American Craft Council
For more than 30 years, the American Craft Council has presented The
American Craft Council Show in Baltimore, the largest indoor, juried
craft show in the country. The show features new works by more than
700 of the nation’s top contemporary craft artists and attracts
approximately 23,000 attendees from the mid-Atlantic and beyond
each year.
Marketing
Overview: In an effort to boost show attendance, the Craft Council
was looking to broaden its appeal to general audiences, to re-educate
the public about the definition of craft and to invigorate the Show’s
presence in the Baltimore market. In order to do this, the Craft
Council recognized the need to develop a marketing and public
relations strategy to reinforce its brand and message in Baltimore.
Solution: In 2005, the American Craft Council hired Profiles, Inc. as
its marketing and public relations resource for the Baltimore Show.
Profiles developed a comprehensive communications strategy that
included marketing outreach initiatives in addition to a public relations
campaign. As part of the marketing plan, Profiles identified new and
innovative promotional opportunities for the show as well as focusing
efforts on some of the tried-and-true marketing opportunities
employed in the past as a means to increase show attendance.
Results: Promotion of the show through marketing outreach has
included: online mentions, inclusion in community newsletters,
postcard displays, displays of artist work to preview the event,
partnerships, and mailing list exchanges. More specifically, Profiles’
efforts resulted in:
A sponsorship of Baltimore Restaurant Week including a show
mention in select advertisements and inclusion in several
dedicated email blasts promoting restaurant week.
A VIP mailing to 250 of Baltimore’s top executives with an
invitation to attend the show, a pair of complimentary passes
and exclusive discount offers redeemable only at the show.
A partnership with Hello Craft including ticket giveaways, an
event listing, show inclusion in e-newsletters, a special podcast
episode highlighting American Craft Council artists, and a Show-
and-Tell feature on the website.
Creation of a business profile page for The American Craft
Council Show in Baltimore on Facebook.
A ticket giveaway through the Human Resource Department at
Johns Hopkins Hospital and LifeBridge Health.
Coordination of a ticket giveaway contest for the residents of Silo
Point Luxury Condos in Locust Point.
Participation in the CENTERSTAGE Radio Auction including a
description of the donated item on WBAL-AM, a listing in The
Baltimore Sun, and postings on the CENTERSTAGE, WBAL-AM,
and Sun websites.
A feature in The Baltimore Sun Reader Rewards e-newsletter
sent to more than 10,000 members announcing an exclusive
online ticket giveaway.
Discounted admission offers included in VIP goody bags at
Baltimore magazine’s annual Top Singles Party; $1.00 off
admission coupons available on the BACVA website; and
discounted admission for University of Baltimore alumni.
A poster display at Charm City Craft Mafia’s Holiday Heap event
and the American Visionary Art Museum’s Bazaart event.
A VIP postcard mailing to Baltimore magazine’s 40 Under 40;
Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40; Baltimore magazine’s
Most Intriguing People; Daily Record’s Top Lawyers; Daily
Record’s Healthcare Heroes; SmartCEO’s Top CFOs; SmartCEO’s
Top CIOs; and SmartCEO’s Future 50 (300 individuals total).
A display of American Craft Show work at the
Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport.
A feature in the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors
Association’s February e-newsletter to 90,000 subscribers, an
event highlight on BACVA’s homepage in the Hot Happenings
section and a feature in its calendar of events.
A feature on the electronic billboards inside and outside of the
Baltimore Visitors Center and a poster display the week of the
show as well as a display of postcards from December through
the show.
A partnership with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts
including a postcard display in the lobby, distribution of an email
blast to promote the show to its extensive database, and an
event listing in its online calendar.
Inclusion of The American Craft Council Show’s information in
Live Baltimore’s relocation packets and a listing in its online
calendar of events.
Discounted and/or free admission to the American Visionary Art
Museum for artists participating in the show during all show
days.
A partnership with Maryland Life magazine including a display
opportunity for Maryland Life at The American Craft Show in
Baltimore in exchange for its mailing list of 10,000 subscribers
and a half-page, full-color ad.
A partnership with Urbanite magazine including an upgrade from
a ½ page ad to a full page, full color ad free of charge and a
feature in its biweekly e-newsletter to subscribers in exchange
for a rack display with copies of the publication on the show
floor.
Coordination of a mailing list exchange with several
organizations including the Torpedo Factory Art Center,
Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore School for the Arts, Canton
Gallery, ARTFX Gallery, the Walters Art Museum, the American
Visionary Art Museum, Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, and
Goggleworks Art Center. These lists were used to send arts
enthusiasts postcards in mid-January and in the beginning of
February.
Outreach to art departments at universities in Baltimore,
Washington and the surrounding areas to inform them about
student group rates and The American Craft Council Show
lecture series. Schools were issued a personal invitation and
follow-up call to ensure receipt. The show was also posted
online on the Collegetown Network.
An informational mailing to over 200 neighborhood
organizations/associations in Maryland for event inclusion in
newsletters and promotion in meetings.
Solicitation and coordination of individuals to model craft
throughout the American Craft Show in Baltimore.
A feature on the BaltimoreatHome.com homepage for the month
of February.
