Change Happens – Embrace It

The U.S. housing supply is said to be anywhere from three to five million units short of demand. The ensuing crisis was years in the making—and these recommended articles and podcasts from our team will help expand your understanding of its root causes. Introducing Deep Dive, our newest column, where Interrupt teammates share the resources shaping their industry-related insights and knowledge.

Know thy audience—it's a key marketing commandment. And a fast-growing portion of that audience in the United States is Latinos, nearly 20% of the population contributing $3.2 trillion—with a T—to the country’s GDP. Knowing their spending power and inclination towards entrepreneurship, the smartest companies will work to capture this market share by honing a smart strategy. We tell you how.

In the short time since artificial intelligence became part of our daily lives and public debates, it’s already made seismic shifts in the way people work. We gathered our agency’s internal AI task force, which includes writers, designers, marketers and digital experts, for a roundtable discussion of AI’s impact, learning how they expect it to change agencies, politics and beyond.

As companies realize the importance of AI, they're pouring more money than ever into the technology so as not to get left behind. But since the technology is (in many ways) maturing faster than what we can, or are willing to, execute on, we have to figure out how to correct for “the human factor”—both corporate leadership vision and team execution. How do you ensure it isn’t a limitation for success in your adoption of AI? Read Interrupt Principal Bill Rossiter’s take on the importance of AI on enabling the future success of your team and business performance.

Interrupt has given countless hours of team time over the years, volunteering for everything from Habitat for Humanity builds to multiple sclerosis fundraising. Agency principal and owner Bill Rossiter shares why the company’s giveback philosophy is so focused on hands-on contributions, and addresses the surprising ROI of community involvement for businesses large and small.

Our team made its annual pilgrimage to IBS/KBIS to see how brands are innovating across product categories. Las Vegas abounded with noteworthy developments. Our leadership team shares their key takeaways from the 2024 tradeshows.

Our brains are bogged down in the digital era, where an entire world of by-the-minute information is at our fingertips. Always. How do you get creative in the midst of such mental messiness? Senior art director Dave Behm uncovers some methods for quieting the madness that help him stay creative.

When it comes to trends, hindsight really is 20/20. Looking back on the past year, our Director of Brand Content Jen Molnar sees five movements that brands should either pay attention to or capitalize on for 2024, happening on our screens, in our climate and beyond.

Taking risks is hard. It’s even harder when you’re comfortable. It’s why companies with the biggest share of the market so often fail to exercise true market leadership. At one time, they must have been consciously seeking to advance the market by aggressively taking advantage of unusual, growth-oriented opportunities. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have become so large. So, what caused them to alter their mindset and actions? Learn more about “the leader’s trap” and how to avoid it.

As marketers, there’s a lot we can do to build a compelling story around a brand or product. But when users can readily and consistently separate your product from the competition, you’ve got something special. Our Director of Brand Content Jen Molnar explains how a Lego sorting session sparked an ah-ha moment on the importance of developing distinctive (and memorable) physical product features.

The building materials industry is at a unique crossroads: customers want more personalized service than ever before. And AI may lend itself best to the needs of the building materials industry to deliver that. Executive Creative Director and Brand Strategist Anita Holman explores how this game-changing tool could enhance every brand’s ability to develop personalized advice in ways that were never humanly possible before.

Hashtags once felt like a make-or-break element of a social strategy. But with the introduction of SEO search on platforms like Instagram, brand management teams need to rethink their strategy. Your words still count—but how you use them is changing. Learn more about the status of that pound sign (and your caption writing) in this rundown.

The strength of your “fan following” is also the strength of your brand. And one powerful way to build that loyalty is to allow your customers’ creativity to shine through in your marketing. Associate creative director Erin Kunz explores the brands that shaped her adolescence and how embracing user-generated content helped them build an even stronger identity.

The sandwich generation isn’t just a social problem; it’s an innovation problem, too. At some point in our lives, many of us become filling for the so-called sandwich—caring for our own children and our aging parents at the same time. Or we experience transition, in our jobs, relationships, or health, and need to live with family or friends to bridge the gap. This need for multigenerational housing is in direct opposition to our current priority building single-family, nuclear homes in the U.S. Here’s why one writer believes that needs to change, and why it’s an untapped opportunity for the construction and design industries.

Home ownership is a core part of The American Dream (if not *the* American dream). What does it mean for the construction building materials industry that so many potential buyers are squeezed out of the process? We explore the factors and how these players might best respond to the coming consequences for multifamily building and material costs.

When the city of Mason approached the Challenger Baseball League about building an adaptive field, Jen Christmas was all in. Not only did she co-lead a $2.5 million capital campaign—she discovered the game-changing power of having the right people ask the right questions. It leads to adaptive construction that does more than comply with laws; it brings together a community of people in ways that weren’t possible before.

In the race to comment on AI, senior copywriter Dan Tischler asks: what does the AI think? His discovery reaffirmed his belief that there isn’t yet a rival for the human imagination when it comes to copy.

This year has brought a tidal wave in the evolution of AI image generators. Chris Graver, our associate creative director, takes them on and learns how to make them work with (rather than against) him in his efforts to fearlessly take on the future.

In the world of advertising, endings can bring about better beginnings. The decline of cable in favor of streaming means the ability to target TV audiences at a more granular level than ever before. Learn how Connected TV (CTV) and Over The Top television (OTT) give you key advantages when trying to use your ad dollars as wisely as possible.

The International Builders’ Show landed in Las Vegas earlier this month for a three-day spectacle of all things innovative in our industry. We went, we saw, we logged it in the group chat: here are our top six takeaways (plus two bonus ideas to keep an eye on) for 2023 and beyond.

