Whom You Know: MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Greg Furman, Founder of the Luxury Marketing Council!

Monday, March 2, 2009

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Greg Furman, Founder of the Luxury Marketing Council!

President of Furman Communications & Marketing and Founder & Chairman of The Luxury Marketing Council, Greg Furman has held a number of senior level positions in different industry groups. He served as policy advisor and speech writer to the Ontario Minister of Education; head of public affairs and issues management for Sun Oil's Canadian Subsidiary, Suncor; Managing Director of Advertising and Sales Promotion for the New York Stock Exchange, and head of J. Walter Thompson's corporate image public relations business. During his three-year association with Bergdorf Goodman his responsibilities included marketing strategy, advertising, public relations, interactive initiatives, direct mail and the store's $20 million catalogue business. In November 1994 Greg started his own consulting business and founded The Luxury Marketing Council.

His clients have included SmithKline Beecham, Bay Banks, Andersen Consulting, Business Publications Audit International (BPA), MBIA, The International Trademark Association, Deloitte & Touche, Pennwell Publishing - Oil & Gas Journal, Signet Bank, American Express, InterPost (a subsidiary of Dutch KLM and The Dutch Post Office), American Business Press, Sotheby's International Realty, CCH Legal Information Services, Miller Freeman - The Couture Conference and Collection, Departures Magazine, Via Way Travel, New York City Opera, Palmeto Travel, Historic Charleston, Godiva, Nymphenburg Porcelain, Meigher Communications, Capital Publishing, Atlantic Mutual. ADP (Automatic Data Processing, Inc.), GQ, Street & Smith's, Harper's Bazaar, Magazine Publishers of America, Orient Express, Leo Burnett, Zicccardi & Partners, Kirschenbaum & Bond, Bill Communications/VNU, Fortune, Publicis, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, FlightTime, and Steinway & Sons.

In November of 1994 Greg founded The Luxury Marketing Council, now a group of some 1,700 CEO's and top marketing executives of 700 luxury firms in New York, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Dubai, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Mumbai, New Dehli, Palm Beach, Orange County, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, and Sao Paolo. Included among them are American Express, Baccarat, Bang & Olufsen, Bentley, Bergdorf Goodman, Blue Star Jets, Cartier, Cunard Line Ltd., David Yurman, Departures Magazine, Escada, Forbes, Frette, Ghurka, Godiva, Judith Ripka, La Mer, Leading Hotels of the World, Luxury SpaFinder, Mandarin Oriental, Maybach, Mercedes Benz, Merrill Lynch, Motorola, NASDAQ, Neiman Marcus, Rolls Royce, Samsonite Black Label, Sea Dream Yacht Club, SHVO, Sony Cierge, Sotheby’s, and Swiss Air.

His strategy consulting practice focuses on helping his clients define their missions and corporate positioning, develop strategic plans and grow their businesses by taking a more creative, "out of the box" approach to all facets of the marketing mix: public relations, advertising, direct mail, special events, and, especially, innovative partnerships and collaborations. Highlights of his educational experience include studying with Marshall McLuhan (1970 - 1977) at the University of Toronto, "Strategic Marketing" at Harvard, and "Managing Critical Resources" at University of Virginia's Colgate Darden School of Business. Peachy Deegan supports the Luxury Marketing Council and in the past, she has volunteered for Greg at his events.

Peachy Deegan: What inspired you to start the LMC?
Greg Furman: Fear of unemployment and having been in three industry groups - the oil industry (ran public affairs for sun oil in canada - suncor), financial services (marketing for the nyse) and luxury (marketing and catalog business for bergdorf goodman), I saw that they could do a better job of marketing from a classic 'packaged goods point of view' - I saw clearly the void/gap in the market and the opportunity.

How has it evolved over the years?
From 32 luxury brands in nyc to 875 luxury brands in 32 cities with some 3,000 ceos and cmos world wide - to hit 45 cities this year

What surprises you most about the luxury industry?
That there's still lots of room for them to grow by employing classic 'packaged goods' techniques to win greater share of wallet and loyalty of very best customers and many luxury brands still 'don't get it.'

