Turning Headwinds to Head-Turners

Many companies are facing serious headwinds. CNH and Agco report 20–30% sales declines. LVMH saw major drops in fashion and leather goods. Even Target is struggling. In the cabinet industry, demand is softening as smaller, nimbler shops gain ground—thanks to their agility, storytelling, and proximity to designers and remodelers.These are not isolated incidents — they point to a broader shift in buyer behavior, pricing pressures, and changing value expectations.

Traditional advertising channels are losing effectiveness, while digital-first inspiration platforms like Instagram, niche PR placements, and direct storytelling are gaining influence. Check this out.

Fashion & Apparel

Traditional channels faltering: Print fashion magazines like Elle and Glamour have shuttered or gone online-only, reflecting dwindling ad revenues and declining reader engagement.
Instagram & storytelling rising: DTC brands like Glossier and Everlane built loyal followings by using Instagram to tell founder stories, share product philosophy, and crowdsource product feedback directly from their audiences.
Influencer-led campaigns now dominate awareness-building, with Gen Z and Millennial buyers turning to Instagram and TikTok “aesthetic” storytelling (e.g., “clean girl” or “cottagecore”) rather than print ads.

Automotive

OEMs pull back from TV and print: Major automakers like Ford and Volkswagen have cut traditional TV spend in favor of influencer partnerships and immersive digital campaigns.
Instagram as visual showroom: Luxury EV maker Lucid Motors uses Instagram as a primary design showcase, emphasizing visual storytelling of interiors, materials, and sustainability over traditional ads.
User-generated storytelling (e.g., off-road adventure clips for Subaru, electric lifestyle videos for Rivian) now acts as the emotional hook—more powerful than traditional specs-based ads.

Consumer Electronics

Apple and Samsung have shifted large portions of their product launches to keynote + livestream + influencer seeding strategies, minimizing spend on legacy media outlets.
YouTube and Instagram Reels reviews by tech influencers (e.g., MKBHD) are far more trusted than print ads in Wired or Consumer Reports.
Lifestyle-driven narratives (“creators using the iPad for art,” “athletes using Galaxy Watch for performance”) matter more than direct product shots.

Furniture & Home Décor

Wayfair, Article, and Interior Define use inspiration-first campaigns—lifestyle Instagram stories, influencer walkthroughs, or Pinterest boards—over traditional showroom advertising.
Direct storytelling via blogs or email now drives personalization: “Meet the Makers” or “How We Crafted the Oslo Sofa” is more effective than discount-driven newspaper ads.
Niche PR in outlets like Apartment Therapy, Dezeen, or Architectural Digest’s online-only segments replaces big-box traditional coverage.

Food & Beverage

Legacy brands struggle with shelf-first advertising while brands like Oatly or Liquid Death build cult followings through bold storytelling (irreverent tone, sustainability missions, Instagram humor).
Direct storytelling on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels now launches entire brands—see Poppi soda, which leveraged influencer content and brand story transparency to reach $25M+ in revenue.
PR placements in health/wellness blogs, podcasts, and YouTube “what I eat in a day” videos offer higher ROI than TV ads.

Your company brings real strengths to the table, but strengths need a new voice. Your goal is NOT to reinvent the company (witness what happened to Cracker Barrell) It’s to reposition what you already do well in ways that connect more directly with today’s specifiers and buyers and influencers. That includes rethinking how your products are named, how designers are reached, and how to convert digital touchpoints into meaningful engagement.

Here are 10 Opportunity Zones with actionable, low-risk opportunities and suggestions for owned media strategies (e.g., launching your own house-branded magazine).

These zones point to one clear takeaway: storytelling and design engagement are not luxuries—they’re strategic imperatives. We hope you will explore them to reposition your company for growth, relevance, and competitive differentiation.

Strategic Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zone 1: Messaging & Naming Conventions

Today’s design-forward buyers regardless of market respond to emotional storytelling, not functional descriptors. Most manufacturers name their products with part numbers; some use brand names. In either case, you should take a fresh look FROM THE EYES OF THE AUDIENCE and think about renaming your products.

For example, a finish name like Sage describes a color. A name like Coastal Mists evokes a feeling. There is an opportunity to:

Reframe finishes and collections with narrative-driven names. Even HVAC equipment has branding (i.e., TruComfort, Signature Collection).
Develop tiered sub-brands or “design series” within the existing structure. For example, Neorest, Drake, Sterling are all names of plumbing products.
Equip designers and showrooms with names and imagery they can use to inspire clients.

This is not a rebranding exercise. It’s a repositioning strategy designed to speak the visual and emotional language of modern buyers. If your message is evolving, so must your medium.

