Walter E. Smithe
Encyclopedia
Walter E. Smithe is a furniture
company based in Itasca, Illinois
. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery
, and operates thirteen showroom
s throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. It was founded by Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945 and is currently run by Smithe's three grandchildren: Walter E. Smithe III, Timothy Smithe, and Mark Smithe. The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves.
and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II
. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie.
Walter E. Smithe, Jr. joined the business in the 1960s, and began phasing out appliances to focus on custom upholstery. His sons, Walter, Timothy, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the company has thirteen showrooms in Illinois and Indiana and is listed by Furniture Today as one of the top one hundred furniture retailers in the United States.
commercials, which star the three Smithe brothers. Most feature the slogan "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E". The company's commercials were originally straightforward descriptions of the their products and services, but in 2003, the brothers decided to include outtakes from past filmings, which showed the brothers stumbling over words and laughing at each other. The Smithes had been encouraged to air their outtakes on television after Tim Smithe screened them at an interior design
seminar and received a positive reaction from the crowd. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years.
Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. One spot was modeled after Apple's iPod
commercials. Others have been parodies of reality television
shows, such as The Apprentice
and The Bachelor. A 2005 advertisement showed Mark and Tim Smithe dueling with CGI-enhanced lamps in an homage to the lightsaber
duels of the Star Wars
films. In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City
franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans
".
One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. The spot showed the brothers at a news conference announcing that they had purchased Wrigley Field
, home of the Chicago Cubs
, with plans to rename it Walter E. Smithe Field. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series
. It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray
. The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day
prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think.
Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. "In what seems to be their unending and over-the-top zeal to self-promote, they just may be helping drive traffic," he wrote, adding, "If nothing else, the advertising suggests the chain has some suits with personality attached." Maria Coons, a marketing
teacher at Harper College
, has also defended the advertisements, telling a Daily Herald reporter, "Some people who aren't in that [30 to 60 year old] demographic might consider them dorky, but for their target market, they're not. For people who are in their 40s and have families, that's how brothers act around each other when they get together. Plus, they seem like nice guys. Then they tie in pop culture ... it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company." Of the commercials, Tim Smithe has said, "We wanted to entertain people first, so then when we wanted to inform them they'd already be paying attention".
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
company based in Itasca, Illinois
Itasca, Illinois
Itasca is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,302 at the 2000 census.In 2009, BusinessWeek rated Itasca as the 'Best Affordable Suburb' in the state of Illinois...
. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, specializing in custom upholstery
Upholstery
Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder, which referred to a tradesman who held up his goods. The term is equally applicable to domestic,...
, and operates thirteen showroom
Showroom
The word showroom has two distinct meanings including:-Marketing location:A showroom is a large space used to display products for sale, such as automobiles, furniture, appliances, carpet or apparel. The World's most famous locations for a showroom are the Champs Elysees in Paris or the 5th Avenue...
s throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. It was founded by Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan in 1945 and is currently run by Smithe's three grandchildren: Walter E. Smithe III, Timothy Smithe, and Mark Smithe. The Smithe brothers have been described as "Chicago's most recognizable furniture purveyors", due to their ubiquitous television commercials starring themselves.
History
The company began in 1945 as Tone AppliancesHome appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. Walter E. Smithe and Bill Shanahan founded the store anticipating a booming economy in the wake of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The two renamed the store Smithe and Shanahan, but Bill Shanahan eventually sold his share to Smithe's brother Charlie.
Walter E. Smithe, Jr. joined the business in the 1960s, and began phasing out appliances to focus on custom upholstery. His sons, Walter, Timothy, and Mark, joined the company in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the company has thirteen showrooms in Illinois and Indiana and is listed by Furniture Today as one of the top one hundred furniture retailers in the United States.
Commercials
The company has become well-known in the Chicago area for its televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commercials, which star the three Smithe brothers. Most feature the slogan "You dream it, we build it", or "That's Smithe, with an E". The company's commercials were originally straightforward descriptions of the their products and services, but in 2003, the brothers decided to include outtakes from past filmings, which showed the brothers stumbling over words and laughing at each other. The Smithes had been encouraged to air their outtakes on television after Tim Smithe screened them at an interior design
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
seminar and received a positive reaction from the crowd. This began a long series of lighthearted television commercials, which became increasingly elaborate over the next few years.
Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. One spot was modeled after Apple's iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
commercials. Others have been parodies of reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
shows, such as The Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)
The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...
and The Bachelor. A 2005 advertisement showed Mark and Tim Smithe dueling with CGI-enhanced lamps in an homage to the lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
duels of the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
films. In 2008, they filmed and edited a takeoff of the Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
franchise, with the brothers sipping "Smithe-o-politans
Cosmopolitan (cocktail)
A cosmopolitan is a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice or sweetened lime juice. Informally, it is referred to as a Cosmo.-History:...
".
One of Walter E. Smithe's most discussed commercials aired in late March 2006. The spot showed the brothers at a news conference announcing that they had purchased Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, home of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, with plans to rename it Walter E. Smithe Field. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. It also featured an appearance by Dutchie Caray, wife of the late Cubs announcer Harry Caray
Harry Caray
Harry Caray, born Harry Christopher Carabina, was an American baseball broadcaster on radio and television. He covered four Major League Baseball teams, beginning with a long tenure calling the games of the St...
. The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think.
Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. Some have criticized the spots for underemphasizing Walter E. Smithe's actual furniture products. However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
teacher at Harper College
Harper College
William Rainey Harper College is a comprehensive community college in Palatine, Illinois, United States. The college was established by referendum in 1965 and opened in September 1967. It is named for Dr. William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in the junior college movement in the United States and the...
, has also defended the advertisements, telling a Daily Herald reporter, "Some people who aren't in that [30 to 60 year old] demographic might consider them dorky, but for their target market, they're not. For people who are in their 40s and have families, that's how brothers act around each other when they get together. Plus, they seem like nice guys. Then they tie in pop culture ... it shows that they're sort of a with-it furniture company." Of the commercials, Tim Smithe has said, "We wanted to entertain people first, so then when we wanted to inform them they'd already be paying attention".