Join the Minnesota Wood Camaign / True North Woods / FSC Group Certification Program

Minnesota Wood Campaign

The Minnesota Wood Campaign, owned by wood and forest products producers and supported by its members, is a joint Marketing and Branding venture for the True North Woods^® certification brand and the products bearing the True North Woods^® brand. www.TrueNorthWoods.com

Long-Range Vision

The True North Woods^® certification brand will be recognized and appreciated by discriminating and demanding customers worldwide. This vision is supported by our commitment to sustainable forestry, the unique traits of our species, the high quality of our wood and forest products, our skilled production capabilities, and our tradition of craftsmanship.

Ultimate Goals

Add value to wood and forest products of Branded Members 
Expand number of high-value customers of Branded Members 
Increase sales and profits of Branded
Retain wood- and forest-related businesses and jobs in northern Minnesota

2008 Objective

To promote the True North Woods^® certification brand in order to:
Drive customers to True North Woods website
Drive website customers to contact Branded Members and purchase products bearing the certification brand.

The Value of Membership

Branded Members Enjoy
True North Woods^® Certification Branding 
Use of the brand on products and sales materials
Promotion of the True North Woods^® brand by the Campaign 
Brand-related promotional materials 
Participation in the True North Woods Network
Cooperative Marketing Opportunities 
Joint publicity and public relations activities 
Coop participation in advertising 
Coop participation in shows and events 
Premium Website listing and linkage 
Sales leads matched with customer inquiries 
Participation in supplier consortium
Training & Technical Assistance
Workshops and on-line Webinars 
FSC information and certification assistance
Marketing technical assistance
Information
Regular email news blasts
Website research and resources information

Supporting Members Receive
Training
Workshops and on-line Webinars
FSC certification information
Information
Regular email news blasts
Website research and resources information
Recognition as Supporter in:
Email news blast
Website home page

General Members Participate in
Training
Workshops and on-line Webinars
FSC certification information
Information 
Regular email news blasts 
Website research and resources information

The Value of Brand Marketing

True North Woods^® Brand Promise: “The True North Woods certification brand assures you that this product is a product of northern Minnesota.”

Target Markets for Promotions
Twin Cities & northern Minnesota 
Primary Audiences: End consumers 
Secondary Audiences: Architects, designers, builders

Key Promotional Messages
Local: A product of northern Minnesota
Green / Sustainable: A product produced from materials that originated in sustainably managed and harvested forests

Publicity & Public Relations
Advertising: Radio, billboards, newsletters 
Direct Mail: Mailings to consumers and others 
Shows: Coop participation with Branded Members 
Website: Renewed, updated, promoted, Branded Member premium listing and linkage

Delivering Customers Through
Website: Drive customers to contact Branded Members and purchase products
Workshops: Provide species and product information
Supplier Consortium: Network Branded Members and other suppliers to provide local and sustainable products for large-scale LEED projects
Buyer Assistance: Match customer inquiries with Branded Members by distributing sales leads

Join the Minnesota Wood Campaign Today

Contact the Campaign at Minnesota Wood Campaign / Home of the True North Wood^® Certification Brand / 26 E. Exchange, Suite 405 / St. Paul, MN 55101, USA / Tel 1-888-223-5629 or 1-651-223-5629 / Fax 1-651-222-5263 / Email Info@TrueNorthWoods.com  / Web www.TrueNorthWoods.com  

Economic Forecast is Dim, But Help Available for Minnesota Wood Producers

Minnesota Wood Campaign offers help and hope for Northern Minnesota Businesses

Contact: Gary Winget, 651-223-5629, Gary@TrueNorthWoods.com, or visit the Campaign’s website at http://www.truenorthwoods.com/.

On November 30, 2007, the State of Minnesota released a dim economic forecast, projecting a $373 million deficit for the 2008-09 biennium. The signs of an economic decline continue all around us. We can’t help but notice that the housing market has severely cooled and jobs are being eliminated.

In a time when northern Minnesota’s wood producers face evermore challenges marketing their products, one supportive group is getting ready to ramp up its promotion program for Minnesota forest products as well as its membership for 2008. The Minnesota Wood Campaign, organized in 2003, currently has over 140 general and branded members throughout central and northern Minnesota. But there are many more such businesses that could benefit from their market promotion programs.

The Campaign developed the True North Woods^® certification brand to enable its members to market their products as local and sustainable and position themselves as part of the growing Green Movement. The brand assures consumers that the products they purchase are made by people who care about their work and the forests, and are produced from materials that originated in the sustainably managed and harvested forests of central and northern Minnesot.

“The weakening of the housing construction industry and the prospects of a sluggish economy over the next year have made it even more important for artisans, producers, and manufacturers in the forest products industry to band together. We can help them aggressively market the unique traits of our northern wood species and the quality craftsmanship that goes into the products our members produce,” says Gary Winget, general manager of the Campaign.

The Minnesota Wood Campaign is launching its annual month-long membership drive on February 15. Artisans, primary and secondary producers, and manufacturers who produced products from materials that originate in Minnesota’s central and northern forests are invited to join the Campaign.

“The Campaign’s aggressive marketing program” noted John Rajala, president of the Campaign, “promotes the region’s True North Woods^® certification brand, and its members’ products bearing that brand, to discerning consumers, architects, builders, and others that value high-quality, locally, and sustainably produced products.”

Persons interested in more information about the Campaign may contact the Campaign’s marketing office at 1-888-223-5629, email