Local Contractor Ralph Rossi featured as Expert Contractor in National Magazines, Bus Billboards and on National TV for Benjamin Moore’s “For Those Who Know Moore” Campaign

Westchester, NY: Friends and customers of Pratt & D’Angelo may notice a familiar face on the pages of the May national editions of House Beautiful, Country Living, Real Simple, Traditional Home, and Elle Décor. And, within the next few weeks, they may be further surprised when they turn on their TV’s. Already appearing extensively in National print media for Benjamin Moore’s ad campaign “For Those Who Know Moore,” Ralph Rossi, owner of Pratt & D’Angelo will soon appear on TV and Cable on the East Coast and beyond throughout 2010.

Located in Westchester, NY, Pratt & D’Angelo was recently recognized as The Very Best in The Business by Benjamin Moore Paints in their 2010 “For Those Who Know More” National Ad Campaign prattdangelo.com/press. The ad will be featured in national magazines, bus billboards, TV, and on an interactive Facebook page.

For its 2010 advertising campaign, Benjamin Moore has brought together eight top design and paint industry mavens who favor the company’s products and posed them in a photo portrait inspired by Vanity Fair’s Hollywood Issue covers. The headline reads, “Paint With The Very Best” and is tagged with a double entendre final statement, “For Those Who Know More.” It has been published as a double-page spread in the May national editions of Elle Décor and House Beautiful; and as a single-page horizontal in Country Living, Real Simple and Traditional Home, part of a regional buy that includes New York, Boston, Chicago, D.C. and San Francisco. Subsequently the ad will appear as a single-page horizontal in June, September and October issues of all five publications.

Though they are neither paparazzi prey nor household names, the eight personalities starring in the Benjamin Moore campaign are bona fide design and paint experts who, in the decorating world (and in the magazines where the ads appear), are recognizable and respected. Perhaps the best known is interior designer Jamie Drake, whose celebrity clientele includes Michael Bloomberg and Madonna. Other interior designers who are featured are Darryl Carter, Celerie Kemble and Amy Lau. Canada, which accounts for approximately 15% of Benjamin Moore’s North American business, is represented by designer Brian Gluckstein and architect Vladimir Topouzanov. Two professional painting contractors complete the group: Jeff Hester, of Chicago-based Hester Painting and Decorating, and Ralph Rossi, President of Pratt & D’Angelo Painting, from Westchester County, NY.

Eileen McComb, Director, Corporate Communications, Benjamin Moore & Co. explains, “Ralph Rossi was chosen by Benjamin Moore Paints to represent the ideal contractor in our 2010 advertising campaign “Paint With The Very Best”. We requested Ralph join us because of his professionalism, depth of knowledge, dedication to service, and exemplary ethics — clearly his business is one that Benjamin Moore admires and respects. And we are proud that his company, Pratt & D’Angelo, specifies Benjamin Moore products.”

Rossi, known for his professional standards as a paint contractor in the Westchester, New York region, is a dedicated advocate for environmental safety issues in the renovation industry. Proactive as an Environmental Engineer, Rossi earned a Masters Degree in Environmental Engineering from Cornell University and created, developed and taught Environmental Site Assessment courses at New York University’s (NYU’) Real Estate Institute.

According to Deb DeHamilton, Senior Manager, Media and Web Communications for Benjamin Moore & Co, “Our management team loved our campaign ‘For those who know more’ so much that they asked us to produce product specific TV spots that would highlight one of our designer/contractor testimonials. The team selected Rossi’s comments for the Natura spot, since he said some great things about the product and benefits.”

The spot will be airing in NY metro, Boston, Hartford and Providence in mid May and rolling out over other markets throughout 2010.

Benjamin Moore is aggressively using Facebook to unite the community of experts “who know more” with consumers who are hungry to learn more about decorating, design, color and paint. Visitors will be able to connect not only with the ad’s eight experts but also with dozens of other designers and hands-on painting contractors who Benjamin Moore will be regularly welcoming to join the site. Currently, video conversations with the ad stars can be viewed and there is an Ask the Experts tab, allowing a dialogue for advice and tips. On the flip side, the participating experts will have a forum for showing off their portfolio of work, a helpful promotional perq for their individual businesses. And, there will be occasional real-time live Ask the Expert sessions that will let visitors upload their own color/painting makeover projects to obtain suggestions and critiques from the professionals. Additionally, an Events tab will help direct consumers to local retailer programs, sales events and other in-store activities.

The campaign video can be seen on the Benjamin Moore Facebook page. Visitors to the interactive site are invited to ask the experts questions pertaining to painting and decorating.