Media Playing ‘Huge Role’ in Remodel
Boom
Atlanta, GA Interest in residential remodeling, designing and
decorating “is easily at an all-time high” with the media playing
as much of a role in driving “this national obsession” as interest
rates, cocooning and other factors, a leading marketing and
communications firm said last month.
According to Kleber & Associates Marketing &
Communications, an Atlanta-based agency specializing in home
improvement and building products brands, a “proliferation” of
media focusing on remodeling and home building from the high end to
do-it-yourself is sparking enormous consumer interest in the
home.
“There’s no question that the media is playing a huge role in
ingraining home improvement into our culture and psyche,” said
Kleber & Associates’ president Steven Kleber.
“When PBS’ This Old House began in 1979 as a local show in
Boston, it was the only game in town in terms of home improvement
TV,” Kleber observed. “Now there are more than 50 home-oriented
programs on cable TV, including shows like Discovery Network’s
(TLC’s) Trading Spaces and MTV’s Crib Crashers.”
Kleber cited a recent survey, conducted by home improvement
retail giant Lowes, which revealed that two-thirds of American
homeowners tune into these programs, with nearly 75% of the viewers
reporting that the shows inspire them to undertake new
projects.
Kleber also pointed to the enormous number of national and
regional consumer shelter magazines currently impacting the
market.
He commented that while this media blitz creates enormous
opportunities for kitchen and bath product marketers, it also
creates special challenges.
“With the expansion of media to reach home-improvement-crazy
consumers, it’s more challenging than ever to sift through all of
the opportunities and create a highly targeted, effective
communications program,” Kleber observed.