Tender Heart Treasures creates 90 percent of its own products—and considers this one of its competitive advantages.

By Alicia Orr Suman

Imagery was changed from straight product shots to dynamic shots incorporating warmer, more natural lighting along with a sense of lifestyle. In addition, full-page shots were added to kick-off a section such as “Kitchen,” “Garden” or “Country Comforts.” These full-page openers helped to pace the book and showcase key products within each collection, Kuehl says. “We supported our brand through key positioning elements such as our guarantee and signature design platform. Our covers have continued to evolve over the years, once packed with an average of 13 items, nowadays, sometimes featuring only one.”