There’s a lot of talk about a company and its “brand” these days, and lots of money being spent trying to do what people call “branding.” One recent article pointed out that all marketing, especially advertising, works to enhance or modify brand image.

But, what is “brand” in the case of a manufacturer? Is the manufacturer’s brand what drives sales and specifications, or do other factors like the power of the specification itself drive the image?

While quality manufacturer brands are the basis of every architect’s portfolio, some have attained a higher preference over others. How does this preference happen? What causes one brand to be preferred over another in the mind of an architect?

A Brand is Intangible

A brand is intangible, just like your essence (who you are) is intangible. Sure, you have a body that does things. But you, your essence, where is that?

Who are you? Are you your work? Are you what you eat? Are you what you do? Are you the love you feel for your family?

Just as the definition of “you” includes all of these things, brand is everything around a company.

The American West is as good as any place to explain the concept of brand.

A rancher branded his cattle with his mark (brand image). Along with being a means of finding cattle that strayed from the herd, that mark was assurance to people who bought his cattle of a specific degree of quality. Some buyers paid more money for specific brands of cattle.

So while all cattle ranchers sold cattle, some ranchers obtained a premium for their beef, and it was the brand that identified one head of cattle from another. The “Lazy Y” might bring a better price per head than the “Circle W.”

In other words, “cattle” was a commodity product. A “brand” differentiated one group of cattle from another.

All the buyer knew is that it wasn’t just beef anymore if he bought the Lazy Y — it was “the Lazy Y cattle” — confidence in the quality of the beef, assured delivery, and the commitment of the rancher himself of that quality.

The cattle became more than cattle: they became an extension of the rancher.

While you could argue about how “complex” the issue of brand is, what the buyer was really buying was the brand — not the beef. And that, essentially, is what the architect is specifying: the brand, not the faucet, or the window, or the furnace.

Steve Bryant writes a nice piece on brand called, “You don’t get it. You aren’t the point,” that argues that a brand does not begin with the audience in mind. Rather, it begins as an idea about itself (the product) and then tries to sell that idea to an audience (the market). This is why it’s called “product-market fit.” And this usually works when there is an audience that knows it needs that product. But when the market is flooded with commodity products (and what market isn’t), then such a strategy simply doesn’t work. Bryant points out: “A brand wants people to aspire to its product. To a brand, their product is the customer’s goal. But people don’t aspire to products. People aspire to feelings that products give them. This is true for everything from candy bars to sports cars to cloud-based document storage solutions.”

And it’s true of what the architect specifies: the brand, not the product.

Brand is Everything

Architects are like ranchers when it comes to managing  brands that they specify. While the architect may specify a variety of different manufacturers’ brands (beef), it’s the firm’s name on the door that owner hires — not the manufacturer(s). The architectural firm itself becomes the “brand” and the assurance that the products in that specification offer quality and reliability.

You can see how complex the specification process is.

As much as a manufacturer does to support his brand in a marketplace, the bulk of brand building lies in the specifications of the architect — something the major brands have realized for many years (and why they aim at influencing the architect).

Any of the well-known brands have always begun their path to specification by building brand strength through the  architects, the engineers, the contractors and the building owners. Those were the audiences. And what drove those specifications was the brand image of the manufacturer’s products — something that was intangible.

Fortunately or unfortunately, no matter what a manufacturer does to enhance or harm his brand, it’s the architect who determines to a large extent its eventual success (or one of those other audiences). Ignoring the installed base for a moment, one might argue that there is no product that can enter the construction marketplace without first entering the specification.

A Brand Generates Energy

A brand is the emotional source of an organization — its very soul. People are guided and inspired by it, and that makes defining it extremely difficult if not impossible. The only rule in figuring out brand is this: Beware of concise definitions. There are none because brands, like people, are complex.

In your company, it’s all of your company’s actions — answering the phones, fulfilling orders, communications, customer service calls, operations practices and employee interactions. Your brand is all that you do and do not do. You help define your brand by “opting out” of specific behaviors.

When you decide to do or not do something a specific way, you send a message. That message contributes to the formulation of your brand in a person’s minds.

Energy is the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity. Merriam Webster says energy is “a fundamental entity of nature that is transferred between parts of a system in the production of physical change within the system and usually regarded as the capacity for doing work.”

Energy excites. And so do certain brands.

Who are You?

