The results have been impressive: growing attendance, record number of exhibitors and a growing identity for the organization's biannual shows.

"We try very hard to differentiate SAHBA shows from others and advertising helps separate us from the competition ," says Maurya Palmer, home show manager.

Mike Bolchalk, president of the Tucson firm, says that SAHBA shows are clearly superior to similar venues and its advertising needed to reflect the quality of shows.

"The first thing we recommended was to package the advertising in a quality fashion. The next thing we did was create an identity for each show within the overall context that SAHBA was producing each event," says Bolchalk.

Bolchalk suggested that the October show be called the "Fall Home & Garden Show" and the April show be marketed as the "Spring Home & Patio Show." The shows have seasonal themes so it made sense to do so, he says.

Research says message recall improves dramatically when visuals are part of the advertising, so the firm with the blessing of home show management and the home show committee places a high emphasis on the graphics theme.

Robyn Frey, the company' vice-president and creative director, is responsible for coming up with the visually appealing graphics for each show. "It's a challenge to keep things fresh every six months and yet keep them within the framework of the overall SAHBA home show theme," she says.

The approach works. Every time the billboards begin appearing around town to promote the show Palmer says that she gets calls from new companies wishing to exhibit.

Bolchalk's belief is that SAHBA's home shows needed to be distinctly branded has paid off further: the ads themselves from the last three shows have won awards for creative excellence from the Tucson Ad Federation.