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The shortlist for this year’s Construction Marketing Awards has been announced. This year saw a record number of entries, beating the previous record set only last year.

Lafarge Tarmac has garnered the most mentions in the shortlist. The manufacturer appears in seven of the eighteen categories, including best campaign over 25K and best branding and positioning.

With the number of entries growing year on year, it is clear to see that despite budgets being cut over the past five years, marketing still plays a vital role in the construction industry. The entries show that the discipline is helping to deliver an increase on the bottom line of some of the industry’s best-known brands.The winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Thursday 5th December at the Radisson Blu Hotel in West London.

Full shortlist

Strategic planning and management – Lafarge Tarmac/ EH Smith & MRA Marketing/ Reynaers at home

Sustainability marketing strategy – Jewson/ Carillion

Best campaign over £25K – NHBC/ Minister Roofing and Roofline/ Lafarge Tarmac/ JELD-WEN/ Jaywing

Best campaign under £25K – Brandon Hire and Alive/ ISG/ RICS/ Clugston and Shrewdd Marketing/ Design & Display (Harris Associates)

Best product launch – JELD-WEN and Jaywing/ SWISSPACER (MRA Marketing)/ Knauf/ Safehinge (ThinkFrog Marketing)/ Lafarge Tarmac/ Howarth Timber Group (Harris Associates)

Best use of press and PR – Sustainable Building Solutions (Willoughby Public Relations)/ Tata Steel and the British Constructional Steelwork Association/ Polypipe (Refresh PR)/ Lafarge Tarmac

Best use of a website – JELD-WEN/ Tata Steel and the British Constructional Steelwork Association/ Doorstop (MRA Marketing)/ Contour Casings/Carillion (CIB Communication’s)

Best digital campaign – PC Henderson/ Isover, Saint Gobain (IndigoRiver Creative)/ RIW (CIB Communications)/ Weber, Saint Gobain (IndigoRiver Creative)

Best social media campaign – British Gypsum (Tangerine)/ Lafarge Tarmac/ Knauf Insulation (CIB Communications)

Best mobile campaign – PC Henderson/ Lafarge Tarmac

Best use of events and live marketing – Everglade Windows (Balls 2 Marketing)/ Celotex (CFA)/ Certsure (NICEIC)/ Howarth Timber Group (Harris Associates)/ CBG’s OCPN

Best use of direct marketing – Certsure (Cogent Elliot)/ RICS

Best use of advertising – Weber, Saint Gobain (IndigoRiver Creative)/ RICS/ Celotex (CFA)/ Murphy (MGA)/ Westco Flow Control (Marketecture)

Best branding and positioning – AluK, GB (The Think Tank)/ Lafarge Tarmac/ Reynaers at Home/ Polypipe Building Products (Rare Creative)/ Group

Best professional services marketing campaign – Consumer Credit Solutions (MRA Marketing)/ Groundforce/ Dexter Moren Associates

Agency of the year – CFA/ Alive/ CIB Communications/ Ridgemount PR/ Rare Creative Group/ Saentys

Marketing team of the year – Certsure/ Celotex/ Polypipe/ Tata Steel and the British Constructional Steelwork Association

Young marketer of the year – Sophie Seddon (Novus Property Solutions)/ Katie Neal (Crofton)/ Joanne Sim (Cundall)

Following the team’s recent win at the CMAs, Dave Raynor, plumbing and heating category director at Polypipe, discusses how the manufacturer has successfully managed a year of complex communications challenges, including the restructuring of product divisions and the launch of new product lines.

In late 2012, we recognised an increasing cross-over between merchants and installers purchasing both our plumbing and underfloor heating products. In recognition of this cross-over, we combined these two leading product ranges to form one cohesive offering, the company’s largest – Polypipe Plumbing and Heating.The challenge the marketing team faced was to communicate this new offering to the target audience groups, in order to support Polypipe’s wider business objectives of increasing sales.

