Marketing Concrete Against Competing Materials
Bruce McIntoshVice PresidentCommunications
Topics
• Competitive arenas in the U.S. • Market characteristics• Message research and testing• Marketing programs• Market dynamics and emerging
opportunities
Competitive Arena: Buildings
• Commercial buildings• Residential buildings• Public buildings
Low-Rise Buildings (1 to 3 stories)
Concrete; 20.1Steel; 49
Concrete/Steel Hy-brid; 0.8
Prefabricated; 6.6
Wood; 23.3
Market Share, Percent
Mid-Rise Buildings (4-7 stories)
Concrete; 33.1
Steel; 34.6
Concrete/Steel Hybrid; 1.5
Wood; 23.3
Market Share, Percent
High-Rise Buildings (8 stories and higher)
Concrete; 56.1
Steel; 37.6
Con-crete/Steel
Hybrid; 6.3
Market Share, Percent
Competitive Arena: Paving
• Highways• Urban roads• Rural roads• Parking lots• Residential driveways
All Paved Roads
Concrete; 6Asphalt; 94
Market Share, Percent
Highways
Concrete; 13.5
Asphalt; 86.5
Market Share, Percent
Competitive Arena: Single-Family Houses
• Above-grade walls• Flatwork (driveways, walks, patios)• Basements and foundations• Cladding (stucco, siding)
Above-Grade Walls
Concrete; 4Wood; 94
Other; 2
Market Share, Percent
Marketing Tactics and Considerations
• Messages that have been externally tested• Market share vs. market size• Campaign approach targeting specific
issues• Thought leadership: Controlling the
conversation• Part of imaging/branding (Think Harder)
Message Research and Testing
• Specifiers of building materials (engineers, contractors, architects, and others)
• Concrete industry representatives• Governmental (state and federal)
Message Testing Results
Top-rated descriptive attributes that go undisputed:1. Durable, long lasting2. Sustainable3. Economical
Positioning • Wood has regeneration, renewable• Asphalt and steel have recycling• Concrete’s has the opportunity to
own durability and long-life, our top attributes
Marketing Concrete Paving
• Key factor :
Concrete has a 6% national share of the paving market
National Advertising Plan for Paving
• Targets: • Public works officials, consulting engineers,
city/county officials• Tactics: • Aggressively communicate concrete pavement
as durable, sustainable, and economical• Capitalize on new opportunities (rising asphalt
prices)• Address issues that present barriers to greater
share
Initial Ad
• Attention-getting• Aggressive• “No more status quo”
Pure Positive (Yawn!)
Current Campaign: Advocacy, MIT
Working on . . .
Regional: Minnesota
• 2010 campaign targets I-94 asphalt reconstruction after just 10 years
• Arterial route in downtown Minneapolis
Regional: Minnesota• 2011 campaign of billboards and
bus shelters focused on spring pothole season
Campaign Impacts• Increased visibility for material choices:
concrete versus asphalt• Galvanized and motivated allied industry• Minnesota public officials– Forced media response– Increased allied industry influence – Elevated dialogue
• $65 million additional concrete projects 2011-2012 Mn/DOT program
Regional: Columbus, Ohio• July 2012 billboard campaign on
asphalt escalators with “Crude” imagery and messaging
Other Materials• Web site: www.think-harder.org• PCA e-newsletters• Social media (Think Concrete
blog, Twitter, Facebook)• Outreach materials on benefits,
issues, and economic impact• Promotional items
Other Campaigns: Resilience• Capability of a building or community to
survive and recover from a disaster such as tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, floods etc.
• Strategy is intended to raise awareness of the benefits of concrete
• Concrete products include walls, floors, finishes and roof tiles
Resilience: Program Elements and Tactics• Target: Community leaders, building code
officials, elected officials in disaster areas• Segment: Homes and buildings that offer safe
and sustainable communities• Goal: Stronger building codes and local
practices that favor concrete
Pilot Program: Joplin, Missouri
• Community event with presentations, exhibits, and tours showcasing safe and sustainable concrete.
• Advertising in local newspaper and Facebook• Earned media• Outreach materials: fact sheets, social media,
web site• Think Harder gear
Conclusions
• Long-term outlook very positive• Huge opportunities in paving• Trends to sustainable construction favor
concrete• Trends to life-cycle analysis favor concrete
Marketing Concrete Against Competing Materials
Bruce McIntoshVice PresidentCommunications