CTM might be South Africa’s market leader, but there’s no taking that for granted. Known and trusted for everyday value on tiles, taps, toilets, basins, baths, accessories and décor, CTM is upping the ante with prolific promotional activity throughout the trading year.

 

The strategic mindset is that, if you really do have the most compelling offering of quality at everyday value pricing, then you really ought to be making a persistent noise about it. In years past, CTM had regular promotional cycles, to the point that the market started to anticipate and tactically pre-empt them. Interspersed with these promotions were the advertising of CTM’s exclusive, and increasingly popular, brands Kilimanjaro Tiles and Tivoli Taps.

 

Today, CTM has a well-entrenched value offering of great quality at affordable prices. The CTM positioning – “Big savings, More style” – after decades of continually improving and delivering value to the market, is indisputable. “The challenge,” notes Angelo Beck, Creative Director at Blast Brand Catalysts, “is to sustain this well-earned market trust. Instead of timing optimal sales drives throughout the year, the message going out is that you will now pretty much get the market leader’s commitment to value-for-money all year round.”

 

Says CTM CMO, Yolanda Tomlinson, “We don’t see market leadership as a point of arrival or achievement. It’s an ongoing, strategic application. We’re constantly reviewing the customer value we deliver. Our market is extremely broad, with diverse demographics from store to store, so we pay careful attention to pitching the right product matrix for the market.”

 

First to kick off the trading year in July and August was the “Big Big Bathroom Surprise”. CTM has long been synonymous with tiles. So a dedicated focus on the complete bathroom offering is a tactical brand association. In the mix is always the obligatory combination bathroom set, a value-add that makes it that much easier for a family to upgrade their bathroom with a matching bath, basin and toilet at an affordable, all-in price. If the budget doesn’t quite stretch to the dream, there is also CTM Credit. Leaning in with associative brand equity – the ‘style’ part – will be Tivoli Taps. For their convenience, customers are reminded that they can shop for CTM value online. And to inject even more energy into the offering, there’s a chance to win a R10,000 bathroom makeover. It’s a retail delight. And sales emphatically showed that customers agreed.

 

Hot on its heels in September came the “Big Tile Bonanza”. It’s CTM doing what CTM does best. Every conceivable ceramic style, polished porcelain look and décor finish presents a reminder to the market that CTM really is the tile benchmark. Speaking to the style equation, Kilimanjaro Tiles is ever present. There is also a trend focus on the latest ceramic tile, fashioned to look like wood. Touching in with the considerable DIY following is a reminder that CTM stocks everything you need to install your beautiful new look, right down to those bags of grout and adhesive. Again, as a valued CTM customer, you’re reminded that you can shop online and also afford your shopping with CTM Credit.

 

Enter October and Blast Brand Catalysts takes CTM straight into “The Big Home Lovers’ Festival”. The announcement came in an 8-page, full colour insert in Sunday papers and local rags; an impressively comprehensive statement of home improvement style delivered with compelling value. Supporting TV broadcast a quaint reminder of how CTM really enhances our every day home experiences. (It’s a couple running late because the Mrs simply cannot pull her infatuation away from her beautiful, newly installed CTM bathroom. A typical, good ol’ family-friendly, CTM smile.) A second run of print will take momentum through November and December 2014. Stores across the country are decked out in full promotional regalia, from bunting and banners to price cards, posters, flags and balloons. A veritable festival, indeed.

 

Every year, new families are started. Commitments are made. Homes are bought. New dreams begin, amongst the many opportunity costs that every family will face. The stage setting for those dreams is the home. CTM’s value offering and brand promise is most decidedly on the side of those dreams.