Delivering an integrated marketing campaign

In order to meet these objectives, we conducted detailed research into our target audiences – primarily plumbing installers and merchants. This research was then used to create and deliver a strategically-focused and integrated marketing campaign, including the launch of a significant number of new product lines and a new merchandising concept.

As part of this campaign, we revamped our online presence with the introduction of www.polypipe.com/plumbing-heating. Created to provide customers with a single source of information, the website comes complete with an installer knowledge centre, updated quotation tool and online ordering service. We also refreshed our marketing literature to accommodate the new offering including handy, pocket-sized literature and merchandising guides.

In order to capitalise on valuable face-to-face communication with our customers, we exhibited at a number of trade and consumer shows. Via a third party agency, we also implemented a trade and consumer PR campaign, which ran in parallel to a targeted programme of trade advertising.

Winning ‘Marketing Team of the Year’ was the second celebration of the evening for us as we also picked up the award for ‘Best Use of Press and Public Relations’ with our PR partner, Refresh PR.

Tangible results

Installers and merchants alike greeted our strategy with acclaim. Key results from the last year include expanded distribution and a five per cent sales increase, a combined audience reach of 11,814,828 via trade and consumer PR, an increase in merchant stockists and high sales of new product lines. Finally, average monthly enquiries were up 290%. The CMA award win rounds off a brilliant year for us, leaving the team optimistic about what 2014 will bring.

Eye-catching and creative: keys to success

SitexOrbis wins Construction Marketing Award

On 7th December 2012 the hard work and dedication of SitexOrbis’ marketing team was recognised when the company won a Construction Marketing Award for ‘Best Use of Events and Live Marketing’.

In the words of Debansu Das, Head of Marketing, SitexOrbis: “Our campaign re-emphasised the face that if a simple campaign is well-executed and thought upon, even traditional routes can deliver superb results.”

What Led SitexOrbis to win this award?

Back in 2011 SitexOrbis was in the midst of an acquisition by its direct competitor.  Many people within the social housing marketplace did not see this as positive and worried about the future of the company.  On top of this, the long lead time to get the requisite approval from the relevant authority made things worse.  People began voting with their feet, and began thinking about taking their business elsewhere.

SitexOrbis needed to demonstrate that it held a strong place in the marketplace and irrespective of the proposed acquisition (whether it was happening or not), the company needed to show it was ‘business as usual’.

To do this, a campaign was devised to “make some noise in the industry” and stand out from the rest to maximise brand saliency and inspire customers to stick with SitexOrbis, whilst attracting new social housing customers.  knowing the market preferred face-to-face communications, SitexOrbis decided to target the biggest industry event of the year: the all-important Housing 2012 Exhibition.

It was crucial for the company to stand out from the other 350 exhibitors by creating a concept that would deliver the desired message and create a buzz like never before.  Realising that the event closely followed the jubilee celebrations, the marketing team knew this would be the perfect theme to base the stand on, and so a right royal celebration began.

The ingenious idea was to shape the stand like a castle, made to look realistic with turrets, battlements, bespoke wallpaper and even royal guards.

iPads were cleverly placed on the main back wall of the stand, displaying rolling videos of SitexOrbis’ products, which delegates watched while they queued for a royal photo.

Video screens displayed corporate videos and seating areas strategically placed around them with coffee served by a barista.

To generate interest, email and social media campaigns were run before the event, while afterwards all the photographs were sent to the prospects enabling further engagement.

The Queen, prince Willian and Kate were even invited (lookalikes, of course) to draw in delegates with the offer of a free photo (optional £1 donation).

This generated lengthy queues and raised over £500 which was doubled by SitexOrbis and donated to the Help the Heroes charity.

Finally, what royal event would be complete without the Crown Jewels? So SitexOrbis installed eye-catching rotating glass cabinets displaying mock Crown jewels (actually worn by the Queen), cleaverly placed within the company’s own ‘Crown Jewels” – its 13 prestigious awards.

