Pre-pandemic, there was a theory circulating that you either had a job, a career, or a calling. That is to say, are you working to make money; to improve yourself and professionally develop; or to make a positive, transformational difference to others. Although much has changed in the world of work since then, the fundamental question remains. It is, in essence, asking – what’s your purpose?
There is a story that sums this up. It’s about when the President Kennedy toured the NASA space centre in 1962. He approached a cleaner and asked him what he was doing. With clarity and conviction, the cleaner responded “I’m helping put a man on the moon, Mr. President”. That man clearly had a calling.
Refresh recently partnered with Competitive Advantage who took a deep dive into the attitudes of hundreds of architects. The report, part of the Construction Media Index, is a comprehensive exploration into the communication and marketing preferences of the construction sector and its leading figures.
As well as charting the use of YouTube, Facebook, and other channels, the research alluded to something fascinating about how architects view their work. The take away message being, architects don’t just see their work as a job. Quipping about how an architect never goes on holiday without looking at a building. What does this mean from a marketing perspective?
It means that this professional group is willing to engage in content outside of work hours and across a diverse range of platforms – social media, podcasts, online video content, blogs, they all have a role. But so too does traditional trade press, which consistently ranks as highly trusted. Think about this when trying to reach this audience. You are not just talking to architects as a professional group, but they are consumers, observers, commentators, too.
Your purpose matters. When communicating with an audience, understanding their true purpose is essential. Talking to someone who views their work as a calling requires a radically different approach than a conversation with someone who views it as a job. Their motivations, interest levels, present and future needs, and language will all be different.
We use this insight when ideating and developing our own campaigns here at Refresh. In the case of architects, while technical product information is important, they are attracted to inspiring visuals – such as eye-catching photography and videography – and unique angles and headlines are very important. On top of this, they are socially and environmentally conscious with a constant desire to learn.
So, to have maximum impact with this audience, we have to be on the channels they are using and use an overarching narrative that captures their hearts and minds. To achieve this, we usually suggest a multi-pronged approach involving the architects in the activity itself. This enables our clients to integrate into the ‘community’ and influence from within.
The CMI research which Refresh have been proud to sponsor exposes important details in how architects view their work and the content that resonates with them. If you’d like to learn more insights or work with us on an impactful campaign, please get in touch.