They were always very close. They shared the same interests and ambitions. Deep down it seemed inevitable they’d eventually get together – and now they have and I’m sure the UK trade will join me in congratulating the happy couple.
The merger between wood. for good and the Nordic First generic marketing campaigns has to be good news. Both have made an impact over the last 18 months. Both have been very professionally run and passed some real milestones in timber promotion. Their respective consumer and trade press advertising have matched anything offered by rival material industries and the wood. for good TV commercial and the Nordic First Built Environment seminar were just two examples of how they’ve widened the industry’s marketing horizons.
But now the ground has been broken, it makes sense that the two campaigns should pool resources. Uniting under the wood. for good banner should give the timber promotional effort still greater clarity and a stronger identity with consumers, specifiers and end-users. And, of course, it creates a greater single pot of cash.
At the same time, the merger has been achieved in such a way that the new united campaign can still draw on the expertise in the UK and Nordic industries that backed wood. for good and Nordic First separately.
The merger is also logical given that the aim of both campaigns, besides improving timber marketing per se, has been long-term market development for wood and wood products, a complex, costly business. The latest move here has been wood. for good’s contribution of £50,000 to the new Centre for Timber Engineering at Napier University. It’s another perfect marriage. Increasing the UK’s appetite for timber in construction is one of wood. for good’s key aims. The new training and research facility will ensure we have the homegrown timber engineering talent to satisfy it.
