Client: Builders Merchants Federation (BMF)
Challenge
The BMF is the trade association that represents builders’ merchants, manufacturers & suppliers to the building materials sector in the UK and Ireland.
Building materials is a large and essential sector within the construction industry and a major contributor to the UK economy. BMF members have a combined turnover of £52bn and employ over 198,000 people. Without it, construction would not be possible. However, ‘Building Materials’ is not recognised in its own right and often gets overlooked as a career, or job choice. People ‘fall into the industry’ rather than actively choosing to build their future within it.
With the whole of the construction industry suffering from the second-greatest worker shortage of any UK industry (Source: money.co.uk ONS data analysis Jan 2025), the BMF Board engaged CMDi in a bold move to tackle the crisis for its members.
Approach
CMDi have provided outsourced programme leadership, strategic guidance, research and full creative delivery for all items, including bmcareers.com. A powerful brand positioning strategy underpins the programme, designed to differentiate Building Materials as a vital, varied, vibrant employer sector brand, with a wide range of career opportunities for school and college leavers, as well as for those looking to change career or to transfer their skills into a new area.
With the strapline “Materially Different” and messaging encouraging people to join the sector to help “Make a Material Difference”, the campaign is designed to appeal to a diverse audience and highlights why a career in building materials is different from a role in other industries.
For the first time the programme defines the Building Materials as one united sector that involves the manufacture, import, distribution and sale of building materials and products, through merchants for construction, infrastructure, house building, property and RMI markets.
The ‘Building Materials Careers’ brand website bmcareers.com/ provides an educational platform and pathway into the sector. A digital public awareness campaign was launched in November 2024 with a clear user journey designed to drive talent to the site, explore roles, experience real life people stories and then ‘find employers’ – bmcareers.com/employer-map-search/
Member briefings and onboarding was rolled out in 2024 to help members register, set up their Employer Profile and make the most of the campaign.
The public awareness campaign uses a highly targeted mix of TikTok, Meta, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube social media channels, organic and paid social media advertising. Supported by PR, direct engagement via open days, school and college visits, apprentice and careers exhibitions, also utilising every BMF channel, including its Young Merchant Group, Ambassadors and newly appointed Social Media Influencers – and member’s own channels, to amplify campaign messages.
A key part of the campaign is the ‘members area’ on bmcareers.com where members can access a ‘toolkit’ of all assets, and vital HR guidance about how to improve their own employer brands.
The members’ area is also where members can access the ‘Talent Pool’ that is being populated by users who complete the ‘talent pool’ registration form – building a unique pipeline for employers in the sector – bmcareers.com/upload-your-profile/
Services
Strategic programme set up, leadership and management • Working group leadership • Tracking and Board reporting • Member engagement programme • Brand positioning strategy and creative • Research and messaging • Website design and build • Content, video and creative assets • Employer value proposition and HR tools • Social media, SEO and digital marketing campaign management • Programme administration
Partners – Air Social, Akiko Design, Jane Shepherd PR
Results
So far nearly 400 employer brands have proactively engaged with BMCareers, which is nearly 60% by turnover value of the £52bn sector, which now offers employment across 3,650 national locations on the website.
The collective action of these brands combined with the BMFs national awareness campaign is significantly enhancing awareness of building materials, improving its credibility, futureproofing the economic value of the sector and promoting career opportunities that strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion.
Public awareness of the ‘hidden’ building materials sector as a credible career choice is increasing with 7.4m impressions achieved from social media driving 26,370 visits to the website, generating almost 1,924 click throughs to Employers’ Careers pages to find employment.
The halo effect of the programme has increased BMF member satisfaction to 94% and membership to 1,010 members.
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This not just a campaign, this is a transformational programme, designed to define, shape and launch Building Materials as a nationally recognised employer brand. CMDi have been integral to the strategy and implementation of this programme from inception to national launch. We have entrusted them with this, the BMF’s biggest initiative and largest investment in an external programme to date.John Newcomb, CEO, BMF |
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CMDi have provided exceptional strategic support over the course of this long term programme, combined with world class creative. They are trusted partners to the BMF and this programme is just one of many transformational initiatives they are helping us deliver.Richard Hill, Chair, BMF |