www.duquesamarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

January 12, 2012

Contact:  Geoff Ficke

859-567-1609

Duquesa Marketing Appoints Defined by Design to Develop Graphic Art for Pedi-Protexx Cosmetic Accessory

Packaging, Display, Branding, Web-Site and Trade Show Visuals To Be Produced to Support International Product Launch in Spring-2012

Florence, KY     Nancy Ficke, General Manager of International award winning Branding and Consumer Product Design and Development firm Duquesa Marketing announced today the her group has appointed Melbourne, FL based Defined by Design to create Graphic Art elements for the launch of Cosmetic Accessory Pedi-Protexx.

“As Managing Consultants for the Pedi-Protexx project we reviewed a number of candidates to assist us in creating the visual Branding elements we will need to take the line to market”, said Mrs. Ficke. “We were most impressed by the vision Linda Walding and her firm Defined by Design brought to the project”.

“Dr. Barbara von Mettenheim, founder of BvonM LLC and creator of Pedi-Protexx has crafted a wonderful, simple, elegant solution to a problem that many women experience”, said Alexis Bruning, VP of New Business Development for Duquesa Marketing. “The Graphic Art element for this project is crucial to ultimate success and Defined by Design is proving to be a wise creative choice”.

Duquesa Marketing will be announcing shortly an aggressive launch calendar for the Pedi-Protexx line of Cosmetic Accessories. The Brand will be introduced in an international venue and will enjoy excellent sales promotional support. The Business Plan is for a Spring-2012 roll-out.

www.duquesamarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

December 1, 2011

Contact:  Geoff Ficke

859-567-1609

gficke@msn.com

Novel New Line to Be Introduced to Retail Beauty Trade in Spring-2012 at Major International Venue

Alexandria, VA –  Dr. Barbara von Mettenheim, creator of Pedi-Flip announced today that her Beauty Product design atelier BvonM LLC has contracted the services of Melbourne, FL based Defined by Design to create essential Branding and Graphic Art visual elements for a Spring-2012 international market introduction.   

“I collaborated with my Managing Consultants at Duquesa Marketing to review a number of candidates for creative design work”, said Dr. von Mettenheim. “Pedi-Flip is a product that performs a specific, necessary task, but it also has a good bit of fun and whimsy attached to the design.  Linda Walding immediately grasped my vision and is a wonderful addition to our team”. 

“When my work product was being reviewed by Geoff Ficke of Duquesa Marketing and Barbara von Mettenheim I became very appreciative of the diligence they exercised in considering all of the submissions,”, said Linda Walding, President of Defined by Design. “I was of course thrilled to be selected to work on this interesting, exciting project”.

“My specialty is creativity and product design”, said Dr. von Mettenheim. “I am fortunate to have Duquesa Marketing acting as my Managing Consultants and Defined by Design handling Graphic Art.  This gives me the freedom to concentrate on areas where I can be most productive”.

www.duquesamarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

November 5, 2011

Contact:  Geoff Ficke

859-567-1609

Duquesa Marketing Appoints Defined by Design to Develop Graphic Art for Pedi-Flip Cosmetic Accessory 

Packaging, Display, Branding, Web-Site and Trade Show Visuals To Be Produced to Support International Product Launch in Spring-2012 

Florence, KY     Nancy Ficke, General Manager of International award winning Branding and Consumer Product Design and Development firm Duquesa Marketing announced today that her group has appointed Melbourne, FL based Defined by Design to create Graphic Art elements for the launch of Cosmetic Accessory Pedi-Flip. 

“As Managing Consultants for the Pedi-Flip project we reviewed a number of candidates to assist us in creating the visual Branding elements we will need to take the line to market”, said Mrs. Ficke. “We were most impressed by the vision Linda Walding and her firm Defined by Design brought to the project”. 

