• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, May 13, 2013

Kelly-Moore Paints is introducing its latest color collection with a new campaign meant to inspire the artist in every do-it-yourselfer.

The effort includes a microsite and mobile app that makes it easier for DIYers to share potential palettes -- before they have splashed Blue Martini, Windsurfing or Green Tea all over the entryway.

The campaign, from San Francisco-based Traction, showcases the regional paint marketer’s new ColorStudio Collection, replacing a decade-old color system. And it also coincides with Kelly-Moore’s decision to shift entirely to zero-VOC colorants.

“We wanted to take a different approach,” Traction CEO Adam Kleinberg tells Marketing Daily.

The online portion of the campaign starts today and TV is set to break May 27. 

“It’s a unique company, owned by employees, and with a real neighborhood focus,” Kleinberg says. “It’s got a big footprint on the West Coast, and we want consumers to know not only that Kelly-Moore has the best quality paint, but that it will meet all their needs for colors and inspiration, too.”

The effort also includes banners, online video, search, a microsite, and an app that allows people to play with paint palettes, which they can easily email and share with friends, to make the decision between Spinnaker, Swagger or Lit’l Buoy Blew easier. It also includes a Pinterest component, for more decorating inspiration.

Kleinberg says the increased commitment to zero-VOCs will also appeal to consumers.

“Every color needs to be ‘green,’” he says. “People are really sensitive to the challenges that are environment, and Kelly-Moore wants to be a leader. We don't just want to have a low VOC line, but that all their colorants are now zero-VOC. It’s a company that invests heavily in paint innovation, and this is one more way it shows."

With its responsive Web app, he says the goal wasn’t just to create another channel, but to boost engagement. In addition to increasing sales over the busy painting season, metrics will focus on not just the number of visits, but also the time engaged with the app, he says. Downloadable coupons will also help it learn more about digital paint shoppers.