Think for a moment about who you are, and how people perceive you as a person. You have a certain image (a wild, crazy guy, perhaps, or a no-nonsense workaholic). Your personality is your brand; people who know you count on you to act in a certain way and to do certain things.

Some people call certain people because they get a “lift” from talking to them. Other people avoid calling certain people because their energy is, well, negative. In all these cases you’re talking about feelings, the intangible.

But those feelings are always about the person experiencing the brand, what the brand brings out of that person, and not the brand itself.

The brand — any brand — is simply a catalyst for a feeling.

Just as you either know a person or you don’t, either you know a brand, or you don’t. And just as you can never know another person, you can never really know a brand.

A brand isn’t about the brand…it’s about your “feelings” for that brand.

One of the consistent findings in our research is how much of a gap exists between what manufacturers think about their products and what the marketplace thinks about those same products. There is rarely a one-to-one match in these perceptions, because it’s not about the products: it’s about the brand ultimately, and for some reason, manufacturers can’t get beyond the product.

But when they do come close to matching, the manufacturer has poured millions of dollars into shaping those perceptions into a single “brand image” by weaving stories about the brand. Think of any of the brands in any category. Those brands are in the specification as brands of products, not just products. When there are no brands in the specification for a product that’s needed, it’s called a generic specification. Anyone’s cattle will do.

Perception is the Key

Everything we think we know about a brand was created through our five senses. In fact, everything we think we know about anything comes through these senses.

Therefore, perceptions of things and people are also formed through these channels.

Perceptions drive actions, and people define themselves through their actions.

Therefore, by studying  actions, you can define the person, the company, the brand.

Brand image and reputation are created through the action of specification.

Specifications come from perceptions of the brand, which came through the five senses.

What does that mean?

It means representatives calling on those audiences you want to influence. It means pouring out content (advertising or other tactics) into those audiences. It means telling stories about how products perform. It means everything about a company and how it projects itself through its actions into those audiences.

The dirty little secret about a brand is that the audience creates the brand, not the manufacturer. It’s always been about the audience, not the brand. Just as people gave the “Lazy Y” more meaning as a preferred brand by buying it, audiences like architects give meaning to brands by specifying them. Or not.

Behavior is Brand

Customers who know you expect certain behaviors from you, and that becomes your “brand.” Others you don’t do business with are unfamiliar with your behavior and, therefore, your “brand.” They must learn about you.

Learning about you used to be easier. Companies would run advertising and communicate to their audiences to build their brand.

Today, there are websites. Social Media. Word of Mouth. Networking. Rumor and truth often get mixed up.

But, within this complexity lies the power of a brand: The more people understand what to expect from your business or product, the easier it is to do business or specify a product.

Expectation of a behavior is really what branding is all about.

When you deliver what is expected, you contribute to building a “good” brand. When you do not, you contribute to building a “bad” brand.

Brands can be good or bad, and they change all the time.

A brand isn’t a logo or a letterhead; those are representations of something more than themselves.

Take the word “Marlboro.” It used to conjure up a vision of a cowboy instead of a cigarette — it’s a representation of something other than the product. Today, it fades alongside the shiny new things. There was a time when the word “Marlboro” meant “Cowboy.” “Rugged.”

That’s not true anymore.

Because the real secret about your brand is this: it’s not what you think it is. It’s what your customer thinks it is. You can believe anything you want about you and your company, but unless your customers believe it, it’s simply not true.

Perception becomes reality.

That’s why “basis of design” becomes so important, something that shapes such perceptions and, therefore, reality.

For a manufacturer, remember your markets are changing almost daily. To compete successfully, you must create a brand that is recognized, trusted and means quality to your architectural specifiers. Your architects remain loyal to you and your products because you behave the way they want, expect and count on.

For the architect who operates in those changing markets, his or her perceptions are shaped by the products they specify, by the owners they serve, by everything around them. As “managers” of brands, your own brand goes “on the line” with every specification you write.

To compete successfully, remember that it’s not about you: it’s about them, and what they think about you. And that’s why there is a whole industry that emerged around “crisis management.” When something happens to a brand, there’s a crisis. The crisis is about the faith in the brand, and any incident can harms the brand’s image.

Our sister company’s blog — Brands in Crisis — is a discussion about how a brand gains its power from people who embrace it – and from its brand proposition. It supplements this discussion and might interest you.

Please let us know what you think! Thanks for reading our analysis.

The post What is a Brand? appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

Today, more and more home owners are also considering metal roofing as an alternative to other traditional roofing options[1].

