Furniture Store Advertising Ideas That Are No Couch Potatoes

Furniture Advertising Spending Rebounds

At the recent TVB Forward Conference, a session focused on furniture with data via Kantar. The presentation revealed that furniture ad spending has increased by 5% in 2022. The subcategories leading the way are home furnishings and carpet and flooring.

Movement by furniture advertisers indicates that they’re growing revenue and that they understand how important it is to remain visible, which is what advertising does. As a result, it’s an opportune time to present novel ideas, from pivoting messaging to exploring new channels. Here are some fresh concepts to share.

Encourage Storytelling Over Promotions

Promotions have always been the go-to for furniture stores. Those $99 mattresses practically sell themselves. It’s true that price will always be critical, and many consumers are more cost-conscious due to inflation. However, a great price is only part of what’s motivating buyers currently.

A better angle could be the story behind the brand. As noted, many furniture companies are local and have been a part of the community for decades. That matters to shoppers because they want to spend money locally. In fact, 40% of people said buying local is a bigger priority now, and 70% said it’s important for companies to give back to communities.

Such messaging also shows how credible and reliable the company is because of its many years in business.

Sharing this kind of story across broadcast TV, OTT/CTV and social media can create a more emotional association. Those in the spots are the real owners and employees, not actors. Creating this connection makes consumers more likely to recall the brand when they are ready to purchase that new mattress.

Highlight the Experience

Furniture shoppers can buy just about anything from big online retailers like Wayfair. While the selection may be larger, the experience doesn’t compare to in-person shopping. Furniture is about more than aesthetics. It needs to be functional and comfortable. Making these points in ads can drive people to feel and touch what they’ll bring into their homes. Plus, most furniture stores have endless ways to customize pieces with an assortment of patterns and materials.

With experts helping them, a consumer can make the best choice for furniture and not end up with online purchases they later regret.

Capture New Audiences with New Tactics

Furniture stores have been very loyal to staying on the air in broadcast TV and radio. Those channels will always be attractive, but businesses should consider diversification to engage new audiences. For example, OTT/CTV enables specific targeting and reaches cord-cutters, and they don’t need new content. They can play the same videos used on TV.

If they want to appeal to younger demographics, you can suggest experimenting with YouTube, Snapchat or TikTok. They can reuse video content here but would want to tweak messaging to make it relevant to this demographic. One idea is how to furnish your first apartment on a budget.

All these tactics are trackable and measurable, so advertisers will be able to understand the impact of the ads on revenue. One thing you can propose to make this easier for CTV ads is adding a QR code (it’s a good idea for TV ads, too) that takes the viewer to a page with a promo or offer.

Suggest Lifestyle Content Sponsorship

Local radio and TV often have programming focused on lifestyle and home design. Your furniture store customers are an excellent fit for this. They can participate as a sponsor in several ways.

First, their experts could host segments on design topics. Second, their commercials can air during this programming. Third, they can promote their involvement with this through any channel that can drive audiences to the shows and build their brand awareness. With this mix, you could generate O&O (owned and operated) and third-party digital revenue.