September 2012

Our team just returned from the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) after spending a few days taking in the incredible display of color and design that always makes it an interesting event. We were pleased to hear that business seems to be good for those we talked to, and there was a lot of optimism surrounding the holiday season.  Two of my colleagues, Jack Wrigley and Brian Igoe, participated in seminars during NYIGF, and I hope you had a chance to attend and benefit from their considerable experience. Jack participated on a panel related to utilizing social media for business. Brian conducted an individual seminar on building a strong brand. Thanks to both of them for spreading their wisdom on these important business topics for both retailers and suppliers attending the show.

This month, we take a comprehensive look at the cookware and cutlery categories, where the strength of a brand plays a pivotal role in sales success. I have always found the cookware business to be the ultimate marketing challenge. How do you differentiate your product in a market flooded with products that are all designed to accomplish the same task, namely cooking food? During Brian’s seminar on building a strong brand, he emphasized the necessity for delivering your brand message in clear, concise language. Yet, we found doing our research on the category that many products were marketed by focusing on the negatives of their competition. For example, we uncovered some marketing language from a metal cookware supplier that referred to the harmful toxins and chemicals found in nonstick coatings.  Our goal this month is to dispel the rumors and false claims, and provide you with essential knowledge related to the features and benefits of different materials and coatings to help your customers make the right choice for their cooking needs. I believe there is still a great deal of confusion among consumers trying to select new cookware that ultimately keeps them from making a purchase decision. If you and your staff can become better versed at deciphering cookware lingo as a result of reading our publication this month, we think it will help you provide informed answers to common questions, and ultimately increase your cookware sales.

Of course, the same holds true for cutlery, the other branded category that relies heavily on brand awareness and clarity of message. The cutlery business has progressed substantially over the years. The variety of metals, handles, construction methods and edge designs have further honed the craft of manufacturing great cutlery. We aim to provide you with the product knowledge to understand the benefits of the myriad products available in this category so you can select the best assortment.

We hope you find this issue informative and helpful in understanding the current trends and the latest products that are having an impact in these lucrative categories.