“Dr. Barbara von Mettenheim, founder of BvonM LLC and creator of Pedi-Flip has crafted a wonderful, simple, elegant solution to a problem that many women experience”, said Alexis Bruning, VP of New Business Development for Duquesa Marketing. “The Graphic Art element for this project is crucial to ultimate success and Defined by Design is proving to be a wise creative choice”. 

Duquesa Marketing will be announcing shortly an aggressive launch calendar for the Pedi-Flip line of Cosmetic Accessories. The Brand will be introduced in an international venue and will enjoy excellent sales promotional support. The Business Plan is for a Spring-2012 roll-out.

www.DuquesaMarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

November 4, 2011

Contact:  Geoff Ficke 

BvonM LLC Appoints Defined by Design to Produce Graphic Arts Elements for Pedi-Flip Cosmetic Accessory

Novel New Line to Be Introduced to Retail Beauty  Trade in Spring-2012 at Major International Venue 

Alexandria, VA   Dr. Barbara von Mettenhiem, creator of Pedi-Flip announced today that her Beauty Product design atelier BvonM LLC has contracted the services of Melbourne, FL based Defined by Design to create essential Branding and Graphic Art visual elements for a Spring-2012 international market introduction.   

“I collaborated with my Managing Consultants at Duquesa Marketing to review a number of candidates for creative design work”, said Dr. Von Mettenheim. “Pedi-Flip is a product that performs a specific, necessary task, but it also has a good bit of fun and whimsy attached to the design. Linda Walding immediately grasped my vision and is a wonderful addition to our team”. 

“When my work product was being reviewed by Geoff Ficke of Duquesa Marketing and Dr. Barbara von Mettenheim I became very appreciative of the diligence they exercised in considering all of the submissions,”, said Linda Walding, President of Defined by Design. “I was of course thrilled to be selected to work on this interesting, exciting project”. 

“My specialty is creativity and product design”, said Dr. Von Mettenheim. “I am fortunate to have Duquesa Marketing acting as my Managing Consultants and Defined by Design handling Graphic Art. This gives me the freedom to concentrate on areas where I can be most productive”.

www.duquesamarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

October 20, 2011

Contact:  Geoff Ficke

859-567-1609

gficke@msn.com

BvonM llc Appoints Harrington Product Development To Manage Manufacturing of New Pedicure Accessory 

Cosmetic Accessory Brand to Launch in Spring-2012 To International Retail, Salon and Day Spa Market

Alexandria, VA  Dr. Barbara von Mettenheim, Founder and Designer at BvonM llc announced today that her cosmetic accessory design atelier has engaged the services of Cincinnati, OH based Harrington Product Development to manage the Manufacturing and Logistics for the Spring-2012 launch of her line of Pedicure products. 

“My project’s Managing Consultants at Duquesa Marketing have worked with Rick Harrington for years and enjoyed great results”, said Dr. von Mettenheim. “After I reviewed many options, I realized that Harrington Product Development had the experience and savvy to do the best job of handling the production and packaging of my pedicure accessory products”. 

“My firm has handled engineering and manufacturing for many projects managed by Nancy and Geoff Ficke at Duquesa Marketing”, said Rick Harrington, President of Harrington Product Development. “They are so excited about BvonM’s line of pedicure accessories that it was easy for us to jump on board after seeing the novelty that Dr. von Mettenheim has built into the products”. 

BvonM will announce all details of the Pedicure product lines United States and international launch in early 2012. Branding, sales promotion, distribution and pricing are being developed by Duquesa Marketing. The Brand will be introduced at a major trade show.

www.duquesamarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

October 18, 2011

Contact:  Geoff Ficke

859-567-1609

gficke@msn.com

BvonM llc Announces the Appointment of Duquesa Marketing to Act as Managing Project Consultants 

Product Development, Branding, Sales and Marketing to Be Executed to Prepare for Spring 2012 Market Launch 

Alexandria, VA   Dr. Barbara von Mettenheim, Founder of cosmetic accessory design firm BvonM llc announced today that her firm has engaged the services of Florence, KY based Duquesa Marketing to act as Managing Consultants for the development and market launch of her novel line of Pedicure Accessory products. 

