Marketing Home Products

New Client Partners Leverage Agency’s Interactive and Broadcast Initiatives

ATLANTA (October 2011) – Kleber & Associates (K&A), an Atlanta-based integrated marketing and communications firm specializing in the home and commercial building products channel, recently announced its latest client partnerships: On The House, a national radio show hosted by the Carey Brothers, and Cadreas, an online community that aggregates and organizes critical content from and for all construction project participants.

The expansion of K&A’s Media Integration Division provides its current clients the opportunity to cross-promote their products and services across new broadcast and interactive platforms.

“Specializing in home and building products, it was a logical progression to expand K&A’s resume to include clients who also specialize in this industry channel,” said Steven Kleber, president and founder of K&A.

The agency’s partnership with On The House will primarily include external communication support and design.

“Steve and the K&A team are constant sources of information and energy in the home and building market,” said James Carey, co-host of On The House. “My brother, Morris, and I are pleased to be working with them in a strategic partnership as we combine our mutual passions for industry growth and community.”

The Carey brothers share their 55+ years of experience as award-winning, licensed contractors with millions of people nationwide through a weekly radio program and syndicated newspaper column, both titled On The House. The Carey Brothers’ Associated Press syndicated newspaper column, four-hour radio broadcast and daily radio vignette offer audiences money-saving tips on building, remodeling and repairing homes.

K&A will also play an integral role in growing Cadreas’ online brand presence, providing a marketing strategy and assisting with social media efforts.

Being a source for all data needed for improving design and building project outcomes, Cadreas offers these amenities via a well-organized and easily searchable database on one website with tools that improve the value of the content.

“In today’s economy, it’s crucial to have a strategic marketing partner who knows how to reach our target audiences,” said Steve Goold, vice president of Cadreas. “We chose to launch our partnership with K&A because of their extensive marketing experience, industry knowledge and reputation in the promotion of aspirational home product brands.”

“I’m thrilled about our partnerships with both On The House and Cadreas,” commented Steven Kleber. “Both offer unique perspectives and opportunities to connect those in our industry for a greater good. As an agency, we aim to help promote and grow awareness of both brands.”

About Kleber & Associates
Kleber & Associates focuses on brand development for clients in the home and commercial building products marketplace. An independent agency with more than 24 years of measurable results, K&A is committed to providing its clients with everyday marketing value while maximizing their marketing return on investment. For more information, please visit www.kleberandassociates.com or call 770-518-1000.

About On The House With The Carey Bros.

James Carey and Morris Carey, known as the Carey Bros., are nationally-recognized experts on home building and renovation. They share their 55+ years of experience as award-winning, licensed contractors with millions of people nationwide through a weekly radio program and syndicated newspaper column both titled On The House.  For more information, please visit www.onthehouse.com.

About Cadreas

Cadreas is the design and building industry’s online community. Cadreas aggregates and organizes critical content from and for all construction project participants: manufacturers; distributors; retailers; design companies; build companies; property owners; property managers; developers; trade, green and award associations; municipalities; utilities; and service providers such as banks, insurance companies, appraisers and inspectors. For more information, please visit www.cadreas.com.

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First we bartered, then we used cash, now plastic. What’s the next big change in commerce? How about your phone? If Google has its way, in just a few short years we’ll all be using smartphones to pay for everything from clothes and food to furniture and homes.

Google recently announced the latest installment in its long line of innovations and applications. Google Wallet promises to revolutionize the way we do business by putting our debit and credit cards, coupons, and loyalty cards all in one place, easily used with just one tap of your phone. Google’s vision? To eventually replace wallets with phones. In the future, the company hopes that Google Wallet will store not only all your credit cards, but your gift cards, receipts, boarding passes, tickets, and keys as well! When you’re ready to purchase something with your Google Wallet, simply tap your phone on the payment receiver at checkout. Google Wallet will automatically apply any saved offers you have for the retailer as well as loyalty points.

Google Wallet is designed to make the checkout experience easier and faster for customers, but what does it mean to merchants? Along with Google Wallet, Google is releasing Google Offers, which will allow businesses to send discounts and coupons directly to customers’ phones.

On its initial release, Google Wallet will utilize the MasterCard PayPass system, but Google is working to develop its own SingleTap checkout system. Initially available on certain Android phones, you can be sure Google is working to bring Wallet to every mobile device. And while the digital wallet currently will only use Citi MasterCard and Google Prepaid cards, Google expects to eventually support all cards.

Retailers like Macy’s, Subway, American Eagle, and Walgreens have already signed on to accept Google Wallet, and retailers who currently accept MasterCard PayPass (including Home Depot, CVS, BP, and Office Depot) will also be capable of using Google Wallet.

As more home improvement companies begin to accept Google Wallet, advertising opportunities for home products will rapidly increase. And who knows, someday you could be paying your plumber, electrician, and even your contractor through the convenience of your phone!

Are you ready to trade in your leather wallet for a shiny smartphone? Do you think offers and discounts on smartphones will be an effective way to engage customers?

I remember a few years back, diamond distributor De Beers had a billboard which read, “Your kitchen can wait.” The point being, buy diamonds now… invest in your kitchen later. The kitchen was – and arguably still is – the benchmark by which we measure major purchases.

Most of us know the most expensive rooms of the home are often the kitchen and the bathroom. You’ve probably even wrestled with it yourself: Do we take a vacation, or do we remodel the kitchen? Which should we put off until later – a new car or the kitchen? And understandably so, as a remodel for the home’s most frequently used room can be quite pricey.

Advertisers have taken this approach as well. Take, for example, Bud Light’s commercial portraying a kitchen “remodel.” Of course, this takes a humorous and exaggerated approach, but it’s important to note the room in question.

We’ve put the kitchen on a pedestal. So shouldn’t significant research, innovation, helpful information, and marketing dollars go toward keeping it there?