Webinar Now Available
The Real American Hardwood Coalition (RAHC) was formed by a group of hardwood association leaders in 2019 to identify the opportunities and challenges in promoting the American hardwood industry to the domestic market. The first phase of RAHC’s work focused on conducting and analyzing research on why customers purchase hardwood products or competing substitutes. By focusing on gathering information about how consumers decide which products they purchase, the hardwood industry can identify the best ways to connect with potential customers and influence their decisions through meaningful promotional outreach and messaging. The market research “will provide the basic tenets for developing a much-needed, over-arching brand identity.”
Target audiences for this research included architects, contractors, home renovators, designers, millennials, and GenXers to assess their perceptions about hardwood attributes, their beliefs about competitive products, and what drives consumer decisions. It was conducted in a variety of methods – in-person focus groups, online polling, and interactive bulletin boards. The results of the research, covered in this webinar, forms the foundation of a new brand identity for the American hardwood industry.
What were the Key Findings?
- Attributes favoring American hardwood include: Attractiveness (#1 Attribute), High-end Appeal, Uniqueness, Durability, Gold Standard – Everyone wants the look and feel of real hardwood products
- Drawbacks in choosing American hardwood: Cost (#1 Barrier), Not a “Good Value”, disconnect between durable being good value, Disposable Society, “Close is Good Enough”
- Not a Driver in the decision making process: “Made in America, Environmentally Friendly, Sustainability of the Resource” (Who knew?)