ICPA Marketing Initiative:
MasterCast Engineered Composites™

Overview

In early 2007, ICPA held a strategic planning meeting at which members decided to dedicate the association’s immediate focus on intensifying its market awareness program, specifically to ensure key market segments were better aware of cast polymer products. Developing a marketing initiative involved four phases:

• internal marketing audit
• external marketing audit
• member survey
• marketing action plan

As a result of the industry research, the marketing action plan called for research with end users and specifiers to test messages regarding cast polymers, with the goal of finding a new umbrella name that would convey the right message and image for these products. After months of market research, ICPA’s Marketing Committee and Board of Advisors voted to approve the name MasterCast Engineered Composites™ as the new umbrella name for cast polymers. The name, which has been created to help companies more effectively market their products, now appears on all ICPA marketing materials, a new exhibit booth for national home/building shows, as well as on a new consumer-oriented MasterCast website www.mastercast.biz.

The new MasterCast Engineered Composites™ or MasterCast™ marketing initiative launched at the Southeast Building Conference, July 31 to August 2, 2008 in Orlando, FL. The new MasterCast™ booth, which incorporates ICPA member photos and products in its design, allows ICPA to showcase the benefits of cast polymer products in residential as well as commercial applications. Reaction to the booth was overwhelmingly favorable, with designers, builders and remodelers commenting on the beauty and versatility of the products and sample materials features. More than a dozen ICPA member company representatives volunteered to assist ICPA staff in the booth. The MasterCast booth will travel to other upcoming home/building shows, including K/BIS 2009.

For more information about MasterCast and ICPA’s marketing initiative, contact Gabrielle Hampson at ghampson@acmanet.org or at 703-525-0511, ext. 305.

MasterCast Marketing Tool Kit for Members ICPA members can now access a member marketing tool kit for MasterCast Engineered Composites. To view and/or download contents of the tool kit, please click here.

Market Research with End-Users

ICPA’s Marketing Initiative conducted research with end-users to determine a preferred umbrella name for cast polymer products. Highlights of the focus group and omnibus survey research are available on the members-only portion of the ICPA website.

Market Research with Specifiers

Following the results of market research with end users, qualitative research was conducted with specifiers to determine their preferences for a new umbrella name for cast polymers. Members may view the results of this research by going to the members only-portion of the website.

Marketing Action Plan

Based on the results of the recently conducted internal and external marketing audits and an ICPA member survey, the ICPA Marketing Committee has been working with the Wexler Marketing Group to develop a Marketing Action Plan.  As a prelude to implementing this plan, the committee has agreed to first develop branding elements, including a brand name for cast polymer products.  Following this, the committee will work with Wexler to create a separate ICPA website for end-users.

The ICPA Marketing Action Plan is divided into four areas:

• Target Market Segments:
  Include the following audiences: specifiers, end-users, and influencers
• Strategies:
  Such as public relations, sales collateral materials, and direct marketing
• Tactical Elements:
  Which outline a specific course of action for achieving strategies for each market segment
• Promotional Budget:
  Broken down by tactical elements

Member Survey

In addition to the comprehensive audits, ICPA also conducted a member survey.

The survey measured member satisfaction with ICPA and the professional needs of its members. The results have been used to help determine and support future activities for the ICPA membership.

Survey was conducted in August, 2007 and was delivered in September, 2007.

Marketing Audits

The purpose was to conduct an examination of the organization’s marketing objectives, strategies, organization, and performance. The result helped us identify the strengths & weaknesses and opportunities & threats facing ICPA as it moves forward with its goal of enhanced consumer awareness.

The process involved two phases: internal and external marketing audits. These were conducted independently of each other.

Internal Marketing Audit

Audit began on May 15, written report delivered to ICPA Board by May 29.

This phase would involve a review of functions within the organization that contribute to and influence marketing practices. Following are the areas to be involved.

• MARKETING ORGANIZATION
  Structure, functions of staff and governance, internal communications
• MARKETING STRATEGY
  Mission, objectives and goals, strategic approach
• MARKETING SYSTEMS
  Planning, strategies, new-product/service development, marketing measurement
• MARKETING FUNCTION
  Products & services, pricing, promotion

External Marketing Audit

Audit began in June and was completed in late August.

This portion of the marketing audit involves the examination of external forces that impact, influence, and control the marketing efforts of ICPA in the marketplace.

• MARKET ENVIRONMENT
  Market influences, publics and constituencies, technological
• TASK ENVIRONMENT
  Target segments, customers, distribution channel, competitors
• SWOT ANALYSIS
  Summary of the findings of the internal and external marketing audits