To take advantage of this growing market for metal roofing products, manufacturers need to begin to explore and evaluate their brand’s position in the specifications. Knowing more about how a brand is positioned with architects will help maximize success.

Facts of the Case

According to a 2019 research study recently published Roofing Contractor Magazine[2] 82% of contractors indicated they are currently involved with metal roofing. Many also indicated they see increased opportunity for growth in metal roofing, particularly in the residential market. More than half of respondents indicated their residential metal roofing sales increased in 2018 and 57% indicated they expected sales to increase in 2019.

The best way for manufacturers to take advantage of the growing metal roofing market is to strengthen relationships with architects and designers who specify metal roofing. Today, if a manufacturer is not on a firm’s “short list,” it is almost impossible to be listed in a project’s specifications.

Architects have many choices in brand when it comes to roofing. So it is even better for a manufacturer to be named as the projects’ “basis of design” or better yet, be listed as the brand with no substitutions or on the roofing schedule. Manufacturers need to start developing relationships with architects to provide them with the information they need to make better product selections. To do this, manufacturers must first understand the specification process and what factors are most important to the architect’s selection of metal roofing products. This will assure the architect that the manufacturer has the information and product details to meet their project objectives.

Many manufactures work hard to get their brand in the architect’s specification and to be included in the list of approved brands. For new manufacturers or existing manufacturers trying to get a new product into the specification can be a daunting task.

Architects and designers do not change or review their specifications often. In research conducted and published by Architect Magazine titled The Truth About Specification[3], many times architects re-use or revise existing specifications. In fact, the research found that only 26% write specifications from scratch and 57% end up using specifications from a previous project—sometimes using the specifications with no changes.

Adapt Change or Disappear

Where manufacturers can start to penetrate the specifications is to at least get on the “list” of brand options specified. Typically, architects are required to list “alternative” brands to help promote competitive bids/pricing. While being on the list is better than not, it still does not mean your product will be purchased.

Key Factors In Architect’s Selection of Metal Roofing Products

The key factors for architects can vary based on the project and the particular objectives of the architect’s client. According to research and an article published by Architect Magazine[4] titled How to Specify a Metal Roof for Commercial Buildings, there are several factors architects must consider when selecting a brand of metal roof.

Architects must not only consider product standards and performance requirements, but they also need to take into consideration other factors like the climate of where the project will be located, any local zoning requirements or the particular pitch or form the roof will need.

Many times, metal roofing is selected to obtain a certain “look” or aesthetics, which will need to be balanced with other goals of the project like functionality, energy savings, or even exposure to various types of weather. The more specific product information manufacturers can provide the architect, the better. They need specific information on how products can meet their project goals.

In fact, in reviewing metal roofing specifications there are very specific product requirements outlined by architects. For example, a metal roof product often needs to meet wind resistance, thermal performance and resistance to various temperatures.

Manufacturers need to outline and offer proof of product performance standards. Also, they must meet and deliver standards for packaging, delivery and warranties.

Installation requirements are often outlined in the specification. Accountability Information Management, Inc. (AIM) conducted qualitative one-on-one interviews with architects for a metal product manufacturer. Architects stressed that they will not specify a metal exterior product that does not have a history of product performance in the project location and type of project they are specifying.

In addition, an equal amount of importance was given to having trained, educated and experienced installers. To strengthen the relationship with architects, manufacturers should study the specifications of metal roofing so they can best address the key issues and factors impacting architect’s brand selection.

Specifications Analysis Helps Identify and Strengthen a Brand’s Position with Architects

AIM Architects’ Brand Preference Study revealed just how competitive the metal roofing market is. In this unaided blind brand preference study, architects and designers were asked to list their top three brands of metal roofing products.

There were over 27 brands or companies mentioned by architects that were “involved” with the specification of these products. Although the list of specific brands has no doubt shifted over time, the numerous choices they have to choose from still holds true[5]. Architects and designers have lots of brand choices when it comes to metal roofing products.

To help manufacturers evaluate their brand position in the marketplace, it is important to first understand more about an architect’s level of involvement when specifying metal roofing products. How much control or influence does the architect or designer have on selecting a particular brand of metal roofing.