The entire campaign sent a strong message to the industry that SitexOrbis was still committed to the industry, and was open for business as usual.

Following the campaign, a survey to stand visitors showed a 70% increase in the likelihood of people considering SitexOrbis when in a buying situation.

Furthermore, the company wanted to defend its sales and stop losing business.  Following on from the campaign not only was this objective achieved, the company also managed to grow share of voice.  That is what you call a right royal result

Marketing excellence in the construction sector was recognised last night at the twelfth annual Construction Marketing Awards, with Knauf scooping Marketing Team of the Year, Kimberley Workman of Pickerings Lifts being awarded the title Young Marketer of the Year, and CFA taking the Agency of the Year accolade.

In addition, Michael Ankers OBE, who recently retired from the position of Chief Executive of the Construction Products Association, was honoured with a Special Award commemorating his long history of contribution to marketing in the construction sector.

Run by the Chartered Institute of Marketing Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG) the awards recognise and celebrate the best and most innovative marketing campaigns in the construction industry year. In 2012 there was a record entry, a contrast to the constrained time the industry is feeling, but testament to the innovation and creativity of the construction marketing community. The boom was also felt at the awards dinner, which was the largest in the history of the awards.

CIMCIG Chairman Ian Exall summed up his reaction to this year’s Construction Marketing Awards: “The creativity and innovation shown by our marketers in the toughest times we have worked in is remarkable. Once again they have shown that quality marketing produces excellent investment return no matter what the economy is doing.”

The full list of winners and shortlisted entries are as follows (Marketing Agency in brackets):

Category One: Best use of Strategic Marketing
Winner: Celotex (CFA/One Agency)

Category 2 Sustainability as a Marketing Strategy
Winner: Imtech
Highly Commended: Aggregate Industries, Lafarge Cement UK (McCann Manchester)

Category 3 Best Campaign under £25k
Winner: Doorstop International (MRA Marketing)
Highly Commended: IKO PLC

Category 4 Best Campaign over £25K
Winner: Elliott (Live Link)
Highly Commended: Lafarge Cement UK (McCann Manchester)

Category 5 Best Product Launch
Winner: Lafarge Cement UK (McCann Manchester)
Highly Commended: Mira Showers

Category 6 Best Use of Press & Public Relations
Winner: Plumb Center (Wax PR & Marketing)
Highly Commended: Hydro International (Sharon Lindsay Communications)

Category 7 Best Use of Website
Winner: Elliott (Live Link)
Highly Commended: Drain Center (Switch)

Category 8 Best Digital Campaign
Winner: Elliott (Live Link)
Highly Commended: Celotex (CFA)

Category 9 Best Social Media Campaign
Winner: Grahams Plumbers’ Merchants (CIB Communications)

Category 10 Best Mobile Campaign
Winner: Celotex (CFA)

Category 11 Best Use of Events & Live Marketing
Winner: SitexOrbis Limited

Category 12 Best Use of Direct Marketing
Winner: Travis Perkins

Category 13 Best Use of Advertising
Winner: Cemex UK (Key Parker Ltd)
Highly Commended: NICEIC (Cogent Elliott)

Category 14 Best Branding & Positioning
Winner: Rexel (The Think Tank)
Highly Commended: Lafarge Cement UK (McCann Manchester)

Category 15 Agency of the Year
Winner: CFA
Highly Commended: CIB Communications

Category 16 Marketing Team of the Year
Winner: Knauf Drywall

Category 17 Emerging talent – Young Marketer of the Year
Winner: Kimberley Workman, Pickerings Lifts

CIMCIG Special Award Michael Ankers, OBE

The Construction Marketing Awards, presented  on 29th November 2011, gave the construction industry the opportunity to recognise its very best marketing campaigns. Winners are invited to contribute a summary of their entry to this blog:  today it is SitexOrbis, winner of the Best Product Launch category for the second year in succession.

