The brief
MyGlazing.com, the consumer advice website from trade body the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), provides free independent information and guidance. The site also allows consumers to find out more about their rights, how they can be protected and how they can resolve disputes, while using the site for inspiration and to source trusted companies when purchasing glass or glazing products/installation services.
The pandemic was disastrous for the home improvement sector, with many consumers becoming reluctant to welcome third parties into their property. While things slowly started picking back up in the construction sector and appetite for home improvements started to return, GGF/MyGlazing.com tasked Refresh with launching a campaign focused on re-instilling confidence in homeowners to help them make improvements in a safe manner.
The campaign needed to:
- Build back consumer confidence amongst homeowners, particularly around installers entering homes
- Educate consumers on how to safely use tradespeople for home improvements
- Drive traffic to the MyGlazing.com website
148
pieces of coverage
330k
page views
106m
people reached
Activity
A multi-layered campaign was created to reach various channels and generate widespread awareness amongst our target market (40-70 year old homeowners).
To garner attention from consumer media we gave journalists a credible and timely editorial hook, via owned data through market research. We surveyed 1,000 homeowners to explore; appetite to start home improvements, confidence in letting tradespeople in and how the pandemic had impacted their renovations. We also looked at how perception varied across UK regions and reacted to timely news in line with frequently changing government guidelines.
The insights were developed into a content series for both owned and earned channels, comprising thought-leadership articles offering advice to consumers on the MyGlazing.com hub and across social channels to promote the guidance. A series of national/regional press releases were also created and, as an added layer, we seeded longer form features and expert comment on timely themes to media, reacting to changing government guidelines, local lockdowns, government schemes and the Stamp Duty Holiday, all of which related to the overarching Stay Safe campaign theme.
Knowing the housing market was thriving and many consumers were looking to sell/buy prior to the end of the Stamp Duty holiday, in early 2021 we built on the existing campaign framework to continue piquing media interest. We commissioned some further research to gauge new perceptions of home improvements, namely exterior aesthetics they deemed a deterrent, but could easily be improved.
Results were developed into press releases for consumer media, and adapted accordingly for regional press weaving in relevant local data. We also continued to rollout fresh content onto the Stay Safe hub, which housed relevant home improvement advice for consumers.
Results
The campaign became one of MyGlazing.com’s most successful to date, resulting in:
- 148 pieces of coverage in top tier titles including Metro, Grand Designs, Your Home, Lancashire Evening Post and The Bolton News, amongst others
- Coverage reached more than 106 million people
- 100% of content included key messages
- MyGlazing. com also received increased traffic with a record 217,000 users visiting the site during the campaign
- Over 330,000 page views for the Stay Safe content
Throughout the pandemic, GGF/MyGlazing.com helped put consumers’ minds at ease at a challenging time. By quickly reacting to timely news and providing expert advice, MyGlazing.com was a trusted voice relaying important and relevant information.
“We have been working with Refresh for over five years, but 2020-21 will go down as record years for our PR coverage. The results were superb and the huge media relations push resulted in widespread awareness, further strengthening MyGlazing.com’s position as a valued resource for consumers seeking advice on home improvements.” Communications director, MyGlazing.com