I've talked a lot on this blog about the public perception of the KBB industry, in particular about the lack of household names and brands.

There are many reasons for this - fragmented supply and irregular purchase patterns just for a start - but now that it’s way into February we're past the annual marketing blitz that represents the biggest noise this industry makes to get itself heard by the consumer, the January sales.

For a period lasting six weeks or so the media is full of the major multiples like Magnet, Moben, Dolphin, Wickes, B&Q, Bathstore and Homebase telling the potential customer just how much they need a new kitchen and bathroom – it is these that are the only real household names in this industry (white goods aside).

But when these names concentrate so much on marketing their discounts (whether genuine or not), just what underlying message is that giving the consumer? Buy-one-get-one-free, half price sale, free appliances – is this really what we want the mass market to think of our industry?

Have they been educated to see kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms as a commodity to be discounted rather than an investment to be treasured? Lazy stand-up comics make whole routines based on gauging just how stupid somebody would be to buy a full price sofa from DFS but are we that far off?

Ultimately, this attitude represents the only mass marketing for the KBB industry and that’s pretty sad in my opinion. You couldn’t imagine a January sale for architects: “buy one new building get one free – free scaffolding with every purchase!” so it’s a shame that the multiples seem to rely on this method for their main message. 

Just take a look at a few of these websites to see what I mean, is this the industry shop window you want?

Wickes  

Homebase 

Magnet