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American Craft Council

For more than 30 years, the American Craft Council has presented The American Craft Council Show in Baltimore, the largest indoor, juried craft show in the country. The show features new works by more than 700 of the nation’s top contemporary craft artists and attracts approximately 23,000 attendees from the Mid-Atlantic and beyond each year. In 2005, the Council selected Profiles, Inc. as its marketing and public relations resource for its Baltimore show, specifically to provide new ideas in networking and outreach, as well as to offer an innovative approach to media relations, marketing and advertising.

Since that time, the Council and Profiles have worked closely to identify strategic objectives for The American Craft Council Show-- to broaden its appeal to general audiences, to re-educate the public about the definition of craft and to invigorate its presence in the Baltimore market. To accomplish these goals, Profiles employs aggressive marketing, advertising and media outreach initiatives.

Marketing Collaboration
In an effort to boost show attendance, Profiles works with local organizations to take advantage of numerous promotional opportunities. Promotion of the show through this type of outreach has included: online mentions, inclusion in community newsletters, postcard displays, displays of artist work to preview the event, partnerships, and mailing list exchanges. More specifically, Profiles’ efforts resulted in:

A sponsorship of Baltimore Restaurant Week including a show mention in select advertisements and inclusion in several dedicated email blasts promoting restaurant week.

A VIP mailing to 250 of Baltimore’s top executives with an invitation to attend the show, a pair of complimentary passes and exclusive discount offers redeemable only at the show.

A partnership with Hello Craft including ticket giveaways, an event listing, show inclusion in e-newsletters, a special podcast episode highlighting American Craft Council artists, and a Show-and-Tell feature on the website.

Creation of a business profile page for The American Craft Council Show in Baltimore on Facebook.

A ticket giveaway through the Human Resource Department at Johns Hopkins Hospital and LifeBridge Health.

Coordination of a ticket giveaway contest for the residents of Silo Point Luxury Condos in Locust Point.

Participation in the CENTERSTAGE Radio Auction including a description of the donated item on WBAL-AM, a listing in The Baltimore Sun, and postings on the CENTERSTAGE, WBAL-AM, and Sun websites.

A feature in The Baltimore Sun Reader Rewards e-newsletter sent to more than 10,000 members announcing an exclusive online ticket giveaway.

Discounted admission offers included in VIP goody bags at Baltimore magazine’s annual Top Singles Party; $1.00 off admission coupons available on the BACVA website; and discounted admission for University of Baltimore alumni.

A poster display at Charm City Craft Mafia’s Holiday Heap event and the American Visionary Art Museum’s Bazaart event.

A VIP postcard mailing to Baltimore magazine’s 40 Under 40; Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40; Baltimore magazine’s Most Intriguing People; Daily Record’s Top Lawyers; Daily Record’s Healthcare Heroes; SmartCEO’s Top CFOs; SmartCEO’s Top CIOs; and SmartCEO’s Future 50 (300 individuals total).

A display of American Craft Show work at the Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport.

A feature in the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association’s February e-newsletter to 90,000 subscribers, an event highlight on BACVA’s homepage in the Hot Happenings section and a feature in its calendar of events.

A feature on the electronic billboards inside and outside of the Baltimore Visitors Center and a poster display the week of the show as well as a display of postcards from December through the show.

A partnership with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts including a postcard display in the lobby, distribution of an email blast to promote the show to its extensive database, and an event listing in its online calendar.

Inclusion of The American Craft Council Show’s information in Live Baltimore’s relocation packets and a listing in its online calendar of events.

Discounted and/or free admission to the American Visionary Art Museum for artists participating in the show during all show days.

A partnership with Maryland Life magazine including a display opportunity for Maryland Life at The American Craft Show in Baltimore in exchange for its mailing list of 10,000 subscribers and a half-page, full-color ad.

A partnership with Urbanite magazine including an upgrade from a ½ page ad to a full page, full color ad free of charge and a feature in its biweekly e-newsletter to subscribers in exchange for a rack display with copies of the publication on the show floor.

Coordination of a mailing list exchange with several organizations including the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore School for the Arts, Canton Gallery, ARTFX Gallery, the Walters Art Museum, the American Visionary Art Museum, Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, and Goggleworks Art Center. These lists were used to send arts enthusiasts postcards in mid-January and in the beginning of February.

Outreach to art departments at universities in Baltimore, Washington and the surrounding areas to inform them about student group rates and The American Craft Council Show lecture series. Schools were issued a personal invitation and follow-up call to ensure receipt. The show was also posted online on the Collegetown Network.

An informational mailing to over 200 neighborhood organizations/associations in Maryland for event inclusion in newsletters and promotion in meetings.

Solicitation and coordination of individuals to model craft throughout the American Craft Show in Baltimore.

A feature on the BaltimoreatHome.com homepage for the month of February.

Cross-promotion with Showcase Productions in which The American Craft Council Show provided a gift certificate for use as a raffle prize at each of the four bridal shows produced by Showcase Productions in the Baltimore/Washington market during January and February. In exchange for the gift certificates, The American Craft Show received an ad in each of the four bridal show program books.

Solicitation and coordination of entertainment—including a jazz group and an a capella group—to perform in the lobby where guests purchase tickets.

Cross-promotion with Sister to Sister: Everybody Has Heart, an event designed to promote heart health among woman, including postcards for attendee goodie bags and a gift certificate for the raffle.

Cross-promotion with The Baltimore Sun’s Travel and Golf Expo, which took place at the Baltimore Convention Center during The American Craft Council Show, including free admission to the expo for craft show attendees, promotion of the free admission offer in ads for the Travel and Golf Expo, and a donation of an American Craft Council Show gift certificate for the expo’s raffle.

A posting about the show on several appropriate blogs including those focusing on arts and entertainment, cultural events, craft, etc. in the Baltimore area.

Postcard distribution to the following: more than 50 retail locations; Welcome Centers throughout Maryland; over 150 hotels in Baltimore, Washington and the surrounding areas; the top 15 largest office buildings in Downtown Baltimore; arts organizations and their members; Walters Art Museum; and Peabody Elderhostel, one of the largest Elderhostel programs in the U.S.; regional arts and cultural institutions.