“I had cast a wide net for a consulting firm that could free my time to enable me to solely concentrate on creating products”, said Dr. von Mettenheim. “When I met the group from Duquesa Marketing I immediately knew I was in the right place, with a team with the right beauty industry experience and vision to take my product though the birthing and launch process to market success”. 

“We met Dr.Barbara von Mettenheim and were struck by her drive, passion and enthusiasm for the creations she presented”, said Alexis Bruning, V.P. of New Product Development for Duquesa Marketing. “Her pedicure accessories are the types of products that offer real solutions to common problems in a simply elegant format that makes our job so exciting”.

“We will be announcing shortly a schedule of events that will support the launch of the products,” said Dr. von Mettenheim. “Branding, sales promotion, pricing and distribution will be developed by Duquesa Marketing in the next few months. The line will be available for shipment in early Spring-2012”.

www.duquesamarketing.com

Press Release

For Immediate Release

October 17, 2011

Contact:  Geoff Ficke

859-567-1609

gficke@msn.com

Duquesa Marketing Appointed to Act as Managing Consultant for New Line of Pedicure Products

Award Winning International Consumer Product Development Firm to Launch Brand to retail Market in Spring-2012 

Florence, KY    Nancy Ficke, General Manager and co-founder of Duquesa Marketing, announced today that her Branding and Product Development firm has been appointed to act as Managing Consultants for BvonM llc, an Alexandria, VA based cosmetic accessory design atelier and the launch of their novel line of pedicure products. 

“BvonM owner Dr. Barbara von Mettenhiem has created a simple, elegant answer to a problem that every woman experiences when getting Pedicures”, said Nancy Ficke.  “The product she has designed is a real enhancement to the experience that millions of consumers enjoy when visiting nail salons for pedicures”. 

“BvonM presented us with a wonderful product concept that we have been charged with developing, Branding, Marketing and Selling to the international salon industry”, said Geoff Ficke. “This line has immense international potential as well and we look forward to introducing the brand to our international distributors.

Duquesa Marketing is a one-stop, turnkey service provider to Inventors, Entrepreneurs, small and micro-businesses and multi-nationals specializing in Consumer Products. The Company has over 40 years experience and has worked in all sales channels in the United States and Internationally.

The d’Orsay Pump High Heel Shoe Is Revered to This Day Even If the Creator Has Largely Been Forgotten 

Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo are only a few of the famous contemporary shoe designers who owe much of their success to an early 19^th century gentleman revered at the time for his style, manners and worldliness. Alfred Guillaume Gabriel, the Count d’Orsay was a nobleman and eclectic artist who married into the British aristocracy. He became a touchstone for manners, taste, understated luxury in the English royal court and high society. 

Count d’Orsay won fame throughout France, Britain and the Rhone Valley as an painter, sculptor, diarist and wit. He was considered the “most perfect gentleman of his day”. Cynics spoke of men such as Beau Brummel and the Count as “dandies”. The term “dossy, commonly in use during the first half of the 19^th century, was considered to be derived from his name and meant a man who was an “arbiter elegantarium.” 

The privileged class at that time was very interested in all things related to fashion and vanity. Shoes and footwear were of particular interest. Since Catherine de Medici, in 16^th century Italy, wore two inch heels to negate her diminutive height, the pursuit of shoes with ever-more exaggerated heels had become a passion. By the time of the reign of the famous French Sun King, Louis XIV, regal women were teetering on high soled and heeled shoes so ridiculously elevated that they required a type of ski pole to keep themselves upright. 

The Count d’Orsay had been a soldier in early life, and a courageous one. Uniforms and military dress were of great import to him. He was not happy with the military parade footwear of his day. He designed a military shoe for men in 1838. The profile of the shoe was quite different from pump footwear of the day, fitting more snuggly, and featuring low cut sides and a V-shaped top. The silhouette became so popular that it was soon adopted by women. The d”Orsay pump high heel shoe was thus born.   