Looking at metal roofing, the degree to which architects are involved in specifying a specific brand or manufacturer can vary. In AIM’s Architect’s Brand Preference research, only 32% of the architects surveyed indicated that they were involved in selecting and specifying the brand metal roofing products. Of those that were involved, 46% indicated they did not have a brand preference. This was a major decrease since previous research, which indicated only 15% had no brand preference. Could this be that the specification of metal roofing is increasingly complex and many architects delegate that other professionals like a structural architect or an architect specializing in materials or exterior building products?

While architects may indicate they have “no preference,” they are, in fact, involved in specifying and recommending the metal roofing products. The architect will weigh in on the type of look or performance they want to achieve.

However, due to the growing complexity of commercial projects, architects may delegate or collaborate the brand selection to “others” in the specification path. Many design firms today maintain a list of “approved” brands that have met specific performance and quality requirements. If a manufacturer is not on “the list,” the chance of being in a specification are limited. It is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers to expose and educate architects on their product features, benefits and other services they offer the market.

Becoming a brand on the architect’s preferred list of brands is key to impacting a brand’s position in the specifications. To be on a firm’s list of approved metal roofing brands, a manufacturer needs to provide more than just a quality product. They need to have a history of top performance, offer premiere service, local support for their brand and often a list of certified installers.

What should metal roof manufacturers do to enhance brand selection and preference? How can manufacturers convert “no preference” answers into specifications and recommendations for their brands? These are important questions.

Impacting Brand Specification with the “Basis of Design”

To answer these questions, consider what we know about specifications. The key to gaining ground in specifications is to become part of the “basis of design.”[6] This means that the architect or designer is calling out a specific brand that is used to meet the objectives of the project. To learn more about how often “basis of design” is used in metal roofing specifications, we used ConstructConnect, (https://www.constructconnect.com/), an online construction database, to get a better sense of how metal roofing products are specified. By searching the projects roof specifications for “metal roof projects with Basis of Design,” in specific years, we can see how the specification for “basis of design” and specific brands has changed.

41% of projects in 2018 with a metal roof specification also included a brand as the “basis of design.” However, this has increased since 2012 where “basis of design” was specified in only 36% of the metal roof specifications.

There are many brands that are involved in delivering metal roof products to the market. This type of specifications analysis can show manufacturers how often their brand is specified as the “basis of design” and if it has shifted over a specific period of time.

The market is constantly changing and it is important for a manufacturer to continuously review their position in architect’s specifications. A manufacturer cannot always be sure that they are on a firm’s “preferred” list. They can, however, evaluate how often their brand appears in the specifications. They can measure how often they are the “basis of the design” or appear in the roofing schedule. A brand found in the specifications and labeled the “basis of design” is automatically on the list of “preferred” brands.

The same research can be done on the other product categories or on specific brands based on the manufacturer’s needs. AIM can design a specifications analysis to meet a client’s objectives and look at a particular brand/manufacturer, by territory, competitors, project type, location or by specifications area/schedule. Let us know where your interests are. Thank you.

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[1] An expected increase in metal roofing sales in 2018 was 60 percent, the highest amount recorded by Roofing Contractor’s survey respondents since 2012. Roofing Contractor’s State of the Industry Report and Survey 2018, Roofing Contractor Magazine; February 2018.

[2] Roofing Contractor’s State of the Industry Report & Survey 2019; Roofing Contractor Magazine; February 2019.

[3] The Truth About Specification, by John Schneidawind, AIA highlights key findings on an AIA survey of 330 architects on how they select and specify building materials for commercial projects. The article stresses the importance of an architect’s relationship with building product manufacturers and report that 60% of the time the architect already knows which materials an architect is going to use. https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiafeature/the-truth-about-specification_o

[4] How to Specify a Metal Roof for Commercial Buildings, Architect, November 2017, https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/products/how-to-specify-a-metal-roof-for-commercial-buildings_o

[5] Sweets, for example, lists only 11 manufacturers in the category “metal roofing.” However, in a recent specification for a mixed-use development in Julian California, there were 24 manufacturers listed for the metal roofing portion of the specification! Interestingly, six of the Sweet’s manufacturers were not even in that specification, which means 19 of the manufacturers in that specification were not in Sweet’s. Architects get their information in many ways, and it is important for the manufacturer of any product to make sure that they are in the architect’s line of sight.

[6] USlegal.com defines it as “Basis of design is a term used in engineering, which typically consists of text paragraphs, preliminary drawings, equipment lists, etc. Well-defined requirements consist of a set of statements that could form the basis of inspection and test acceptance criteria. The basis of design documentation and the specification identify how the design provides the performance and operational requirements of the project and its systems.”

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