Turning the Tables: A Marketing Campaign Turns AFR Tables into Coloring Books

This was the one time when it was OK to draw on the furniture! In fact, visitors to the AFR booth at the Experiential Marketing Summit in Denver, Colorado, were encouraged to embrace their inner child and get creative on one of our Aspen dining tables.

It all began when Mandy Diaz, AFR’s Account Executive in Florida, received an adult coloring book as a gift from a client. Knowing that color was a big part of AFR’s marketing efforts this year she showed it to our marketing team led by Tricia Schmitt, Chief Branding Officer.

With a little digging they quickly learned that coloring books are no longer just for kids. Researchers and art therapists cite the calming effects of adult coloring books. In fact, Crayola has led the way, launching a set of markers, colored pencils and coloring books called “Coloring Escapes.”

With this knowledge Jose Ramirez, Marketing Manager was off and running, putting his own bright colored pen to paper, or rather, to table! “We wanted to create this type of experience at the Experiential Summit and pull it through all aspects of our involvement there from our sponsorship to our booth,” Ramirez said.

He began with the name of the campaign, “ColorYourEvents.” The creative process continued with a visit to the decal company that brands AFR’s tables with logos. The most important aspect of the decal would be ensuring that the pens didn’t bleed on the material. After several tests concluded they wouldn’t, a large decal of a furniture vignette line drawing was created to fit the Aspen dining table.

At the show, #ColorYourEvents began well before the tradeshow even opened, at the General Session which AFR was sponsoring. Ramirez wanted to create a unique seating arrangement using the company’s colorful tangerine sofas. To work the name of the campaign in, he placed Aspen pub and dining tables between the sofas fitted with branded decals that entreated attendees to “color your event” at AFR’s booth.

It worked beautifully and over the course of the show attendees drew their creativity on the table, completing more than half of it by show’s end. Although everyone stayed between the lines with their coloring pens, it’s clear that AFR painted the picture clearly for everyone – that this is a company that is always thinking, and acting, outside the lines!

The social media campaign is built around the company’s new line of bright and contemporary furnishings.

Everyone’s artistic side has a place at this table.

Bob Russo from VDA Productions in Boston adding his creative touch.

Mark Wells from Hello DMC in Orlando, finding his inner artist.

The T-shirts the AFR staff wore during the show were also custom colored.

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