SitexOrbis as a brand is associated with steel shutters on vacant properties, but this was a limited market and would not fuel growth.

As the recession hit the UK, levels of theft amongst vacant housing association and council properties under development rose substantially. As burglars became more sophisticated, housing associations and construction firms needed to stay one step ahead.

With this in mind, and armed with feedback from customers asking for help, SitexOrbis developed and launched an innovative proposition that would help the company diversify its offering.

SitexOrbis took an existing battery-powered, video-triggered alarm device (Videofied Alarms) and made it meet the demanding needs of the housing sector by including a 24/7 remote monitoring service, online reporting (using the “Aura” workflow management tool), site wardens and flexible pricing.

To launch this new proposition, SitexOrbis had to educate an extraordinarily demanding target audience who were change-resistant, price sensitive and technophobic.

The theme for the launch was ‘delivering more for less through innovation’ which reassured housing professionals that their shared fears about crime could be tackled in a manner that would actually save time, money and even carbon emission – therefore hitting three key hot buttons at once.

The most important feature across all the marketing activities was the building of trust: the housing sector is extremely sceptical of any new product, let alone one that is technologically advanced. For this reason the marketing used case studies, industry experts, articles in trusted publications and even industry awards to reassure housing professionals that they had nothing to fear from this innovation.

While building trust with the target audience, a parallel internal marketing campaign built trust with client-facing staff – whether site operatives of sales consultants.

Once trust was established then lead-generating modes of communication including exhibitions, seminars, email marketing and even social media, converted this trust into sales enquiries and ultimately sales.

The success of the campaign is best evidenced by 80 customer wins (a substantial proportion of the housing sector).

Furthermore, this new proposition is clearly differentiating SitexOrbis from competitors when tending for large contracts, helping SitexOrbis land major contract wins. 44 of the new clients are from these big ticket wins.

The success and creativity of this marketing has helped SitexOrbis clinch their second successive win in this category.

The Construction Marketing Awards, presented  on 29th November 2011, gave the construction industry the opportunity to recognise its very best marketing campaigns. Winners are invited to contribute a summary of their entry to this blog:  today it is Alumet Group for the successful launch of their EOS Energy brand of solar panels

The Warwickshire based construction company, Alumet undertook a huge challenge to diversify into the renewables market in 2010 with a £200k campaign to launch EOS Energy, a brand offering solar panel solutions to both the commercial and domestic markets.

The product launch was managed by Alumet’s internal marketing team and incorporated trade shows, literature, advertising, community engagement, networking and much more.

Their creative brand awareness included innovative techniques such as an Open Day event and EOS Energy Pocket Guide. Their Open Day saw the number of over 500 attendees offering a key audience to promote the brand to a large audience. Journalists also attended, helping to promote the brand even further. As a result of this technique, they received over 100 bookings for people to have their houses surveyed for PV from this day alone.

Their EOS Energy’s Pocket Guide offers detailed information to potential customers about Solar Energy. The 20 page booklet explains everything you need to know about PV and what services EOS Energy can provide. The pocket guide was successful due to its pocket sized design which made it very attractive to people at trade shows who don’t want to carry large literature around.

The judges commented “Alumet have demonstrated a strategic marketing campaign that has been professionally implemented throughout the whole business and achieved significant results. The company utilised innovative techniques to ensure a cost effective campaign which has successfully placed the business high up in the renewable energy market.”

The success of EOS Energy’s brand campaign has allowed The Alumet Group to achieve significant growth and provide employment for an additional 25 members of staff.

For more information visit www.eosenergy.co.uk

The Construction Marketing Awards, presented this year on 29th November, gave the construction industry the opportunity to recognise its very best marketing campaigns. Winners are invited to contribute a summary of their entry to this blog:  today it is Optima Systems winners of the Best Use of Technical Information category for the newly released Optima iPad App.

