People that know me often hear me refer to “the special days in PR.” Well, my colleagues and I agreed that last Friday was one of those days following a tour of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.

Each month we “flip” through magazines when they hit our desks, looking for media coverage and the latest trends from our editor friends. We dare not “flip” through Good Housekeeping after attending this tour and learning about the depth of research that goes into each page of the magazine.

When we stepped off the elevator and onto the 29th floor at Hearst Tower, we felt as if we were part of the future, yet a bit of the past at the same time. Carolyn Forte, director of home appliances and cleaning products, jumped right into her role as tour guide, explaining the history of the magazine while noting the 100th anniversary of the Good Housekeeping seal.

Following her intro, we learned about the beauty lab where editors can have their wrinkles studied or their hair looked at under a magnifying machine all to test a product’s claims. We also got a first-hand look at the textiles lab where rain gear was displayed for a spring issue, the laundry lab where stains were setting and the food lab where Gingerbread houses were stashed from a Christmas shoot. One of the highlights of the tour included a stop by the nutrition lab where we were able to participate in a taste test for a new product launch.

Just when we thought we were looking into the future, we took a step back in time when we entered the Good Housekeeping dining room. The classic décor took us out of the millennium and back to a colonial era where pearls were a must in the kitchen (nod to Julia Child). This historic room has been the host to many first ladies, celebrities and other famous individuals.

After learning about the foundation of Good Housekeeping and the credibility of their reviews, we were all extra proud of our products that have been featured in this publication.

To learn more about what is going on at that Institute, check out their blog below:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/from-the-lab-blog/