Sonya M.: Hello Canadian Tire,
Like many Canadians I appreciate your continued support of youth sports programs. I have to however, take issue with your current television commercial featuring your small appliances. In the ad a couple is viewing the kitchen of a property that presumably is for sale. It is very nice and they are impressed, until your company spokesman tells them to "Hold on! I have seen this, it's a classic staging trick." The ad continues with the spokesman directing them to look at the small appliances instead, then of course water pours from the light fixture when the water tap is turned. Implying that the "staging trick" was used to mask or hide this horrible deficiency. I admit that the ad is amusing, however, the implication that staging is used to "trick" buyers or hide dangerous flaws is not amusing at all. I am a hard working entrepreneur who owns and operates a real estate styling (staging) business. I can assure you that my professional code of ethics as well as my business practices do NOT support hiding/masking/covering visible or known deficiencies or flaws or otherwise "tricking" consumers EVER. Our job is to visually market a property through highlighting positive aspects and minimizing less than ideal aspects (small room, poor floor plan, or misplaced fireplaces to name a few).
I have a well developed sense of humour and I can generally see the humour in most situations but I cannot see the humour in maligning and accusing an entire profession of misconduct in order to have an amusing advertisement. Perhaps you don't adequately understand what stagers do, many in the past haven't. Which is why we as a profession have spent the last 10 years+ educating the public. If you would like further information about staging, I would be happy to assist with any questions or direct you to two great resources: CSP International Business Training Academy and Resor med charter och reguljärflyg - Boka din resa hos Ving. Both of these organizations and their members are also anticipating your response to our disappointment.
As a small business owner I try my best to help the economy by buying Canadian and supporting Canadian business. My business type in particular often involves recommending repairs, updates and cosmetic changes for home sellers to complete and Canadian Tire would have been a source I gave my clients. It is very seldom that light fixture updates, wall repairs, cleaning supplies, paint colour changes are not needed for occupied properties. Most clients of mine want a one stop shop. I simply cannot support a business that is actively hurting mine.
Ideally, my wish would be that the commercial in question is edited to not misrepresent staging in such a negative way. Every time it airs more damage is done. As a respected colleague pointed out, I wonder what the response would be if "stager" was instead "home inspector" or "contractor"?
Shame on you Canadian Tire for putting potential profit ahead of valued customers and small businesses.
Like many Canadians I appreciate your continued support of youth sports programs. I have to however, take issue with your current television commercial featuring your small appliances. In the ad a couple is viewing the kitchen of a property that presumably is for sale. It is very nice and they are impressed, until your company spokesman tells them to "Hold on! I have seen this, it's a classic staging trick." The ad continues with the spokesman directing them to look at the small appliances instead, then of course water pours from the light fixture when the water tap is turned. Implying that the "staging trick" was used to mask or hide this horrible deficiency. I admit that the ad is amusing, however, the implication that staging is used to "trick" buyers or hide dangerous flaws is not amusing at all. I am a hard working entrepreneur who owns and operates a real estate styling (staging) business. I can assure you that my professional code of ethics as well as my business practices do NOT support hiding/masking/covering visible or known deficiencies or flaws or otherwise "tricking" consumers EVER. Our job is to visually market a property through highlighting positive aspects and minimizing less than ideal aspects (small room, poor floor plan, or misplaced fireplaces to name a few).
I have a well developed sense of humour and I can generally see the humour in most situations but I cannot see the humour in maligning and accusing an entire profession of misconduct in order to have an amusing advertisement. Perhaps you don't adequately understand what stagers do, many in the past haven't. Which is why we as a profession have spent the last 10 years+ educating the public. If you would like further information about staging, I would be happy to assist with any questions or direct you to two great resources: CSP International Business Training Academy and Resor med charter och reguljärflyg - Boka din resa hos Ving. Both of these organizations and their members are also anticipating your response to our disappointment.
As a small business owner I try my best to help the economy by buying Canadian and supporting Canadian business. My business type in particular often involves recommending repairs, updates and cosmetic changes for home sellers to complete and Canadian Tire would have been a source I gave my clients. It is very seldom that light fixture updates, wall repairs, cleaning supplies, paint colour changes are not needed for occupied properties. Most clients of mine want a one stop shop. I simply cannot support a business that is actively hurting mine.
Ideally, my wish would be that the commercial in question is edited to not misrepresent staging in such a negative way. Every time it airs more damage is done. As a respected colleague pointed out, I wonder what the response would be if "stager" was instead "home inspector" or "contractor"?
Shame on you Canadian Tire for putting potential profit ahead of valued customers and small businesses.