Opportunity Zone 2: Owned Media vs. Paid Media

Your current investment in paid print advertising if you are doing it offers limited return in a market saturated with static ads and brand statements. A more potent approach would be to:

Exit paid media and reinvest in owned media assets. When the internet came into existence, it leveled the playing field: everyone became a publisher. Audiences seek content, regardless of who creates that content. Isn’t it better you create it and deploy it?
Launch a house-branded quarterly magazine or inspiration journal featuring installed projects, new finishes, designer tips, and named collections. This applies to any market. Navigating Post Covid contains a wide variety of articles to give you ideas to pursue this concept, including architecture, retail, security and more.
Use your publication as both a loyalty tool and prospecting asset—distributed digitally and physically to distributors, showrooms, reps, and designers.

Owned media builds brand equity, signals authority, and can be niched for different audiences. And, if you have a good customer file, they are waiting eagerly for your content!

Opportunity Zone 3: Audience Segmentation

Not all audiences require the same messaging—or the same media strategy. At minimum, distinct segments (more or less depending on your products) should be presented with tailored communications. Here are some as an example to use in your pitches.

Designers: Inspirational content, finishes, project stories
Showrooms: Tools to sell, pricing integrity, display updates
Dealers: Consistency, reliability, margin support
Builders/Remodelers: Lead times, fit/form/function
Architects: Specs, BIM/CAD access, performance details
Consumers: Expensive to reach, but sometimes profound influence on your purchases.

Installers / Tradespeople: Step-by-step guides, training videos, access to live help or field rep
Purchasing Managers / Procurement Teams: Transparent pricing sheets, lead time dashboards, logistics consistency
Independent Reps / Agencies: Competitive differentiators, incentives, content they can personalize
Distributors / Wholesalers: Co-branded promotions, rebate programs, seasonal push kits
Online Influencers (Micro & Macro): Authentic stories, early access to products, creative freedom

Niched message mapping and content flow reduces waste and increase relevance. For example, when we niche our PR for our clients, we regularly received over 35% open and click through rates. People want to know you are talking to them, not the world. RFM Analysis (recency, frequency and monetary value analysis) is highly recommended with your customer file (see Opportunity Zone 5).

Opportunity Zone 4: Digital Presence Optimization

Your company may maintain social media accounts, but they may be being mis-used or underutilized based on your target audience(s). Some manufacturers use every social media channel available to them and dilute their audiences because they can’t keep up with the posting. Others focus on the wrong channel (fishing where the fish aren’t). Key opportunities therefore include:

Reformatting and reposting strong photo content from Facebook into curated Instagram stories, reels, and mood boards[1] Ask yourself: where does my audience hang out?
Shaping a consistent visual identity on social media to reflect finishes, inspirations, and real-life installations.
Promoting your presence across all marketing touchpoints. Just because you have a channel doesn’t mean your audience will come to it. It has to be circular as one of our clients put it many years ago – and he was right!
Creating an “audience-only” portal, such as “architects only” or “interior designers only.” This area – allowing audiences to register – should be used ONLY if you have “eyes only” details for that audience. For example, BIM files don’t need to be available to everyone, only designers and architects.

Designers are actively looking for brands to follow—but only those who show up with intention, inspiration, and identity.

Opportunity Zone 5: Internal File Leverage (Even Without CRM)

Every company has a customer file. Sometimes it’s in accounting; other times in the enterprise system somewhere. Sometimes even marketing controls it. But a customer file is one thing; “value-chain participants” are another. The most important file is the customer – people who pay money for your product. The problem is access; even without direct access to a CRM or sales platform, the company can and should do the following for repositioning:

Perform a RFM-style analysis of historical sales data to identify top customers. This type of analysis is invaluable. A one minute video explanation of RFM will explain the concept if you are unfamiliar with it.
Identify “at-risk” accounts based on recency/frequency patterns. Every company has a sales prevention office. It’s important for any company to understand this concept – and do something about it.
Tailor communication and offers to win back, retain, or upgrade specific segments. One technique that works is to look for the dead file. The dead file are the people who haven’t bought from you in quite awhile, which is uncovered in the “R” of RFM because they will be the least recent. You can bring them back to life by contacting them – virtually guaranteed – because you probably haven’t talked to them in the same “quite awhile.”

If your internal data systems are limited, estimated segment mapping (by geography, customer type, rep feedback) can still provide powerful directional insights.

Opportunity Zone 6: Third-Party Platform Integration

Your company doesn’t need to rely solely on its own media presence. It can also borrow credibility through aligned third-party platforms such as:

KB-Resource.com – A controlled editorial platform for design and specifier outreach, with potential to host interviews, project profiles, or trend pieces (this is an Interline asset). There are more of these independent platforms springing up all the time.
Featuring designer collaborators in both owned and earned media. Partnering with designers to deliver products with a story is a powerful way to cut through clutter.