It was familiar territory for office partitioning specialist, Optima Systems and multiple award-winning digital agency Cyber-Duck in 2011, as they returned to the Construction Marketing Awards ceremony in London. This year the duo was awarded with the ‘Best Use of Technical Information’ award for the newly released Optima iPad App.

The app was rewarded by judges for its usability and interactive features which have helped to present Optima in a slick and professional manner.

Optima Systems are the UK’s leading partitioning specialist and specialise as a supply and fix subcontractor in the office partitioning market. The company has offices in the UK, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, selling Optima products and the company has extensive experience in the design, development and installation of silicone and dry jointed glass partitioning, demountable system partitions and advanced system drywall.

The app has only been distributed to the Optima sales team and is used during sales pitches as a way of engaging the audience and allowing easy browsing of technical guides, marketing material, project images and video content all from one place.

Benefits of the interactive app include its user friendly design and functionality, the vast range of multimedia content and the convenience of having all material in one easy to access device.

The app also presents Optima in a professional manner as all Optima sales material can be accessed using the latest handheld technology and the app’s native features which mean the application can be accessed at all times, without the need for internet connectivity.

The app can also boast an array of financial and environmental benefits, which include reducing Optima’s dependency on printed literature, reducing the amount of ink and paper used and a reduced time to market as the Optima team now has the ability to quickly update all sales material.

The 2011 award is the third time Cyber-Duck has been bestowed with a prestigious Construction Marketing award after earlier successes in 2008 when the company took home the ‘Best Use of a Website’ award with Optima Systems as well as in 2010 when the same award was taken for the OAG website (another part of Optima Group).

Looking towards the future Cyber-Duck and Optima will once again be looking achieve success at the Construction Marketing Awards in 2012. This comes after confirmation that Cyber-Duck is again the agency of choice to completely revamp the Optima website to add extensive new features which will reaffirm Optima’s position as an industry leader.

The Construction Marketing Awards, presented this year on 29th November, gave the construction industry the opportunity to recognise its very best marketing campaigns. Winners are invited to contribute a summary of their entry to this blog:  today it is MRA Marketing, winners of the Best Use of Advertising category for their Talk2Stuart campaign for Acheson & Glover

Irish-based hard-landscaping manufacturer Acheson & Glover (A&G) engaged MRA Marketing in January 2011 to devise and implement a strategic campaign to launch its hard landscaping range in Great Britain. Central to this campaign was the creation and placement of a series of four adverts – for which MRA has been awarded Best Use of Advertising at this year’s Construction Marketing Awards.

Irish-based hard-landscaping manufacturer Acheson & Glover (A&G) engaged MRA Marketing in January 2011 to devise and implement a strategic campaign to launch its hard landscaping range in Great Britain. Central to this campaign was the creation and placement of a series of four adverts – for which MRA has been awarded Best Use of Advertising at this year’s Construction Marketing Awards.

Despite being market leader for hard landscaping in Ireland, at the start of our campaign A&G was virtually unknown in Great Britain. Added to which, the market for hard landscaping in GB is dominated by three major suppliers who have locked the large national merchants into long-term deals.

To break into the GB market, A&G would have to reach out to independent builders’ merchants and their powerful buying groups. MRA needed an advertising campaign that would dramatically increase awareness of A&G Commercial Director Stuart Cook; a campaign to raise A&G’s brand profile as a leading hard landscaping supplier while simultaneously advancing a USP – something which A&G could offer customers that other suppliers didn’t.

MRA made a bold decision to put Stuart centre stage and to use him to introduce A&G’s offer to merchants. This decision reflected the fact that A&G’s potential customers needed to recognise the man with whom they would soon be doing business. MRA also needed the advertising to stand out and grab attention – almost all adverts in the sector press are product and not people focused.

