New report out today: What is home?
Shelton Stat of the Week
77% of Americans say comfort AND safety/security are most important for making a house a home.
What is Home? Report, 2022
I’ve written about this before: Americans feel afraid. That fear is all over our data, it’s all over the news, it’s lurking behind social media posts and it’s driving responses at the ballot box. And that fear is changing the way we think about our homes.
That’s the key insight behind our latest free report, out today, called What is Home?
Long before the pandemic, we saw in our regular surveying of Americans that indoor air quality (IAQ) and comfort were the real drivers of home improvement (mixed in, of course, with a desire for beauty/improved aesthetics). And, not surprisingly, through the pandemic we saw IAQ take on increased importance.
What IS surprising, though, is that safety and security aren’t just important – they’re the primary way we define comfort. In other words, we can’t feel comfortable in a home if we don’t feel safe and secure in it. And one of the primary ways we feel safe and secure is – wait for it – through IAQ measures (“a space free of chemicals and allergens” to be specific).
We now see our homes as havens that should provide the protections we’re seeking from all the real-life Boogeymen lurking in the world, and keep us safe from both the things we can see and the things we can’t.
This creates a real opportunity for builders of high-performance homes and the makers of products that go in them. Reframe your thinking from “safety = security systems” to “safety = security systems AND healthy air AND tight envelopes AND climate resilience.” Lead with those benefits as you market your products. And tie your corporate branding to this theme as well – so beyond what your products do to create a comfortable, safe, secure home, talk about what your company is doing to create a comfortable, safe, secure employee base, community and world.
We’re all looking for leaders to help us believe it’s all going to be okay. Be that leader – it’s a win for everyone.
Learn more by downloading our new report, which is absolutely free, here.
The Biden-Harris administration advances equity and opportunity for Black Americans and communities across the country
— The White House
A major obstacle to addressing home indoor air quality and comfort is the cost of energy-efficient upgrades. This press release from The White House explains the tax credits for efficient appliance upgrades recently signed into law among many other important initiatives to help establish equity for Black communities.
Our buildings are making us sick
— Vox
Bad indoor air quality can cause numerous health problems. This Vox article offers an example of the health problems that can arise and what we can do to address them.
What Is Home? – Why security is joining comfort as one of the strongest drivers for home upgrades
It’s even affected how we think about safety and security! (Hint: it’s not primarily about security systems.) Businesses in the residential building sector that don’t understand these changes risk losing touch with their key audiences.
Our latest free report explores the new intersection of comfort, safety and health at home — and the implications for your brand’s messaging strategy.
Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your emotional connection with consumers. After all, “home is where the heart is.”
Hello! I’m really interested in your What is Home? report, however all of the links take me to The Buzz on Buzzwords. Can you please direct me to the What is Home? report?
Thanks!