A federal jury of eight women and four men returned guilty verdicts Friday on all four counts against domestic diva Martha Stewart.
The charges were lodged by federal officials who claimed that Stewart lied to cover up the reason she sold 3,928 shares of ImClone Systems stock on Dec. 27, 2001–avoiding a loss when ImClone later announced bad news concerning a drug in development.
Now, faster than Stewart can say, “It’s a good thing,” a slew of home-design and entertaining gurus are closing in on her territory. They come armed with diverse skills in cooking, entertaining and crafty arts. With their books, television shows and product lines, they can strap on a glue gun, bake a cake, plan a soiree and grow a garden all in one setting.
And there is an audience hungry for someone to lead them down the home-decorating path.
A poll conducted after Stewart’s guilty verdict found people were 36 percent less loyal to the Martha Stewart brand than the typical brand, a decline of 20 percentage points in a week. It also represents a sharp reversal from the pre-scandal days in May 2002 when loyalty to Stewart’s brand was 20 percent higher than the average for brands surveyed.
“This was one of the strongest brands around two years ago, similar to Coke and stronger than McDonald’s,” said Robert Passikoff, president of research firm Brand Keys Inc. in Manhattan, which conducted the poll.
“What you see now is, the trust issue has just given way. There’s a sense of betrayal among customers who feel let down by both the person and the brand,” he said.
Another survey of 1,000 adults conducted March 3-5, before the verdict, showed a spike in the number of shoppers prepared to shun Stewart, 33 percent compared with 12 percent in September.
“The trial has put Martha’s negatives in the marketplace; she’s severely damaged goods in the eyes of consumers,” said Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group in Charleston, S.C., which conducted the survey.
When Stewart’s light dims, who will take her throne?
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Possible successors
Colin Cowie
Claim to fame: Celebrity event and wedding planner.
Pedigree: Nuptial coordinator for Hugh Hefner, Kenny G,
Paula Abdul and Charlie Sheen. Collections of china, silverware and glassware sold in more than 500 stores.
New wrinkle: Posh decor that appeals to the rich and famous.
Books: “Dinner After Dark,” “Effortless Elegance With
Colin Cowie,” “Colin Cowie Weddings,” “Colin Cowie for the Bride” and “Colin Cowie for the Groom.”
Web site: www.colincowie.com
Possible successors
Sandra Lee
Claim to fame: Could be mistaken for Martha’s younger, mellow sister.
Pedigree: Went from decorating dorm rooms at the University
of Wisconsin to hawking housewares on QVC.
New wrinkle: Prides herself in using fresh and premade products to make cooking more user-friendly.
Books: “Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade” recipe books.
Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine.
Web site: www.semi-homemade.com
Possible successors
Christopher Lowell
Claim to fame: Discovery Channel’s hyperactive guru of do-it-yourself decorating.
Pedigree: Like “Martha Stewart,” “Christopher Lowell” is
a branded image. He runs Christopher Lowell Enterprises and hosts a popular home design series.
New wrinkle: Says Lowell, “My job is to be a purveyor of how
people really live, the reality of it.”
Books: “Seven Layers of Design,” “If You Can Dream It, You
Can Do It” “Christopher Lowell’s You Can Do It!
Small Spaces: Decorating to Make Every Inch Count.”
Web site: www.christopherlowell.com
Possible successors
Lucy Pereda
Claim to fame: The Latina Martha Stewart.
Pedigree: Her home-decorating and cooking show, “En Casa de Lucy,” is seen in 18 countries. Her clothing line, the Lucy Pereda Collection, is sold at Sears.
New wrinkle: Targets the untapped Spanish-speaking market.
Books: “De Mi Cocina” cookbook.
Web site: www.searsenespanol.com
Possible successors
The Fab 5
Claim to fame: A straight man’s best friends for getting his style together.
Pedigree: Together, a design doctor, skin-care specialist, magazine editor, fashion savant and culture guru have hit it big with
their TV show on Bravo.
New wrinkle: Five gay guys–enough said.
Books: “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The Fab 5’s Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better
and Living Better.”
Web site: www.bravotv.com
Possible successors
B. Smith
Claim to fame: The African-American Martha Stewart.
Pedigree: This former model parlayed her culinary skills into her
B. Smith’s restaurants. She hosts a TV show and has a line of home-furnishings products.
New wrinkle: Adds rhythm to the mix with elegant party tips
and Kwanzaa outfits.
Books: “B. Smith’s Entertaining and Cooking for Friends,” “B. Smith’s Rituals & Celebrations.”
Web site: www.bsmith.com
