The Wood Protection Association (WPA) is making marketing support available to members of its WPA Benchmark quality scheme for preservative treated wood.

The support package includes new branding graphics, social media messages, product labels, promotional literature and news articles. The support package is being provided free and includes a consultancy service to help treaters use the different marketing elements.

The whole idea is to help wood treaters raise awareness about the enhanced benefits of buying treated wood with an independent verification of compliance with British Standard wood treatment specifications courtesy of their WPA Benchmark accreditation.

“The principal behind this new support package for WPA Benchmark accredited treaters is: ‘your business has worked hard to get it – now let us help you show it off and create the demand you deserve,’” said Steve Young, WPA chairman.

The WPA Benchmark support package is free and includes:

•Updated WPA Benchmark logo: The new ‘Treated timber you can trust’ logo is available for accredited business to display on their website, brochures, and advertising. •Email signature branding: This sits alongside company email signatures to promote WPA Benchmark accreditation on all emails.

  • A social media bundle: Nine ready-to-use graphics, quotes, and images for companies to showcase their accreditation on LinkedIn and other social platforms.
  • Promotional labels: These weather-proof certified product labels are available free to scheme members to promote directly to customers at the point of sale.
  • A ‘Why WPA Benchmark?’ article: A feature article explaining the value to customers of choosing WPA Benchmark accredited treaters and products. The WPA can tailor this article to different companies for their websites, advertising, or social media posts.
  • Guidelines: Two documents showing exactly how to use the package to support WPA Benchmark accredited businesses and products.
  • Support in implementing/tailoring the support package to your business operations by the WPA team lead by its communications consultant Dominic Weaver.

CAMPAIGN ROLL-OUT

The WPA is confident that this support package will help to raise awareness and get people asking for treated wood produced by a WPA Benchmark QAS accredited treater. In February it soft-launched the support package to three scheme members. All three responded enthusiastically and are currently working to embed the support package into their sales and marketing communications.

The WPA is also increasing supply chain promotion of the benefits of WPA Benchmark and third-party quality accredited treated wood that can be trusted to perform. There will be more supply chain media exposure and WPA social media.

The WPA continues to work with Timber Development UK (TDUK) and its members and is also targeting the builders’ merchants’ network with webinars and direct communications.