Friedman’s Home Improvement and Maverick Media Santa Rosa (CA), have entered into an annual partnership in the interactive media space. The partnership includes multiple interactive elements on Maverick Media radio station websites and micro-sites, as well geo-targeted email marketing, and focused efforts with specific channels, including Green Living Sonoma County, Friedman’s Home Improvement, and Garden Talk / Good Food Hour. The partnership is complementary to both companies’ vision and strategic plans.
“Maverick offered us a true marketing partnership, – we conceived the plan together and the end result is a customized solution that showcases our company’s philosophy in serving the community”, said Tony Corsberg, Vice-president of Merchandise and Marketing, Friedman’s Home Improvement.
This partnership focuses on the importance of buying Local and Green living. The Greener Choice message is getting pushed out into the community through the Living Green Sonoma County Channel that can be accessed from both News/Talks1350 KSRO and 97.7 The River websites.
Kirk Kimerer, Director of Integrated Media at Maverick, states, “As our interactive division evolved, we wanted a reputable local company to be our partner, to measure our new marketing capabilities and provide relevant and compelling services to our listeners, the community and Friedman’s customers – the partnership we have with Friedman’s is now our blueprint for building relationships with the community”.
These customized solutions also include money saving coupons and helpful product information that consumers can find and print out from the Maverick radio station web sites; also included are Avatars that provide online advice and product information; User Generated Content contests, where users can share photos of their garden to win prizes from Friedman’s; Blogs where Friedman’s Xperts, Ed Casey and Rebecca Bautista, respectively, provide advice and comment on user feedback about gardening or green products and living. All elements of Maverick’s campaign are measurable and tracking reports are provided on a monthly basis.
“No other media company in the area has yet to develop this type of interactive marketing that can be so targeted and customized, to truly fill a client’s needs like Maverick has done with ours, and no other media company has ever come close to providing us with the type of detailed recap reports that they do – it’s enlightening”, says Jeanette Wetenkamp, Advertising Manager, Friedman’s Home Improvement.
For over 60 years, Friedman’s has grown to become the largest locally-owned home improvement retailer in the North Bay, with stores conveniently located in Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Ukiah.
RBR/TVBR observation: This is a great example of using your digital resources to their fullest potential. This was not a corporate template, either, but a grass-roots, local idea drummed up between the station and advertiser. Remember how that used to work? Well now it HAS to work with the web presence as well. Train AEs and station staff as if you were a website first, then a radio station. The rest will follow.
