A completely unaided recall survey of architects’ preferences for specific commercial product brands has given manufacturers a first-ever, totally objective look at how their brands compare in the marketplace. Moreover, results from this survey—conducted by Accountability Information Management—have been compared to this same survey that was conducted three years previous, giving manufacturers an invaluable and indisputable resource for proving how well their brands have grown.
“Manufacturers have never before been able to state definitively that architects prefer their brand over others as part of a totally unaided recall survey,” states James Nowakowski, president of Accountability Information Management. “An unaided survey of brand preference carries a lot more weight and is much more accurate than a survey that lists possible answers, which skews the results. ”
Seeing results from both brand preference surveys side-by-side yields powerful information, adds Nowakowski. “When manufacturers compare results of both surveys, they have a critical benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of their marketing. Manufacturers can prove how architects’ brand preferences have changed over time.”
Using open-ended questions, the survey asked architects to provide the top three brands they specify or recommend. No brand names were provided. Respondents also indicated whether they were involved in specifying or selecting brands for particular subcategories within each overall product category. The study covered commercial product categories, including: Lighting, Security, Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC Systems and Control, Concrete/Metal, Doors, Windows, Floor Coverings, Wall Finishes, Ceiling Products, Roofing, and Siding/Masonry.
ACCOUNTABILITY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT INC., located in Palatine, Illinois, is a marketing research and marketing communications company with extensive knowledge in branding strategies and print advertising behavior through database management and technologies. Clients of Accountability include magazine publishers, associations, and public and private companies in manufacturing, construction and other industrial markets.
To access Accountability articles and white papers, visit www.a-i-m.com.
Visit Accountability at Booth 2859 at the AIA show this week in Miami and ask for a free sample of the Architects’ Brand Preference Survey.
