Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
Essay Preview: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
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Company History: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO)
In 1997, Martha Stewart incorporated her business from Time Warner Company (the business was called Martha Stewart Living Enterprises during this time) for an estimated $75 million (“Funding Universe”). Although the company was incorporated in 1997, the reaching of the business started much earlier; 1976, through Marthas various activities and successes. With a bachelors degree in history and architecture, and with her abilities gained through modeling and as a stockbroker, Martha created a catering business in 1972 in the basement of her home in Westport, Connecticut (“Hoovers”). The experiences she gained from the catering business assisted her in the publication of her first book “Entertaining.” “Entertaining” was a booming success, with over 30 printings, “propelled Stewart into the public spotlight” (“Hoovers”). Twenty-five years later, MSLO is a multi-billion dollar corporation.
MSLO includes three main divisions: publishing and online, television and merchandising. The publishing division is the heart of the company with Stewarts magazine, Martha Stewart Living, offering Marthas ideas to the public on decorating, crafts, gardening and recipes. The companys website is also within the publishing division providing guidance for Marthas television program, instructions for recipes and crafts, and purchasing merchandise opportunities. MSLOs television division presents a daily show (Martha Stewart Living), a weekly appearance of Martha Stewart on the program CBS this Morning, as well as a ninety-second radio feature known as Ask Martha. The merchandising division controls the Martha by Mail catalogue as well as the marketing agreements with retailers Kmart and Sherwin-Williams (“Funding Universe”).
Martha Stewarts name and fame contributes to MSLOs early success in a variety of ways:
1970- catering business (“Hoovers”)
1982- book: Entertaining (Golder)
1987- lifestyle consultant for Kmart (“Hoovers”)
1990- Martha Stewart Magazine (“Hoovers”)
1992- creating a line of paints with Sherwin-Williams (“Hoovers”)
1993- Martha Stewart Living TV show (“Hoovers”)
1995- first TV Christmas Special (including Hilary Clinton and Miss Piggy) (“Hoovers”)
1995- direct mail catalogue, and a weekly syndicated newspapers (“Hoovers”)
1995- creation