Wood for Good is sending out newsletters and posters to keep ‘stakeholders’, including merchants, informed of its progress and to enable them to tie their promotional efforts in with the generic timber advertising campaign.
So far the focus has been on adverts and marketing in the consumer press and publications for end users, including architects, builders and housing associations. The campaign’s first television advert (TTJ January 6/13) is also due to go on air in the Carlton TV region on February 26.
David Bills, director-general of the Forestry Commission, one of the principal UK backers of Wood for Good, described the next part of the campaign as part of the ‘pull through’ phase.
‘The aim is both to inform stakeholders about the campaign to date, its aims and how it will develop in the coming months, and to enable them to link up with their own publicity,’ said Mr Bills.
He saw the latest development as the UK equivalent of the Nordic First promotion organised by the major backer of Wood for Good, the Nordic Timber Council.
Mr Bills also addressed rumours that there has been criticism of Wood for Good from some UK timber growers who feel it will disproportionately benefit Nordic timber.
‘I haven’t come across any criticism myself and, if there is, I feel it’s from a small section of the industry,’ he said. ‘When I addressed the Timber Growers Association before Christmas, they were very supportive of the campaign. If anything, they were sorry they couldn’t contribute more.
‘The Nordic support is vital and proportionate to their share of the UK market. The home-grown sector couldn’t have done anything on the scale of Wood for Good without them. Moreover, the promotion is focused on timber per se, rather than Nordic or home-grown. It’s aimed at taking on the common enemy – wood substitutes.’