The goal is to create visibility and relevance across multiple touchpoints—not just “run ads” but build resonance.

Opportunity Zone 7: PR, Your Megaphone

Develop a public relations strategy targeting niche design, building, and regional publications who themselves are always hungry for content.

Pitch storylines that align with your products. Focus on benefits of using your products, not your products themselves.
Feature internal talent (e.g., designers, craftspeople, leadership) as expert voices.
Tie pitches to seasonal moments if possible.

Earned media carries more trust than paid media (even before AI, the rise of Native Advertising started confusing the issue). A strong PR footprint gives your company visibility beyond the ad buy and supports your digital footprint. Begin by creating a one-page “pitch bank” of possible angles. Identify 5 niche publications or digital outlets to contact and start building a media list.

Opportunity Zone 8: Bring in Designers, Literally.

Create invitation-only programs or workshops that allow designers to engage with your brand up close.

Host a Designer Day at your showroom(s) or factory, featuring product demos, preview launches, and finish labs.
Offer virtual design panels, co-branded Instagram Lives, or Instagram takeovers with designers.
Feature these partnerships in your magazine and social channels.

Involving designers builds trust, earns repeat business, and generates authentic content. It also fosters feedback loops that improve your product development and messaging. Start with piloting a virtual design roundtable with 3–5 loyal specifiers. Capture takeaways for a social and magazine feature.

Opportunity Zone 9: Revive Distributors with Sales Content Packs

Equip distributors with short, usable tools they can deploy quickly and share with customers.

Create “What to Say” one-pagers highlighting product stories, finish names, or recent projects. These “cheat sheets” come in handy to keep the message consistency. Also, product training is always needed; lunch and learns should be part of your arsenal.
Include seasonal bundle promotions, video clips, or QR-code loaded postcards. Can you have enough reminders? Ongoing postcard promotions for example can differentiate you from the bombardment of emails people receive.
Offer templates for newsletters, showroom signage, or email campaigns.

Distributors are stretched thin. Providing content reduces friction, builds consistency, and helps them advocate for your brand effectively.

Opportunity Zone 10: Lean on Your Projects – Case Studies as Currency

Feature past installations as short, digestible case studies for social media, email, and your magazine.

Include location, project goal, product used, and one quote from the homeowner or designer.
Pair with 1–2 high-quality photos and a “Before/After” if possible.
Create a template so reps or showrooms can submit stories easily.

Real-world credibility is powerful. These stories do double duty: they inspire new customers and reinforce loyalty among past ones. Make sure to get permission from your customers to use their name! Jump start this opportunity by identifying three standout project photos from your archive or projects in motion now. Draft a single case study format and begin building a portfolio.

Your industry is filled with companies waiting for the market to turn around. Samuel Beckett wrote a play called Waiting for Godot. It was a two-act play, with the characters waiting for someone named Godot who never shows up.

Don’t be waiting for Godot. Make things happen! These Opportunity Zones assume a different posture—shaping the market by shaping perception. The most successful brands in 2025 won’t be the ones that spent the most. They’ll be the ones who told their story best.

From Noise to Performance: Interline’s Advantage

For 30+ years, INTERLINE CREATIVE GROUP has lived by a simple truth: “The more you look, the more you see; the more you see, the better you know where to look.”

AI has changed the landscape. It can gather facts instantly. But most of what it produces is just noise. As Nate Silver put it: “Most data is just noise, as most of the universe is filled with empty space.”

AI generates the notes. We arrange them into a score.

Our experience interprets the music so it becomes strategy that moves your audience. And that makes us very different. We give facts depth, meaning, and direction, as evidenced by this document. We know how to move the audiences that matter to you —designers, customers. For decades, clients have trusted us to deliver strategies that are consistent, credible, and persuasive.

Therefore, we are available to help you and would be pleased to prepare estimates for these opportunities. After reading this post, we hope you’ll agree our ideas will add to your capacity to respond and act. In marketing warfare, capacity for response and action determines longevity. The company with more lasts longer.

With imagination and reason, such strategy can accelerate the effects of competition and the rate of change in your market to your advantage. It can favorably alter capacity or response and action.

We offer you both imagination and reason.

Thank you in advance for your attention!

[1] A mood board is a visual collage or curated layout used to convey a design concept, atmosphere, or aesthetic direction – a visual shorthand for inspiration. It might include Photos of interiors or kitchens with specific finishes or layouts, Cabinet door profiles, hardware close-ups, paint chips, Color palettes (e.g., muted greens, warm neutrals, charcoals). For example, you might show a client how “Modern Farmhouse with Black Accents” will feel before actual selections are made. You might present a new finish line like Coastal Mists with complementary backsplash, flooring, and hardware. In a designer-driven world, specifiers respond to feeling, not just function. Mood boards help these feelings along.