How can a savvy, experienced marketer like Jake Jabs let it happen?

I'm talking about the latest round of TV commercials for American Furniture Warehouse.

In Colorado, American Furniture Warehouse dominates the retail furniture market. They've been in business for decades - at least three. They've developed a brand and a personality based on Jake's own stamp and image. The company and the man are inseparable. And it's been a textbook success story.

One of the main reasons (my opinion) for that success is consistency. The name (even if not particularly clever or leading edge) has become a household phrase. American Furniture Warehouse is top of mind along the Front Range.

So why in the world would Jake Jabs allow, and even be a spokeperson for, a bastardization of a perfectly good, perfectly imbedded name?

In his latest commercials -  for the first time - he and others are touting AFW instead of American Furniture Warehouse.

For SHAME. In my mind this is a blunder worse than KFC. Just ask ten people what AFW stands for and you'll get nine blank stares. Now maybe internally at American Furniture Warehouse people have taken the shortcut and use the initials. But Jake should not have allowed that laziness to creep into the marketing program. The company should never be referred to by employees as AFW in front of customers.

Now AFW (I can't even find the keys on my keyboard without thinking it through) has no meaning, no personality, no heritage, no relationship with past customers.

Jake, American Furniture Warehouse, as a name and as a brand was not broken. So why would you allow this tragedy to happen?

Martin Jelsema
Signature Strategies
303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com