Cross-promotion with Showcase Productions in which The
American Craft Council Show provided a gift certificate for use as
a raffle prize at each of the four bridal shows produced by
Showcase Productions in the Baltimore/Washington market
during January and February. In exchange for the gift
certificates, The American Craft Show received an ad in each of
the four bridal show program books.
Solicitation and coordination of entertainment—including a jazz
group and an a capella group—to perform in the lobby where
guests purchase tickets.
Cross-promotion with Sister to Sister: Everybody Has Heart, an
event designed to promote heart health among woman,
including postcards for attendee goodie bags and a gift
certificate for the raffle.
Cross-promotion with The Baltimore Sun’s Travel and Golf Expo,
which took place at the Baltimore Convention Center during The
American Craft Council Show, including free admission to the
expo for craft show attendees, promotion of the free admission
offer in ads for the Travel and Golf Expo, and a donation of an
American Craft Council Show gift certificate for the expo’s raffle.
A posting about the show on several appropriate blogs including
those focusing on arts and entertainment, cultural events, craft,
etc. in the Baltimore area.
Postcard distribution to the following: more than 50 retail
locations; Welcome Centers throughout Maryland; over 150
hotels in Baltimore, Washington and the surrounding areas; the
top 15 largest office buildings in Downtown Baltimore; arts
organizations and their members; Walters Art Museum; and
Peabody Elderhostel, one of the largest Elderhostel programs in
the U.S.; regional arts and cultural institutions.
Public Relations
Overview: In an effort to boost show attendance, the Craft Council
was looking to broaden its appeal to general audiences, to re-educate
the public about the definition of craft and to invigorate the Show’s
presence in the Baltimore market. In order to do this, the Craft
Council recognized the need to develop a marketing and public
relations strategy to reinforce its brand and message in Baltimore.
Solution: In 2005, the American Craft Council hired Profiles, Inc. as
its marketing and public relations resource for the Baltimore Show.
Profiles developed a comprehensive communications strategy that not
only included innovative marketing initiatives, but also included an
aggressive media outreach campaign to outlets throughout the mid-
Atlantic. The campaign encouraged innovative thinking to obtain a
variety of stories.
Results: Profiles was able to gain editorial coverage by focusing on
personal stories of show artists, trend stories in the craft industry and
coverage of new show components. In addition to feature stories,
media outreach efforts have secured numerous online and print event
listings to encourage show attendance.
Since Profiles began working with the American Craft Council to
promote The American Craft Show in Baltimore, Profiles has secured
coverage in the following publications: American Craft, American Style,
Annapolis Capital, Avenue News, b the newspaper, Baltimore Afro-
American Newspaper, Baltimore Business Journal, Baltimore City
Paper, Baltimore County Suburban Life, Maryland Daily Record,
Baltimore Gay Life, Baltimore Jewish Times, Baltimore magazine,
Baltimore Messenger, Baltimore OUTLoud!, Baltimore Times, Brick,
Ceramics Monthly, Chesapeake Family, Chronogram, City Living
Source, Columbia Flier, Commonwealth Times, Country Living, Crafts
Business, Crafts Report, Fashion Accessories, Federal Hillsider,
Fiberarts, Frederick News-Post, Gifts and Decorative Accessories,
Giftware News, Go!, Home & Design, Maine Sunday Telegram,
Maryland Family, Maryland Gazette, Mason-Dixon Arrive, Ornament,
Owings Mills Times, Pennysaver, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, Recreation News, Saugerties Times, Sky Writings,
SmartWoman, South Baltimore Improvement Committee Newsletter,
Southern Living, Style Magazine, The Asheville Citizen-Times, The
Baltimore Examiner, The Baltimore Sun, The Montgomery County
Gazette, The Oregonian, The Times-Union, The Washington Post,
Towson Times, Urbanite, Valley Times, Washington Blade, Where
Baltimore, Where DC, Woodshop News. Coverage and interviews were
also secured on WBFF-TV, WMAR-TV, WBAL-TV, WJZ-TV, MPT, CN-8,
WHUR- FM, WTTR-FM, WPOC-FM, WHFS-FM, WYPR-FM, WTMD-FM,
WWMX-FM, WLIF-FM, WVIE-AM and WCBM-FM.
Non-Traditional Media
Overview: In an effort to boost show attendance, the Craft Council
was looking to broaden its appeal to general audiences, to re-educate
the public about the definition of craft and to invigorate the Show’s
presence in the Baltimore market. In order to do this, the Craft
Council recognized the need to develop a marketing and public
relations strategy to reinforce its brand and message in Baltimore.
Solution: In 2005, the American Craft Council hired Profiles, Inc. as
its marketing and public relations resource for the Baltimore Show. As
part of the comprehensive communications strategy that included
marketing outreach and an aggressive public relations campaign,
Profiles also incorporated non-traditional media, specifically Facebook,
into its outreach efforts.
Results: Profiles created a Facebook page for the American Craft
Council Show in Baltimore in 2008. Since then, the page has grown to
more than 1,000 followers ranging from artists to show attendees.
Profiles maintains the Show’s Facebook page by frequently posting and
adding new content to ensure followers are engaged and remain
interested. Each year, the page continues to gain more and more
followers.