Home Furnishings Association member Morris Furniture Co. hopes its latest promotion will help get out the vote. Shoppers who buy furniture at Morris or any of its family of brands in Ohio and Kentucky between Oct. 13 and Nov. 2 will get their purchase free if 6.3 million Ohio citizens vote by Election Day.
Larry Klaben, president and CEO of Morris Furniture, a Top 100 retailer, hopes the promotion will help people not only appreciate the democratic process but actually exercise their right to vote. “The United States of America is most united when everyone exercises their right to vote,” said Klaben. “In a way, our home furnishings unite friends and family every day, whether it’s gathering around the dining table or settling in on the couch together – creating environments where we engage in conversation and share our points of view. We want to encourage every voter to use their voice beyond the comforts of home and exercise their right to vote.”
Higher in-store traffic
The promotion started off with a bang on Tuesday. Marcus Moore, vice president of advertising and marketing, said in-store traffic was up 55 percent from the same day last year. Part of that, said Moore, is attributed to the still pent-up demand of shoppers wanting new furniture for their home after being locked down for months earlier this year. “But no question the promotion had a lot to do with (the increase), too,” he said.
The company has put together a series of videos featuring Klaben as a candidate urging citizens to vote to further boost interest in the promotion, which is being underwritten by an insurance company.
Ohio voters might not need the possibility of free furniture as a carrot to vote. A report from the Brookings Institution said turnout for the 2020 election will be massive compared to previous presidential elections. Prior to the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, just 50 percent of voters thought that it really mattered who won, versus 44 percent who thought that things would be pretty much the same, whoever won. This year, a record 83 percent —including 85 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans—say voting and the outcome that follows will have an impact on what matters.
Ohio is a key battleground
Ohio is once again a key battleground state with all eyes focused on how its citizens decide the future direction of the country. It will be one of a handful of Midwestern states that will be at the center of attention for all candidates and news organizations.
Morris held a similar promotion in 2016 and paid out when more than 5 million Ohioans voted. He said he expects the promotion to pay off for customers based on the political climate in the country. “I’ve never seen so much interest in an election before,” said Morris. “When you talk to friends and neighbors, there’s so much passion on each side. We hope that passion and our promotion translate into more people casting a ballot.”
Morris and other furniture companies that tie a sales promotion into big athletic contests or high-profile events like the presidential election back the promotion through an insurance company. HFA Solution Partner Tokio Marine HCC Specialty’s Prize Insurance can develop a custom promotion that is designed to help HFA members reach their marketing goals through this compelling method of customer engagement while also driving foot traffic your store. For more information on Tokio Marine or other HFA Solution Partners, visit the HFA Solution Partner page.
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