New product introductions (NPIs) in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry aren’t exactly embraced. Even if they’re beneficial in the long run, they require training and process changes, two things that cost time and money. In a saturated market with hundreds of other choices, we had to convince contractors that the T Series was the best choice.

Our campaign theme, “Fits your business to a T,” wasn’t about the product, or even about Honeywell – it was about the contractor. And the contractor remained the focus of our entire campaign.

We developed an integrated marketing campaign to educate and excite contractors via print, digital and social touchpoints, taking care to address their questions and pain points head-on. We also created a contractor persona and leveraged him in a series of FAQ videos, using real-speak instead of marketing jargon to make a connection and foster trust.

With a simple, straightforward messaging and elegant yet approachable creative, we went to market not to sell a product, but to solve contractors’ problems – an approach that’s paid off in more ways than one.

We not only helped Honeywell build alignment and excitement among their internal teams – we also helped them strengthen their relationships with distributors and contractors. Our campaign energized the entire value chain, driving demand by being buyer-driven. Needless to say, initial product sales exceeded projections.