Bill Giacci, Interrupt account executive and former NYC straphanger, shares his insights on what it’s like to be a wannabe homeowner in post-Covid suburbia.

I used to pride myself on powering through a jam-packed 24-hour day with only four hours of sleep and a six-pack of Coke Zeros. Then my health crisis hit. Here’s what I’ve learned about the value of balance—and how I hope it can impact anyone reading who is feeling like they can’t squeeze in any me-time.

An online advertising strategy that’s focused solely on calls to action may be working against your marketing goals in ways you don’t realize. While results matter, you can’t produce them without the right approach. Just like you wouldn’t ask someone to purchase something right when they walk through the doors of a brick and mortar store, your online messaging should take customers on a journey that’s more than transactional.

Change is hard. As number one on Forbes’ “industries ripe to transform” list, the construction industry knows this all too well. But what is the ultimate cost of using centuries-old approaches and methods? Read on as we explore the opportunities for transformation.

How do you mitigate the damage of a downturn on your business, or better yet, turn it into an opportunity to grow? Learn five important things to keep in mind from our principal and founder, Bill Rossiter, as we enter the second half of 2022 and face the distinct possibility of an economic recession.

Many companies are increasingly enamored with their earning numbers, reflecting the cocktail of low supply and high demand that’s taken hold recently in the building materials industry. But what are the consequences to your business when you become too content with the status quo? Read on to understand why this thinking is ultimately dangerous to the bottom line.

Taking the lead in your category involves more than just creating a superior product. It also requires becoming your customer’s go-to authority on the subject, with content, tools or support that show you’re as invested in their project as they are. Learn how we helped MoistureShield composite decking build an outdoor planning resource that does more than deliver a simple sales pitch, earning customer trust and reinforcing their reputation.

Summer doesn’t just signal vacation season—it also means more remote work in more places. That “free” connection you’re latching on to during your work at coffee shops, hotels and more could be doing more with your data than you bargained for and can pose a major threat to your whole organization. Our IT expert Matt Wittman weighs in on why a VPN should be one of the main tools in your remote work arsenal.

Work From Home has become almost commonplace, but what happens when you set up your laptop from much further away than the kitchen table? Airbnb’s recent “work from anywhere” announcement reflects a trend toward embracing more varied and distant remote work locations. To pull it off, you'll need more than strong Wi-Fi—you’ll have to think differently (and proactively) about how fully remote workers participate in a hybrid workplace. Our resident digital nomad shares her strategies.

True innovation isn’t just about being new or different. Anyone can develop and introduce a new product. The bigger challenge is, is it relevant enough that someone will actually buy it? Discover Interrupt founder Bill Rossiter's definition of innovation and read his argument for why companies that aim to outperform the competition must dig deeper.

What does it mean to “think big” in today’s environment of delayed product availability and labor shortages? We found out firsthand at the International Builders Show and the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show. Get the key insights for the building materials industry from our long walks along the exhibitor aisles.

Is technology changing to meet consumers’ evolving needs or are consumers changing as a result of what technology enables? Like the chicken and the egg, it really doesn’t matter which came first. Consumer expectations and technology will keep changing, and if your brand is too chicken to keep up, you may be left with egg on your face (pun intended). Read on to learn why sharpening your digital CX is essential to your business survival.

Your office space could become someone’s home; states like Arizona will experiment with modifying the weather; and the pandemic will continue its’ disruption. These are just some of the ideas and events that lie ahead according to our Director of Strategic Insights Sandy Embrescia-Hridel's 2022 predictions. Read ahead for the 10 trends he believes will impact the building materials industry in the coming months.

The job interview process, like every process where we present ourselves for selection, is vulnerable. And like any environment where we play the role of hopeful candidate—romance, for example, or academics—hearing “no” hurts. How employers deliver that no makes all the difference.

After decades of focusing on new and better products, today’s businesses face a new competitive frontier—shifting from a focus on product innovation to being truly innovative in their approach to finding, hiring and retaining talent. To understand what lies ahead, it’s worth taking a quick look back at the evolution of innovation.

In the wake of a pandemic that transformed our business interactions nearly overnight, many are asking, “What is the future of work?” From changing dress codes to reconfigured office spaces, companies and employees alike are trying to understand which aspects of the pandemic-driven changes will stick, and how to move forward.

Building materials brands need to pay attention to the unique needs and problems of millennial homeowners. It’s a key factor to understanding your target audience, or the end-enjoyer. Yes, Millennials are turning 40 and they own homes. Take a note from two brand new homeowners on the Interrupt team—Aly and Ernest. From power tools to apps, get two insights from people living the dream right now.

2020 felt a little bit like the plot of Groundhog’s Day – from dealing with the pandemic to being at home more often, it’s taken a toll on all of us. Here at Interrupt, we believe that if you stay true to your core values and create experiences that keep your customers coming back to you time and time again, the upcoming months should be smooth sailing. Read on to hear from our team about what they might’ve done differently last year if they had the knowledge and insights they do now.

Smart home products are everywhere. If your lights aren’t controlled by a simple Alexa request, are you even living? In reality, home automation is on a steep incline. By 2025, the industry is expected to grow by at least $25B. And with big players like Google, Amazon, and Facebook digging their heels in, it’s important to pay attention—especially if you build or sell materials for the home.

Sometimes it feels like we’re living the plot of Groundhog’s Day as we battle the ongoing pandemic and its innate instability. But, we believe that if you stay focused on your core values and create an experience that keeps your customers coming back for more, you should sail smoothly through the coming months. Read on to discover our predictions for what will impact us in 2021.