the product

Showrooms featuring decorative plumbing, kitchen and bath cabinetry, lighting, tile and stone as well as wholesale plumbing and HVAC supplies.

the challenge

Bender presented us with both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity was the ability to create a brand from “scratch” since they had no existing branding and looked similar to other businesses in their category. The challenge was creating a brand that worked for three distinctly different markets:

• Plumbing and HVAC (wholesale)
• The showroom market (homeowners)
• A second showroom and plumbing/HVAC market with the trade (builders, designers, remodelers, architects)

We needed to create a marketing strategy that applied to all three different categories.

the process

We worked to determine Bender’s positioning. To do this, we conducted internal interviews, customer interviews, and a competitive analysis. From our research, we realized what set Bender apart was their relationships with their customers. Though they’re a large company, they were still viewed as a “mom and pop” shop when it came to service — customers felt they could turn to Bender and its employees and receive one-on-one, personable service. Once we knew that this separated them from their competition, we narrowed down what this meant for each type of customer.

the solution

We worked to create a strategy that would embrace Bender’s strengths and satisfy all of the different audiences. We came up with the idea of “the art of the trade.” This worked for all three groups because:

• It focused on Bender’s personable reputation
• It focused on tradespeople and their contributions to the community for generations (just like Bender)
• It showcased the trade who turned Bender’s products into works of art for homeowners
• It presented the trade as third-party endorsers for Bender

In addition, Bender wanted a formal marketing plan with measurements put in place to establish ROI’s wherever possible. This led to a complete change in how the marketing budget was spent and in 2019, we were able to save over $100K on marketing to put to the bottom line.

the results

We began work for Bender in the summer of 2019, so the strategy is still being established and implemented. So far, we’ve integrated it into most of our marketing material, and we’ve already received positive feedback and support from Bender’s executive team. We continue to work this approach into our marketing plans, which include OTT media, digital media, monthly eblasts, print, and more.