In this collaborative assignment, our class was divided into groups and paired with business students to develop an Integrated Marketing and Communications Campaign for eDecks, a branch of the parent company Kennings. Our primary objective was to address and reverse the company’s significant drop in sales during the winter months by reimagining their branding, website presence, and promotional materials.
Subject – Who are eDecks?
Who Are eDecks?Kennings, founded in 1986 in Yorkshire, is a family-run business specializing in quality timber products. While Kennings caters largely to trade professionals, eDecks is their consumer-facing branch, offering outdoor living and garden improvement materials to the general public. eDecks focuses on DIY-friendly, budget-conscious solutions for homeowners and tenants with outdoor space.
The Winter Sales Problem
The Winter Sales ProblemOur challenge centred on solving a clear problem: eDecks sees a 70% sales dip during the winter months. Graphs and sales data from the client showed a consistent pattern where interest in timber decking, pergolas, and garden structures fell sharply after summer. These products are commonly associated with warm weather, meaning customers don’t consider using or buying them in winter.
Purpose
My goal within the group was to help shift customer perceptions around eDecks’ offerings. Traditionally, products like decking, pergolas, and other outdoor timber structures are seen as warm-weather luxuries — strongly associated with spring and summer activities such as al fresco dining, barbecues, and socialising on green lawns.
This type of imagery often causes customers to overlook their gardens and decks during colder months. However, I wanted to challenge that mindset by showing how outdoor spaces, particularly decked areas, can still be functional and enjoyable in winter with the right accessories and maintenance.
While eDecks does not offer a broad range of seasonal furniture, they do supply winter-relevant products such as patio heaters, anti-slip decking kits, timber treatment solutions, and roofing sheets. These became key assets in our campaign.
For example, I suggested highlighting how anti-slip kits can improve safety, how treatment products protect timber from cold and moisture damage, and how patio heaters make it possible to enjoy the deck even during colder evenings. We also reframed outdoor projects as indoor/outdoor living extensions, showing how structures like pergolas could be roofed and lit for winter use.
I contributed to the creation of messaging and visuals that communicated these concepts clearly across posters, TikTok video and social media posts. All visuals focused on winter imagery — frosted timber, warm lighting, and subtle seasonal cues — while maintaining a professional, trustworthy tone aligned with the eDecks brand. Our campaign encouraged customers to view winter not as the end of their outdoor lifestyle, but as an opportunity to prepare, protect, and reimagine their spaces year-round. I helped translate this into visual assets from tiktok videos to social media campaigns , banner and profile pictures all designed to reassure homeowners that with eDecks, their outdoor projects don’t need to stop when summer ends
Target Audience
While eDecks provided an initial customer profile, we refined it further with market research. According to a 2024 study by Statista, homeownership rates rise significantly with age, with the highest share of homeowners in England found among those aged 65 or over (36%), followed by 55–64 (20%), 45–54 (18%), and 35–44 (15.1%). Only 10.2% of homeowners fall within the 25–34 range, and just 0.7% are aged 16–24.
We also considered how different age brackets engage with marketing content. Younger homeowners might be more responsive to engaging social media campaigns, while older consumers might value in-store leaflets and traditional mailouts.
References list
- co.uk. (2025). Decking & Timber Supplies | Home & Garden | DIY | eDecks. [online] Available at: https://www.edecks.co.uk/home.
- Statista Research Department (2021). Age distribution of home owners in England 2019. [online] Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/321065/uk-england-home-owners-age-groups/.