Wood Use in Nonresidential Construction: An Exploratory Research of the Roles of Media and Content in Direct Marketing

The purposes of this research were to explore the role of selected marketing communications on the perceived identity of wood among architects and to define informational needs left unaddressed by those communications. The research was based on an experimental design implemented among architects designing nonresidential structures in the United States. The perceived identity of wood used structurally, using concepts from the branding literature, was not altered by any of the three stimuli (brochures categorized as Advertising, Case Study, and Technical Data). The case study was deemed more influential than the technical brochure with the advertisement ranking in between. Important informational needs identified related to design possibilities, regulations and standards, environmental footprints, and sustainable design. However, it must be noted that the experiment was limited temporally. It covered only one type of communications, although this type is the most common. Research results imply that the development of the nonresidential market should involve a long-term strategic commitment as opposed to a "quick fix" in the form of an advertising campaign