How is the luxury industry weathering the current economy?
Like everyone else having a tough time - being driven like everyone else to be more creative and innovative in marketing.

What is your favorite place to be in NYC?
Other than my home at the metropolitan museum of art in the impressionist galleries or listening to jazz there over a nice glass of wine in the upper gallery watching life go by.

What is your favorite shop?
Bergdorf goodman and rizzoli

What is your favorite drink?
A real dry manhattan with a lemon twist and two maraschino cherries straight up

What is your favorite restaurant?
Le bernardin and Il Mulino tied for first

What is your favorite NYC book?
The poetry of Frank O'Hara

What is your favorite thing to do in NYC that you can do nowhere else?
Live live live

What do you think is most underrated and overrated here?
I can't over-rate new york enough - it is the imperial city - underrated are those 'discoveries' that the city constantly gives us if we keep our eyes open - like the red tails in central park or the migrations of the birds - 200+ species in central part - or looking down on the great lawn in fall from belvedere castle - as leaves fall.

What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
I paint (have had three shows of my work) and sculpt and write poetry (a book a year.)

To contact Greg for more information:

212 517 4614 - e-mail me gfurman@luxurycouncil.com

www.luxurycouncil.com

Recent Testimonials by Brand Ambassadors on their Experience with Whom You Know

"I work with Peachy Deegan because she's prolific at what she does. She's a hard worker, she's thoughtful and she's tasteful at what she writes which is very important. Peachy gets the facts correct, and just that alone is worth its weight in gold."

-Edward Tricomi, Master Stylist and Owner of Warren-Tricomi
https://warrentricomi.com/

"No one has yet to express their taste for our cuisine better than Peachy Deegan on Whom You Know. Thank you for transforming our flavor into words, unlike any other before.
Sometimes WHOM YOU KNOW, really makes a difference and Ammos Estiatorio is grateful to know Peachy Deegan!"
-
Dimitris Nakos, Founder and Owner of
Ammos Estiatorio
https://ammosnewyork.com/

“Whom You Know has done an amazing job of featuring our company over many years [seven]. Peachy has worked tirelessly to create a well-curated selection of topics and brands that are clearly of relevance to her growing audience of readers. Her articles are filled with great insights based on first-hand experience. She does her research, knows her business and is a pleasure to work with!”

-David Sasuga, Owner of Fresh Origins Microgreens
www.FreshOrigins.com

"Peachy Deegan has the pulse of the nation and highlights exceptional opinion leaders in more than 23,000 inspiring and entertaining posts. Her 100,000 twitter followers are a true testimony to Peachy’s ability to inspire, motivate and entertain. She is a feminine force to be reckoned with and an exemplary example of an influential voice in today’s world."

-Mica Mosbacher, author of the new book The Hurricane Factor: Stormside Patriots and tv political commentator

"It was an honour to be chosen for Movers and Shakers by Peachy Deegan. The questions in the interview were intelligent and insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. The reaction to the interview has been overwhelmingly positive and has helped bring my art practice to a wider audience."
-Damien Flood, Internationally Acclaimed Artist
http://www.damienflood.ie/

"We were so fortunate to hit Peachy’s radar. Her review of our Warmies was spot-on and came at a great time in our company’s early history.
Peachy has such a strong relationship with her readers. She provides honest and real comments; she is truly a trusted source in a very large circle
of consumers."
-Scott Wehrs
President
Intelex U.S.A.
http://www.intelexusallc.com/

"We at Primola love working with Whom You Know and are proud to have been a highly-ranked Manhattan restaurant by Peachy Deegan since 2012, and are featured seasonally. We appreciate the fantastic work Peachy does highlighting our cuisine with her sublime writing style and the whole neighborhood of the Upper East side. Also, we are glad that she has started a Made in Italy column! If you have the opportunity to be considered for review, we'd highly recommend working with her."
-Giuliano Zuliani, Owner of Primola Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/Primola-Canaletto-restaurants-NYC-135616799831091

"
Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

-
Bill Follett
President, Belleek Group North America
www.Belleek.com

"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
-Dr. Garo Nazarian, Founder and Owner of Cosmopolitan Dental
http://cosmopolitandental.com/