Hickory Hill Furniture Launches New Vision and New Brand Strategy

Furniture World Magazine

Hickory Hill Furniture Corporation will launch a new brand strategy designed to help dealers and consumers alike recognize the options that the Hickory Hill brand has available to suit every store'sand every shopper'slifestyle tastes and needs. The new "Perfect Match" approach, which emphasizes offering various Hickory Hill lifestyle collections, will be unveiled at the Fall 2005 International Home Furnishings Market, October 20-26. "We have always been respected as the hallmark of quality, value, style, comfort and service to our dealers," says Charlie Rice, Hickory Hill President and COO. "Now we want dealers to recognize that our style options will not only complete their merchandising efforts as they display Hickory Hill lifestyles in collections, but also facilitate their selling to consumers who are looking for particular styles to suit their tastes. Through our various lifestyle collections, Hickory Hill is the perfect match for dealers and consumers alike." The Jaclyn Smith Home Collection by Hickory Hill, introduced in Spring 2005,has had a tremendous response from furniture stores who committed to not just carrying the pieces, but to displaying it in dedicated Jaclyn Smith Home studios. Smith's designs will continue to be a vital component of Hickory Hill's lifestyle offerings, but will be one of several themes now available in lifestyle collections, joining others that range from Grandma's Attic to Urban Attitudes. Various product collections will be available so that dealers can choose one or all as the perfect match for their stores and their own markets. Lew English, Hickory Hill Vice President of Marketing, adds, "Our vision is to help dealers merchandise and sell. By carrying Hickory Hill and displaying it in lifestyle product collections, we are supporting their efforts to offer the styles that consumers seek, and then driving business to their stores and to the Hickory Hill product displays through a wide range of advertising and merchandising support." The marketing and merchandising support for the new Perfect Match initiative will include components such as a creative "Looking for Love" business-to- business and a future consumer advertising campaign, augmented by point-of- purchase signage, hangtags and direct mail. About Hickory Hill: Hickory Hill, a subsidiary of Norwalk Furniture, produces quality, value-priced upholstery products, including sofas, loveseats, chairs and sleeper sofas, with a collection of wood pieces to complement the lines. The Jaclyn Smith Home Collection by Hickory Hill launched in Spring 2005. Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Valdese, North Carolina, additional manufacturing facilities are in Fulton, Mississippi. Hickory Hill's core offering is at popular price points for the growing furniture retailer.