Industry Associations Focus on Media, Marketing and Education

Four of the nation’s top window-related organizations participated in an NFRC-sponsored forum this January at the National Home Builder’s Show in Orlando, Fla. The annual forum provides an opportunity for fenestration marketing representatives to get together once a year to talk about new initiatives and how they can work together to promote the industry.

AAMA
At AAMA, plans are underway to introduce its new Web site. The enhanced site will break up the home page by audience type and take them to dedicated portions of the site (members, architects, builders, and homeowners). In other news, AAMA is holding off on any new marketing activities pending a decision about combining AAMA and WDMA. Janice Charletta, AAMA’s Marketing and Membership Manager, said a final decision is not likely until the summer, and perhaps next year

EWC
The Efficient Windows Collaborative continues to reach out across several audiences and regions to educate the benefits of energy efficient products. Kate Offringa, Director of Market Transformation at the Alliance to Save Energy, presented EWC’s marketing priorities for 2005. Highlights include:

• Three new white papers on new construction, small manufacturers, and low-income housing
• Exhibits at 8 to 10 builder shows in 2005
• Continued improvements to the EWC Web site
• Continued training opportunities with regional partners, such as the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP); potentially with the Southwest Energy Efficiency Partnerships (SWEEP) and the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) in the future

WDMA
With a potential merger ahead, Roy Diez, Executive Vice President of James O. Ahtes Inc. (WDMA’s marketing agency), said that WDMA, like AAMA, did not plan to launch any significant new marketing activities in 2005 pending resolution of the merger proposal. In the mean time, the organization is continuing its media outreach activities and Web site upgrades.

NFRC’s Implementation Strategy

In addition to the media outreach, conference attendance, and marketing materials that NFRC creates, Leonard Greenberger described NFRC’s plans for a new initiative designed to enhance code compliance and enforcement. There is a concern that a lack of compliance and enforcement may lead to less interest in certification programs, increased opposition to fenestration-related code requirements in general, and difficulty in expanding code requirements. A new strategy will complement existing efforts, and focus on priority states where code compliance and enforcement is particularly important (recommended for 2005: California, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Texas). The audiences will be building officials, small manufacturers, and architects and specifiers.

All of the groups look forward to continued friendly relationship to help the industry as a whole become a little clearer to all its constituents.

In this Issue

NFRC’s Logo Gets Legal >>>

Industry Associations Focus on Media, Marketing and Education >>>

Codes Update >>>

Chairman’s Message >>>

Industry News >>>

Member News/Across the Transom >>>

Back to Home Page >>>

NFRC Update | Volume 14 | Number 1 | January/February 2005