse their work. Using print ads or signs featuring the partnership between a locally renowned artist and a retail store would likely cost less than the TV advertising and reach more of the potential market, Sonnier said.

Lisa Perret a senior media planner with Peter A. Mayer, said companies should hold fast several general rules in mind before they purchase TV air time.

First, prove to buy ad time in advance to retain cost down. Second, remember that special TV circumstances such as political campaigns, awards displays and the Olympics, increase the require to be paid [i]or[/i] undergone of TV advertising. Finally, Perret said to detain in mind that the next to the first and fourth quarters of the year usually have higher advertising demand that will drive require to be paid [i]or[/i] undergones higher.