International Design Guild (IDG), a luxury division of CCA Global, kicked-off its “Break Through” Summit at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.  IDG executives presented members with a bold, break through approach to win more customers, creating an unparalleled experience for designers and a personalized customer journey.

“This year’s Summit is about taking a bold approach to improving IDG for our members,” said Krista Eliason, president of IDG. “We have an aggressive blueprint with exciting initiatives for 2013 and we can’t wait to execute them this year.”

Celebrity designer Mark Brunetz delivered the keynote address to members. Brunetz, who is best-known for his Emmy winning performance as co-host of Clean House on the Style Network, shared his experience designing for the luxury market. Barbara Marini, president of ASID, discussed best practices on how to leverage the local ASID, and a panel of professional designers continued the conversation on the luxury market, sharing ideas on the design process, selecting products and presenting ideas to clients. Noted Oriental rug expert, Jerry Arcari, owner of Landry & Arcari Oriental Rugs , provided an update on the international market to members.

At the Summit, IDG revealed the industry’s first cause-related design contest, with celebrity spokesperson Mark Brunetz, as part of its Designer Program. The contest, Design for a Difference, will benefit local charities, build designer loyalty and increase awareness of local IDG showrooms. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded $20,000 to revitalize a nonprofit’s workspace. “This contest is a great opportunity for our members to give back to their communities while raising awareness for their showrooms,” said Eliason.

What’s more, IDG delivered its comprehensive digital marketing strategy to members. The new strategy leverages best-in-class technology to provide localized websites, syndicated social media content and personalized designer profiles.  “We completely revamped our marketing offering and we are excited to implement this holistic approach for members to drive store traffic and engage with our designers on a new level.  This approach will allow us to truly differentiate our members in their respective markets,” said Eliason.

For more information, visit www.design-guild.com.