Blue Harvest Creative - Case Study - Town & Country Antiques Mall

Change was introduced in various stages due to project complexity. The mall image needed updating. An identity had to be established and used consistently. The current logo did not accurately reflect the business and had limited advertising flexibility. We reconstructed the logo and made the name prominent with a simple font.

Creating a strong web presence was crucial. In May 2010, a five-page website was launched in conjunction with a social media campaign using Facebook and Twitter. The website was listed with the major search engines. Online trade organizations and key publications were researched and business information was listed. Web ads were designed. These elements allowed organic search engine growth to begin while we worked on the next phases.

Updating customer communication was vital. Sale information was only mailed twice a year with the additional expense of printing postcards and postage. We recommended Constant Contact for email in conjunction with exclusive email promotions. This enticed people to join and the list grew extensively.

An “antiques are green” campaign was created to generate excitement about the antique industry and to reintroduce the mall to current customers as well as reach new customers. A reusable promotional tote bag with the slogan “I Shop Green” featuring the new logo was designed. Press releases promoting the mall, the importance of antiques and recycling were distributed. Cross-linking their site with the Antiques Are Green website heavily increased web traffic. This was the first customer appreciation promotion. The customers loved it. These efforts helped establish a strong sense of community. The tote bags also provided free promotion and publicity.

The community had a "best of" contest sponsored by WDIV Channel 4, the local television station. The mall had never actively participated in the contest since it began four years ago. We tied-in the “antiques are green” promotion and several others over the course of the contest. The top five businesses are recognized each year based on customer votes. Due to our efforts, in 2010 they placed 4th out of 46 nominees for “best antiques” in The WDIV 4 The Best contest.

We managed their "best of" contest campaign again in 2011. This time they placed 2nd out of 52 nominees for "best antiques" in the Detroit A-List contest (formerly the WDIV 4 The Best contest).

Themed promotions were launched in January 2011. Four successful promotions were held, with each new promotion exceeding the last. Customized email banners were created for every email promotion. This coupled with catchy and fun email content about each event helped build customer interest and excitement. The advertisements we designed also reflected these themed elements. Walk-in traffic increased. Customers were having fun and the email list continued to grow.

An updated website reflecting the new mall image was launched in February 2011. The result is a clean, fresh and fun site that is not static. The five-page site grew to an 11-page site. Three interactive pages were created to keep interest and to build an internet following. These included the home page with current news and a calendar of events. A new “Featured Dealers” page was created to highlight five dealers along with product photography of their merchandise. The third page was a new “Tips & Tidbits” area with articles on antiques and fun facts. The site was meta-tagged, SEO optimized and written using keyword content. Search engine rankings average first page landings for the majority of keywords. Due to visitor growth, a new E-commerce website was launched in June 2011 that can be accessed from the main website.

Other print materials were updated such as business cards, rack cards, sale invoices, etc. New black and white ads for local industry magazines, newspapers and travel publications were designed.

We took over the design for the monthly full-color ad in the Great Lakes Trader, a local industry newspaper. Our designs are unlike anything else in the publication. They are colorful, themed and present antiques and collectibles in a fresh and exciting format. The new ad campaigns have created excitement and anticipation among the customers and the industry alike. Customer traffic has also increased due to the new designs and cross tie-in with mall promotions.

Taking The Old And Making It New Again

Branding

Client Background

The Result

It was slightly overwhelming at first. There were so many changes needed to update my business. I was a bit skeptical about some suggestions but they worked! Blue Harvest is the breath of fresh air my business needed. It’s completely turned around, even with the bad economy here. The customers are happy, the dealers are happy and I’m happy. They have a lot of good ideas and have carte blanche in many areas. They are talented and creative, work hard and really do care. It’s hard to find that kind of work ethic these days. I’d highly recommend them to anyone.

Barbara Gale, Owner

What Our Client Thinks

Town & Country Antiques Mall opened in 1992. They rent space to dealers and specialize in the antiques, vintage and collectibles market. The dealers stock their area with merchandise. The mall is operated as a retail establishment and sells dealer merchandise to the retail community upon their behalf.

Our involvement in every aspect from design, marketing and promotion to the new website and online store, has dramatically increased business awareness both locally and beyond. A younger demographic has been established and continues to grow. The website averages about 1,000 visitors per month with repeat visitors steadily increasing. The email list has grown to a level that postcard mailings can be eliminated. The changes have attracted new dealers to the mall, which continues to add to its revitalization. Customers are enthusiastic about the new promotions, which has resulted in a steady increase in sales. Sales are up 30% from last year for the first quarter in 2011, traditionally a slower period. This project is a major success story for our client and for us.

Town & Country Antiques

MSA Mentoring

Ad Design

Great Lakes Trader Sep 2011

Company Website

Ad Design

Great Lakes Trader July 2011

Ad Design

Great Lakes Trader April 2011

Poster - "Wanted"

WDIV Contest 2010

Promotional Products

"I Shop Green" Tote Bag

Web Ad

Antiques.com

Web Ad

"Lucky Leprechaun Days"

The Challenge

The largest hurdle was updating the business to embrace the technological world of today. A website was mandatory. New promotions were needed. Customer contact had to be updated and the customer base had to be expanded. Dealer involvement needed reenergizing. An exciting reintroduction of the mall to the public combined with a sense of local community was essential. We needed to start from scratch. The project was large but our goal was to design a new and improved mall from the ground up.

Our Process

Project Samples

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