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Since HPBA’s membership encompasses the entire United States, Frause felt that a media relations campaign targeting daily newspapers across the country would be the most cost effective and successful way to “spread the word” about electric fireplaces and new gas fireplace features. A list of the top 100 dailies was compiled. To enhance the campaign’s reach to women, a number of consumer lifestyle and home and garden publications were added to the media list. A media release, the headline, “Current Buzz on Fireplaces is Electric,” was written and distributed. Personal follow-up with journalists was initiated, and continues to take place.

This campaign began in late September, and distribution of the release finished up in mid-October. Results were exceptional: a feature article on “faux fireplaces” appeared on the front of the Wall Street Journal’s “Weekend Journal” section, complete with color illustrations. Several fireplace design firms, whose names and product photos Frause provided to the WSJ, were prominently mentioned in the article. One of these firms reported receiving ten calls from prospective customers within two hours of the paper’s release. In addition, Better Homes and Gardens included news about electric and gas fireplaces in the “Hearth = Home” article that appeared in their Fall/Winter 2002 Home Products Guide. In total, the campaign generated more than 1300 clips in media outlets across North America with a circulation count of more than 80 million.