A new consumer-facing marketing initiative for Spring 2018 – National Home Improvement Week – is being launched by the home and garden industry. Co-ordinated by the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA), it is being backed by brands from more than fifteen of the leading supplier companies.
Using the registered tag line ‘Love The Home You Live In’, the consumer awareness week will see leading industry names such as Akzo Nobel (Dulux, Polycell, Hammerite, Cuprinol), Stanley Black & Decker, Henkel (Loctite, Unibond, Solvite, No More Nails and Nitromors) Fiskars, Shurtape (Duck Tape, Frog Tape and T-Rex Tape), Husqvarna (Gardena, Flymo, McCulloch, Jonsered, Universal), What More UK, Trend Tools, Harris, Nilfisk, QEP (Vitrex, Plasplugs, Homelux), Duracell and ERA working together to engage with consumers and stimulate retail sales. The awareness week will be 12th March to 18th March inclusive ahead of the key Easter sales period, but the run up campaign starts immediately.
National Home Improvement Week will embrace all aspects of home and garden improvement from trends to techniques and from achievement to enjoyment. The initiative will play out using the full suite of social media – Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest / Facebook – as well as traditional media communications. At its heart will be a dedicated website of ideas and information, blogs and ‘how to’ videos. There will also be a full suite of marketing materials for retailers and wholesalers including point of sale, posters, and press ads, to enable them to promote their participation and drive sales ahead of the key Easter period.
Paul Grinsell, home improvement director at BHETA, outlined the objectives and deliverables of this ‘unique in the industry’ campaign. “National Home Improvement Week has two main objectives. The primary short and long-term purpose is to galvanise and renew consumers’ interest in improving their homes and gardens, whether by extension, renovation or refurbishment through decorating and makeover to ‘old school’ DIY and gardening as a hobby, to lifestyle home and garden trends. This objective also recognises the current generational skills gap and therefore aims to target the younger generation of Millennials with social media-fuelled enthusiasm for a new style of DIY, upcycling, and craft. Equally important is to drive sales of all relevant home and garden tools, products and related consumables through the UK home improvement and garden retail channels.
“It’s key to our success that National Home Improvement Week is seen for what it is – by the whole industry and for the whole industry. We all need to recognise that we operate in a mature market and an increasingly digital age. This campaign will use all communications techniques to reinvigorate the market and inspire consumers with a platform that shows that home and garden improvement is fun and fulfilling, given the right tools, products, knowledge and advice.”
Head of Marketing for ERA, Tania Tams added, “We’re really proud to be supporting the first National Home Improvement Week. It’s a brilliant opportunity for all corners of the home improvement industry to come together and inspire the nation to get involved with their own home improvement projects. As an expert in the security sector, ERA will be working with National Home Improvement Week to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining locks and hardware as well as to encourage consumers to consider replacing windows and doors as part of their overall home improvement plans. We look forward to playing a key part in this campaign, alongside the wider home improvement industry.”
National Home Improvement Week is a BHETA initiative in a joint venture with The Relations Group which is a specialist broadcast PR company.
For more information about getting involved with National Home Improvement Week, visit www.homeimprovementweek.co.uk
