The Finest Wide Plank Floors Made in America. After years as a distributor in his family's lumber business, Dan Reisen uncovered a centuries-old secret – a process for manufacturing a solid wood wide plank floor that had withstood stress and movement for more than 80 years. Practically unheard of today, this technique was constructed entirely by hand by master craftsmen using an intricate 3-layer construction process. Reisen was inspired to recreate this incredibly stable, premium product in the USA using modern technology and offer it as custom wide plank flooring.
In order for Reisen's new product to break through in a premium market dominated by European manufacturers, it needed to look and sound the part.
Gasp recommended an epic name, Virtu, and an elegant, dramatic look and feel. Mother Nature was our spokesperson for solid wood as a renewable resource. The classic Seven Virtues were rewritten to describe the product benefits. Our new tagline, "The Finest Wide Plank Floors Made in America," set a benchmark for excellence that no other domestic flooring manufacturer could match.
Gasp created an identity system and sales components that featured product samples, a brochure and product specification sheets. Our Virtu web site allowed key industry audiences – from award-winning architects to the nation's most demanding clientele – to view content tailored to their needs. A blog documented the team's journey from startup, testing and production through product launch. Virtu was officially introduced at the BuildBoston trade show, where it was featured in the show's New Product Pavilion.
After just 3 years from product concept to development to marketing, Dan Reisen was able to make the leap from lumber distributor to premium wide plank manufacturer. Virtu's brand identity allowed them a respected "place at the table" alongside their more established counterparts, in both consumer and industry trade environments.
www.virtufloors.com, website
Dan Reisen (Reisen Lumber, Inc.), client
Harry Webber (Smart Communications, Inc.), Angela Glenn, copywriting
Harry Webber (Smart Communications, Inc.), Angela Glenn, art direction
Rob Novack (CSG by Design, Inc.), business strategy
Ivan Song, Michelle Brady, web development
Phil Woo (Marrs, Colornet Press), Kevin Delaney (Primary Color), print services