“The d’Orsay pump leaves the sexiest part of the foot, the curved instep, naked. The curve of the instep resembles the curves of a woman’s body, and it is normally not exposed, but hidden from view “, said Christian Louboutin, in describing the modern influence and popularity of the d’Orsay high heeled style of pump shoe. Modern materials, technology and design have co-mingled to make women’s shoes ever more exotic and dynamic. The d’Orsay styles sold today are reflective of the advances in engineering that the pioneering styles created by the Count d’Orsay have evolved to. 

The origins of the d’Orsay designed shoe has been largely forgotten. Most women that wear the d’Orsay don’t even know the proper historic name for the shoe. However, the design is one of the most popular today, worn and favored by stylish women everywhere. 

The Count d’Orsay inadvertently created an enduring fashion style for women by endeavoring to create footwear for men. Modern haute couture designers have taken his military directed shoes and leapfrogged the styling to runway shows, department stores and boutiques where they are mated with ever more feminine fashion creations. This is a classic instance of a product or design evolving from its market of original intent to an ultimately more successful usage.

We left the meeting with the confidence that we had reviewed a shooting star product and vibrant new creative force in the footwear category. But we also left with a disturbing inkling that the design wiz was not going to take the appropriate steps essential to successfully market the product. The business and creative elements were at odds in our young wunderkind. He left us with the impression that he knew what he had to do to achieve his goals, but he did not have the drive, fire in the belly or decisiveness so necessary to get to the commercial mountaintop.

We advised the young man, as we do all entrepreneurs, that time was not his friend. Always assume that someone, somewhere is working, probably inadvertently, on a similar product or concept and might beat you to market. This is prudent paranoia. It does happen and more often than you think. This is why successful entrepreneurs are unceasing in pursuit of their dream.

Several meetings and many phone calls later, our young designer was still unable to pull the trigger and push ahead on a product launch project. He wanted to improve the sole profile. He then wanted to change the color assortment. Next, he decided the factory was not complying with his directions. This went on and on for months. Of course, we could see what was really happening: he was afraid of success. We have seen this many times and the symptoms of this malady are always obvious.

We gave up on the designer and the footwear project gradually and reluctantly. We still loved the product and the future potential that could be mined by launching the brand. But we realistically saw that this opportunity would be doomed by his lack of commitment. We moved on.
Sadly, this week I was walking through the local shopping mall and was stopped in my tracks by a window display. A famous national chain store had a floor display in the main window, back lit, fully stocked and merchandised, with over 200 pairs of the footwear we had reviewed several years ago. I immediately caught my breath and entered the store to learn more. I thought, “Maybe he did get to market after all and good for him”.

A quick chat with the store manager, however, confirmed that the novel footwear we had reviewed several years ago had been pushed to market by a rival designer, with a similar product, a lady with a clever branding program and the line was enjoying huge success. I called several contacts in the footwear business and found out that this product had no relationship with my wunderkind designer. The young lady behind the brand I saw in the store window had started with a few stores, enjoyed excellent initial sales, secured a receivable financing deal and aggressively rolled out her merchandising program to national chains. Distribution was growing rapidly; she was introducing new styles, and was beginning to advertise in fashion magazines.

This is a sad, really sickening example, of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Having a wonderful new product, service or concept that is market ready but not moving on the project is such a waste. I phoned the designer we originally consulted with and asked him if he knew about the competitive product that had beaten him to market and secured his niche. After browbeating the competitor’s product as being inferior, he could only state that he was working on a better version of his original concept. He could offer no timeline on when the brand would launch.

I take no joy in stating that I doubt that he will ever successfully market footwear. I equally hate to state that there are many more than a few aspiring entrepreneurs that will experience the same fate. “Time is not an entrepreneur’s friend”, is not just words, but a fact.