Franchise Focus
Granite Transformations goes for gold
Britain’s top gymnast features in sports-themed promotion to build brand
Investment level: fROm £15,000 T
his is Olympic year and, to celebrate the occasion, kitchen worktops franchise Granite Transformations designed and built a large central island unit featuring
a stylised Union Jack on the countertop. As an exercise, it showcased the design potential of Granite Transformations’ agglomerate surfaces and demonstrated what sophisticated effects can be achieved with a high tech water jet cutter and seamless adjoining of different colours and
“Olympic year will certainly bring business opportunities for franchise owners of all types, across the country”
finishes. True, there’s unlikely to be much consumer demand for intricate kitchen worktop designs, the brand’s core market, but the commercial sector is always keen on fresh surface finishing ideas, like logos embedded in reception desks or backlit panels and seating units, so there was obvious PR potential. And good PR builds brand awareness and brings customers to showrooms and websites. To show off its patriotic piece and put the material through its paces, Granite Transformations invited Britain’s top gymnast, Beth Tweddle, to perform a whole series of rhythmic routines on and around the unit. She reaches such heights that Granite Transformations booked a state- of-the-art infinity studio and a top action photographer to capture the full expanse and energy of her gymnastic movement,
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Businessfranchise.com | April 2012
and some pretty amazing images emerged from the session. There was even an opportunity to photograph Beth using the brand’s latest iGranite tablet computer app, between takes. Granite Transformations’ renowned ‘top that fits on top’ is notable for its slim, lightweight profile and tough, hardwearing properties and Beth’s energetic routines showed off these technical characteristics perfectly. Whereas an unsupported two metre-long granite slab might have buckled under the dynamic loads, Granite Transformations agglomerate material mounted on regular construction board had ample flexural strength – and was light enough to move in and out of the studio without mechanical handling. Beth Tweddle’s celebrity involvement was additionally used to convey subtle messages regarding franchise recruitment. As a three-times world, six-times European and seven-times national gymnastic champion, she epitomises the drive, dedication, hard work and energy that the company looks for in its would-be franchise owners. Her determination to succeed and willingness to apply herself to honing her skills and overall performance, should serve as an example for anyone looking to make good in business, it believes. There may not be medals in home improvement retailing, but there will be rewards. The Beth Tweddle photo shoot also translates into franchisee marketing support, for publicising the brand and driving customer traffic to showrooms and websites. PR stories have already gone out to consumer, commercial and trade press, tailored local publicity will follow in the 30 plus franchise territories, and showcards featuring Beth are being sent out to showrooms, providing a talking point for staff and customers in the build up to the Olympics. The Union Jack island unit itself
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