In any promotional campaign the first task is to build your profile and lay the foundations that will result in increased awareness and improved sales. If the campaign is successful, a higher profile will lead to more people specifying your products and better knowledge in the market about the products and how to use them.
Two-and-a-half years into the wood. for good campaign there is incontrovertible evidence that it has been successful. There has been a noticeable change in attitudes and timber is again being used as a structural material.
In the year ahead, wood. for good will continue to focus on the environmental benefits of wood, ensuring the building industry really understands timber’s sustainable credentials. The campaign will also build on the success of both its “Building with wood” and “Living with Wood” elements, as well as continuing to develop relationships with new funders.
Timber frame
High on the list of priorities is an increase in the number of timber frame houses built in the UK. Market share has increased since the start of the campaign, but according to figures supplied by the UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA), timber frame construction still only accounts for 14% of new houses built in the UK. And regional differences are still very acute, with timber frame construction accounting for 55% of houses built in Scotland and just 9% in England.
wood. for good will be working closely with the UKTFA to ensure that timber frame’s share of the housing market continues to grow and that this form of construction is at the forefront of plans to realise the government’s ambitious housebuilding programme.
Another vital element of this year’s campaign is the launch of two competitions aimed at young people. The first, being run in conjunction with the Royal Institute of British Architects, challenges student designers to develop proposals for an imaginary inner city, brown field development that presents a choice of leisure, retail, commercial or residential facilities, involving new build and refurbishment. In keeping with wood. for good’s objectives, designs must be based on sustainable development and use natural resources.
The second is a competition for younger designers and schoolchildren to design a timber footbridge. This is being organised through New Civil Engineer’s school magazine NCEInsite, and offers the winning designers and their tutor a trip to Norway to see timber production and visit the site of the stunning bridge at Ås, built last year to an original design by Leonardo da Vinci!
Today’s student designers are the architects and engineers of tomorrow, and their response to this competition will be thought provoking for the entire design community.
The programme of CPD seminars that proved popular last year – 3,000 have already taken place – will also continue for architects and structural engineers.
Interior design
Interior design specialists will be targeted through the publication of a stylish interior designer’s manual, written by Chris Lefteri, author of the recently published, innovative book Wood: Materials for Inspirational Design.
A media campaign targeting professional builders will complement the series of Builder’s Guides planned to help educate the building trade about how to use wood and will also complement the “Living with Wood” campaign.
The “Living with Wood” element of the campaign will continue to promote wood as a stylish contemporary material for interior design. This will be achieved both by establishing relationships with some of today’s leading designers and by producing step-by-step guides for the DIY market.
At the same time a year-round advertising campaign will feature around 100 advertisements in 15 home interest magazines promoting wood flooring, wood panelling, wood in the garden, rooms in the roof and fitted furniture.
Following on from its previous success, wood. for good will focus on maintaining its high profile, ensuring that growth in UK timber consumption continues.