Redwood promotions in high gear

THE DEMAND for redwood has I. never been sreater.

The species -has been a traditional favorite because of its built-in good looks, rot-resistance and dimensional stability. Builders and do-it-yourselfers like to work with redwood because it is easy to saw and handle. Unlike chemically treated products, it needs no special protective or dispos- al procedures. And, despite the proliferation of synthetic, man-made building materials, redwood has a straightforward, organic appeal.

To support this well-established preference, the California Redwood Association has a new marketing program for the year 2000. It is a combination of advertising, publicity and sales aids.

CRA works with consumer, specifier and merchant magazines to place stories and photographs that create demand for redwood products and projects. They have productive relationships with newpaper, radio, TV, Web site and how-to book editors and producers.

The publicity highlight is the national deck contest sponsored by CRA and Today's Home ow ne r magazine (circulation 950.000). This on-going event will be announced in the magazine's April issue, then a multi-page feature showing the 1999 winners will appear in the May issue. This, combined with the announcement of the 2000 contest, will give people design ideas and motivate them to get started on deck projects they have been putting off. The contest also encourages them to use redwood so they can enter the contest.

CRA will award a $3,000 first prize, $2,000 second prize, and $1,000 third prize. The deadline for entries will be July 31. 2000. and the winners will be published by Today's Homeowner in a 200 I issue. CRA will support the magazine's promotion by creating point-of-purchase banners and countertop entry blank containers. These will be available free to merchants from CRA member mills and will fuel the deck building excitement created by the contest. Merchants can also tie into the contest by sponsoring local competitions and encouraging their pro customers to enter.

Inexpensive project plans

make great point-ofpurchase giveaways.

CRA will mail contest entry blanks to selected lists of building professionals and do back-up publicity in newspapers and in building, design and lumber trade magazines.

Another success story has been CRA's Web site at www.calredwood.org. The site receives an average of 500 visitors a day who usually look at about five pages. It is popular with lumber merchants, design and building professionals and consumers. Constantly evolving. current site attractions include a redwood dealer locator, CRA literature that can be downloaded, do-it-yourself plans with 3-D visuals, and two videos that can be viewed online.

To supplement the redwood publicity, Web site and advertising, CRA has an extensive library of literature and merchant sales aids that are regularly revised and improved. In 2000, they plan to add to their on-going series of project plans.

These inexpensive plans are popular with do-it-yourselfers and make great point-of-purchase giveaways. In production are design sheets for planters, a garden work center, and spa surrounds and accessories.

CRA can help merchants create a customized redwood sales program and has photographs, literature and videos available on reouest.