Furniture Industry Looking Outdoors For New Consumers Top Home Furnishing Manufacturers Team up With Outdoor Authority, Dick Idol

Furniture World Magazine

America’s fascination with the outdoors has created big business. Over $100 billion per year is now spent on outdoor-related recreation, with strong category growth driven by increasing interest from middle class families with children. Although business is tough now, it hasn’t stopped several forward-thinking companies in the home furnishings market to take notice of this untapped opportunity. They are gearing up to claim their share via the Dick Idol Home Collection, being launched at the Klaussner showroom during the October International Home Furnishings Market. Dick Idol Ventures, LLC has taken the lead in capturing this lucrative consumer segment. In May 2000, Dick Idol, one of America’s best-known outdoorsmen and wildlife artists, formed a marketing and strategic licensing company to build the Dick Idol name into the premiere outdoor lifestyle brand. Over the past year, licensing agreements have been signed with top manufacturers to produce outdoor-inspired products in a wide variety categories: Klaussner Furniture Industries - Upholstered products and case goods; Capel - Area rugs; As You Like It - Lighting and decorative accessories; Home Foster’s Point - Home florals; La France Division of Mt. Vernon Mills - Home textiles, pillows, throws; Big Sky Carvers - Wildlife art reproductions; Mossy Oak Apparel division of Russell Corp. Sportswear and apparel; Outdoor; Trebark division of Haas Outdoors - Outdoor products; Art Wisse, Hollmann & Co. - Monumental sculpture sales/marketing "We do not believe that anyone in the home arena has effectively targeted the large SUV consumer group – middle class families with children who love the outdoors and participate in activities from hiking, boating, camping, and wildlife observation to fishing and hunting," says Jim Williams, chief marketing officer for Dick Idol Ventures. "This group aspires to live the outdoor lifestyle, with over two-thirds participating in outdoor activities on a monthly basis. For the first time, The Dick Idol Home Collection will offer these consumers lifestyle branded products at a great value. Marketing efforts including monumental sculpture installations and a Dick Idol television show concept under development will help continue building brand awareness." "This line signifies an important move for our company as it is our first foray into lifestyle branding," said Klaussner President and CEO J.B. Davis. "Our research has shown that there is a huge demand for quality outdoor and wildlife-inspired home furnishings and there is a brand-void in this area today." Idol is playing an active role in making sure the authenticity of his outdoor experiences is captured in every product that bears his name. Many of the outdoor-inspired designs are patterned after artwork created by Idol himself at his studio in Bigfork, Montana. His creations are reflections of his penchant for the beauty of nature, wildlife and American history. Following the first pattern, Dick Idol Legends, a host of designs will follow, appearing on everything from pillows to armoires. Through his artistic vision, the Dick Idol brand takes aim at 77 million consumers who trust in his name and reputation and want to bring the outdoors into their homes. Although best known for his bronze monuments of whitetail deer (some measuring over 30 feet high) and his wildlife sculptures and paintings, Dick Idol is also widely recognized as one of America’s premier outdoorsmen. He is co-founder of North American Whitetail Magazine and is a writer and speaker on conservation and outdoor subjects. When he’s not on one of his frequent trips to unspoiled locations, Mr. Idol works out of his home studio in Bigfork, Montana. For more information about Dick Idol, please visit www.dickidol.com. For an interview or photography, contact Christina Worthington at 919-832-6300 ext. 20 or cworthington@rfrench.com. KEY OUTDOOR STATISTICS • Over $100 billion per year is spent on wildlife-related recreation, with category growth driven by increasing interest from middle class families with children (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service/Roper Starch Worldwide). • 77 million Americans or 38 pecent of the U.S. population participate in fishing, hunting and wildlife observation (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service). • The American outdoorsman represents 38 percent of the population, but accounts for 50 percent of the nation’s buying power (Outdoor Life/Field & Stream). • Annual participation in outdoor recreation grew from 70 percent of Americans in 1994 to 80 percent in 1999 (Roper Starch Worldwide). • Monthly participation in outdoor activity grew from 50 percent of Americans in 1994 to 67 percent in 1999 (Roper Starch Worldwide). • Over 66 percent of middle class families with children participate in outdoor recreational activities on a monthly basis (American Demographics). • National Park Service visits alone are expected to grow over 300 million in 2001 (American Demographics).