A True Validation

I'm a big fan of the Olympics and stayed up past my bedtime for most of August glued to NBC’s nightly coverage of the events.

Watching network television during prime time is something I rarely do, and I found myself interested, from a cultural perspective, in the commercials. One thing I noticed was a powerful kind of realism. Wal-Mart’s rendition of a day in the life of American blue collar workers was completely believable and moving, while an ad from Procter & Gamble showing the gritty world of athletes felt almost like a documentary. (The only thing I couldn’t figure out is why these anguished, exhausted guys always seemed to be shaving.)

Yet the concept of showcasing people who aren’t actors was most prominently seen in a series of Chevy commercials. The spots felt like reality TV and actually do purport to be improvised. In the ads, a group of nondescript people are given clues about various cars that won awards from J.D. Powers. When they find out that all the cars are Chevys, they are unfailingly impressed.

Why does every member of a random group of consumers, across multiple demographics, seem interested in which car won a particular award? Because awards have inherent meaning. Yes, it’s just a commercial, but a major car company spent millions of dollars producing and airing those ads because the content speaks to a basic truth: Awards matter.

When a business is honored by an unbiased third party, it greatly validates the company’s product or service.

And that’s why I’m so pleased to let you know about Professional Remodeler’s Design Awards for 2016. This year’s entries were nothing short of spectacular, and our judges struggled to select the true standouts. We honor a relatively low percentage of the total submissions, so winning this recognition isn’t easy. We’re also very well aware of the marketing opportunities these design awards provide, and because we know they will be publicized to homeowners, our judges are especially careful to honor only projects that exemplify excellence in design and materials choices.

This year, our coverage details expert problem-solving, innovative product selection, and best construction practices whenever possible, providing actionable takeaways with the description of every project.

Enjoy!