The campaign also reflected MRA’s belief that by “making it personal”, A&G could hit existing suppliers where they were most vulnerable: on their lacklustre record for service, relationships and support. MRA saw that this campaign could not be won on product alone. Customers didn’t complain about product. But they did grumble about service and relationships. This would be A&G’s point of difference.

In a short space of time MRA’s campaign delivered impressive results. Stuart’s is now recognised across an industry in which just six months ago he was unknown and A&G have just been approved by the H&B buying group as an approved supplier.

The Construction Marketing Awards, presented this year on 29th November, gave the construction industry the opportunity to recognise its very best marketing campaigns. Winners are invited to contribute a summary of their entry to this blog:  today it is SLG Marketing, winers of the Agency of the Year catagory

Judges Comment: A clear and concise way to help their customer’s needs. Bespoke campaigns designed for each client illustrate an impressive range of skills and industry understanding.  The successful delivery of diverse campaigns makes SLG the stand out agency for 2011.

SLG is a Manchester-based, independent B2B marketing communications agency that offers a full range of integrated services.

Employing 25 staff, SLG’s considerable experience and consultancy-led approach (using qualified architects and engineers to provide input) have helped establish it as the leading marketing agency in the construction and building products sector. SLG’s core principles and bespoke approach focus on understanding its clients’ markets, producing high-quality creative work and delivering the very best service.

SLG’s expert knowledge of the construction sector has grown over its 30 year history, during which it has worked with some of the market’s biggest companies, communicated with a wide range of target audiences in the sector and developed a detailed understanding of the marketing communications channels that deliver maximum impact.

The agency’s business strategy for 2011 was to focus on developing its services, increasing its knowledge of construction issues and assessing the viability of the various new communication channels that are appearing. SLG has recorded an excellent level of client retention during 2011. And also added a number of new high-profile names to its client list. The agency recognizes that the most effective way to protect its client base is to achieve the objectives that are agreed with those clients, and this lies at the heart of the agency’s work. Devising a strong strategy with clear objectives and measureable parameters allows the agency to demonstrate that client’s budgets are being spent as effectively as possible.

SLG’s core proposition is the ability to deliver high-quality, creative marketing communications based on specialist knowledge of the clients’ markets and target audiences. This is underpinned by a highly personal approach to client service which promotes long-term, open and transparent relationships.

Coupled with its reputation as a highly experienced player in this sector, plus its existing client roster and previous award winning campaigns, this makes SLG well placed to attract and retain new clients.

The Construction Marketing Awards, presented this year on 29th November, give the construction industry the opportunity to recognise its very best marketing campaigns. Winners are invited to contribute a summary of their entry to this blog:  today it is Lafarge Cement, Winners of the Best in-house marketing team category.

Judges comment: “This team delivered a wide range of marketing solutions tailored to different customer groups. They managed a range of campaigns and had a great deal of success. Their work was consistently of a very high quality, and always made a positive sales impact and exceeded objectives.”

Lafarge summarises: A big challenge for Lafarge’s marketing team is how to effectively communicate a single brand identity to a diverse and broad target audience.

At one end of the scale Lafarge manufactures bulk cement products for large construction companies, who use cement in hundreds of tonnes for projects such as power plant builds or sports stadium construction, and at the other end of the spectrum Lafarge also produce specialist bagged cement products for Pro-DIYers to buy from their local B&Q outlet.

In-between these very different purchasers, there are smaller construction companies, jobbing builders, sustainability managers, DIYers, architects, civil engineers, technical directors, local authorities and many more. All of these have different purchase drivers regarding building materials.

Strategy, engagement plans and creative demonstrated dynamism and innovation in each of the 2011 campaigns, with results providing sufficient evidence of their effectiveness. Lafarge Cement has also launched many more campaigns over the last 12 months such as an Extra Rapid Cement promotional campaign that provides customers with a chance to win a ride in a dragster, launched a range of ready-to-use products in B&Q with heavily researched Point of Sale communications, and released an iPhone app for DIYers plus much more.