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DEL.ICIO.USWhat’s next? Martha Stewart toilet paper?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I rounded the corner in my supermarket I almost crashed my cart when I saw an end-aisle display exclusively featuring Martha Stewart wines.
Now, I’ve been a fan of Martha’s for years, collecting her magazines and cookbooks, attempting her five layer tortes and toiling away at various crafty projects. I tolerated the Kmart deal, the poncho-wearing jailhouse release and the ubiquitous fabric swatches and paint samples. Lord knows she’s decorated more rooms in just one of her mansions than I’ll do in my entire lifetime.
But this wine venture just irked me. What does this paradigm of New England toniness have to do with California vineyards?
Sometimes you just have to draw the line at crass commercialism, and I have finally reached the point of Martha overstepping her Manolos (or is it Jimmy Choos these days?)
Does seeing Martha’s name still carry any cache for you? When you see a product like “Martha Stewart Vintage” wines does it make you want to buy them…or like me, run from them?
Comments
By atllvr
May 1, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this
Martha Stewart is one of the pioneers in the home entertaining scene. Paving the way for many other magazines, cooking and decorating shows. Even Oprah acknowledged that her own “home” magazine was possible by the groundwork done by Martha.
As for the wines? The wines are not hers. The wines are from a respectable vineyard with her label. She did play a big factor in choosing the wines that will go under her label. She has the expierence with food as well as wine to make some good choices so I think its a cool idea.
This is also a business. She has to continue to grow her company in different angles or people will get bored with the same old things (We all do, including me :)
Endorsing products is nothing new so I am not sure why it irks you just because it is Martha. Think of all the endorsements that go on for other items by sports stars, celebrities and even other domestic shows (Rachel Ray for example).
Congrats to her for constantly moving forward. Not all ideas work but having the ambition to constantly try new things is admirable for anyone.
By ron
May 1, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this
Martha Stewart is about the only name in advertising that has any affect on me.I will not even shop in a store that carries her name.
By DecaturDog
May 1, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
I too am a huge fan of Martha’s and I am a guy.
I regard Martha as one who does not job quickly on the trend train, or as one who makes “quickie” deals just to get her name out there. My reaction would be if she has her name on this wine, it is probably a nice, respectable vintner providing the actual “vino”. No doubt she and her cmpany put potential vintners through their paces before selection one on which to place her trademark.
I think MSL Omnimedia is amazing in their reach…and so far, it has not extended their grasp.
By gwarfan
May 2, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
There is something about Martha that gets me hot. Honestly she is like a dream woman at times. She has money out the wazzo, she can cook ,she can make things like Macgyver out of old cans and sting to make a turkey dinner, she grows plants, she has street cred after her little visit to the big house, and there is something that screams cougar to me. Martha and I with a few bottles of her fine wine out at her pad sounds like magic.
By boris
May 2, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
I’ve had several bottles of Martha’s wine…and it’s good! We’re witnessing the building of a brand. A brand I trust whole heartedly! You go, Martha!
By john
May 2, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
I’d wipe with Martha Stewart.
By Andy
May 5, 2008 7:58 PM | Link to this
This raises an interesting point. I think ‘ubiquity’ is a “Good Thing” if it is contained. I think the diluting of the brand may result if she spreads it on everything she can touch. There are also Martha foods now available at Costgo: hams, soups, cake mixes. I don’t find there is any cachet in those realms. It’s clearly a corporate move and it’s a cold, deadpan one at that.
I limit my Martha consumption to her magazines and books, mostly. That’s how she started and that’s where she is best.
By Sandy
May 9, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
I’m entirely sick and tired of K-Mart using the Martha name to up the prices on otherwise average products that I wouldn’t pay the reduction prices for. I’ve never cared for her monotone voice and the “it’s a good thing” catch phrase, so more of Martha is not “a good thing” for me.