ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS MARKETING CASE STUDY

Realization

Founded in 1945, Tubelite is a manufacturer of aluminum storefront, entrance, and curtainwall systems. Today, this industry is dominated by large companies that are, in turn, often owned by huge conglomerates such as Alcoa, YKK, and others. While Tubelite is considered one of the major industry suppliers, the five other major suppliers dwarf Tubelite in terms of size and available resources.

Repositioning

Shortly after Tubelite was acquired by a new, private ownership group, Francis Marketing worked with Tubelite to reposition the company in the marketplace. The goal was to create brand loyalty that would withstand the appeal of lower prices periodically offered by Tubelite’s competitors. Although not “sexy,” the key brand attribute of dependability was one thing Tubelite’s competitors simply couldn’t deliver; the competitors’ products were notorious for frequently showing up late and damaged, creating significant problems and penalties for the glass and glazing professionals that ordered them. Francis Marketing worked with Tubelite to define and develop the brand strategy, the channel strategies for glass and glazing professionals and architects and specifiers, the key touchpoints and deliverables to support and propel the repositioned brand, and the strategies to create brand loyalty.

Results

Through the brand strategy and the deliverables to support the brand, Tubelite has created a stable of loyal customers that continue to purchase Tubelite’s engineered products despite periodic pricing pressures from Tubelite’s competitors. In addition, as a result of the channel strategies implemented, Tubelite’s products continue to be widely specified by architects, which in turn helps continue to drive demand for Tubelite’s products. Today, Tubelite remains one of the major suppliers in its industry, effectively competing with much larger rivals.