There aren't a lot of logos that builders get excited about wearing. But Hayward Lumber Co. did just that with the "Born to Build" logo, a "buffed beaver loaded down with tools" and the company's Fast Floor Plans, marketing director Suzanne Moore wrote in the company's entry.
The logo was printed on T-shirts worn by Hayward drivers as they made deliveries. The drivers talked to customers while dropping off loads, encouraging builders to stop by a store to pick up their own free T-shirt. As they gave out the shirts, Hayward Lumber gathered contact information from customers, such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers. The result was nearly 1,000 new customers added to the company's customer relationship management system, Moore said.
"The entire company pulled together as a team, and we generated much publicity at all of our job sites," she said.
The logo campaign delivered Hayward's marketing message outside traditional advertising methods. It was reinforced with store signage, e-mail notices, statement stuffers and monthly pricing specials. It's been such a hit that people from outside the industry have come in, asking for the shirts.
"Job sites had more action, and everyone was talking about going into Hayward Lumber to pick up their Born to Build shirt," Moore wrote. "Advertising and increased traffic throughout the retail store and sales department is still ongoing as we still feature Born to Build specials."
The marketing campaign also was incorporated into Hayward's Advantage Program, an online loyalty rewards program. The associate who signed up the most Advantage Program members during the campaign won a cruise to Mexico. The competition generated about 600 new accounts, Moore says. One Excellence Award judge praised the quality of the T-shirt produced for the campaign, saying that Born to Build was a slogan "any builder would be proud of."
The campaign was "not just focused on a logo," another judge noted, "but instead on building a pride that the builder/carpenter can wear."
- Millard Lumber / Curves Ahead
- Boyce Lumber / Open House
- TW Perry / Visionaries
- Ferguson Enterprises / Sales Conductor
- Mathew Hall Lumber / From Dull to Dynamic
- American Lumber / Give 'Em What They Want
- Jackson Kitchen Designs / Simply Complicated
- Legacy Building Specialties / Variety Show
- ProBuild / Going All Out For Going Green
- Concord Lumber / Teach Them and They Will Come
- Hayward Lumber / T to 1,000
> The judges also appreciated that the campaign tied into the company's original 1919 logo. "Our original beaver, created by (founder) Homer Hayward, was used to communicate Hayward Lumber's commitment to the community and value," Moore said.
"Our buffed-up beaver reflects our commitment to the repair and remodel (serious "multi-segment") builder, recognizing the passion that they have for their work and that we are prepared and willing to work as hard as they do."
