In the February edition of PBM, Editor Paul Davies looked at the merchant sector benefits of this year’s ‘National Home Improvement Month’.
Activities are currently being planned for the ‘National Home Improvement Month’ consumer awareness campaign. Being held in April and endorsed by a growing number of independent retail wholesaler groups such as Decco and Stax in addition to numerous home improvement brands, the initiative has expanded to a month-long run this year, following its launch ‘as a week’ in March 2018.
The campaign is led by the British Home Enhancement Trade Association, the representative body for “manufacturers, suppliers and distributors in the home enhancement market, including home improvement (DIY), garden, housewares and small electricals suppliers”. The inaugural campaign is said to have engaged with around 11m consumers and, with an extended promotional window this time around, the aim is to “encourage, motivate and enthuse” customers to (re)engage with home improvement projects using the tag line ‘Love The Home You Live In’.
The initiative will include online and traditional consumer and social media, including broadcast and national / regional press whilst at its heart will be the dedicated National Home Improvement Month website — featuring ideas and information, blogs and ‘how to’ videos. There will also be marketing materials for retailers including point of sale, posters and press ads to enable them to promote their participation and drive sales at store level.
I can hear you say “So far, so DIY…” And whilst its primary audience is that of consumers and homeowners via the DIY retail channel, the campaign will also be placing additional emphasis on trade sector involvement this year.
Indeed, the BMF has offered its endorsement and is keen for members to highlight the scheme in their branches. CEO John Newcomb said: “The BMF is delighted to support National Home Improvement Month this year and we will be encouraging our members to take part too. It’s an excellent platform for both our merchant and supplier members to raise awareness of the importance of materials supply to enable both home and garden improvement.”
Whilst there may be some unease about a campaign that crosses the trade / retail divide, the over-arching point must surely be to encourage people to better engage with the realities of their homes. According to the organisers, some 69% of Brits do not currently “love the home they live in” and current statistics from bodies such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors suggest that housing transactions levels are “subdued” as a result of factors including Brexit uncertainty.
The maxim of “if you can’t move, improve” holds true, and projects large and small alike can have a palpable impact on making homes function better for the individuals and families that live in them. The initiative does not encourage people to take on jobs beyond their capabilities, and both merchants and their trade customers can reap the rewards of a targeted campaign that will actively engage with those that ultimately hold the RMI purse strings.
Commenting on the launch of the 2019 campaign, Paul Grinsell, Home Improvement Director at BHETA, said: “We had some great learnings and very positive feedback from last year’s campaign and I’m delighted that we have secured the industry backing to develop the concept still further. As before, we have two key objectives — to galvanise and renew consumers’ interest in improving their homes and gardens, and to drive sales of home and garden tools, products and consumables.”
For more information, visit www.homeimprovementmonth.co.uk
