BHETA's National Home Improvement Month forges ahead for September

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) has confirmed its National Home Improvement Month (NHIM) 2020 consumer promotion will go ahead in September in partnership with Homebase.

NHIM usually takes place in April, however was this year postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has released figures attributing the partial recovery of retail sales in May to the 42% rise in the sales of hardware, furniture and paint.

Homebase, one of the UK's largest home and garden retailers, will support BHETA during the month-long campaign which aims to inspire and enable consumers who are looking to tackle home and garden projects, or have fun with crafts and upcycling, to do so with confidence. NHIM features the tagline 'Love The Home You Live In' and will encourage consumers to get involved with the #makeonechange and #loveyourhome hashtags.

Lisa Tickle, Head of Marketing at Homebase, said: "We jumped at the chance to support National Hoem Improvement Month as another way to inspire and help our customers bring their ideas for their home and garden to life."

BHETA's Marketing Manager, Steve Richardson, added: "We're delighted to be able to relaunch National Home Improvement Month following what the BBC has described as a 'DIY spending splurge' during lockdown - and we are also delighted to be working with Homebase.

"Together we'll be able to speak to many more customers about all the home improvement changes they can do to continue making their house a home they'd love to live in."

TV celebrity, DIY enthusiast and property developer, Georgina Burnett, is also helping to ensure NHIM has a collective reach through supporting the campaign.

The idea of the campaign if to inspire at least one home improvement per consumer, with four DIY themes promoted (one each week). NHIM will embrace all aspects of home and garden improvement from trends to techniques and from achievement to enjoyment.

Richardson continued: "It's about showing even more consumers that home and garden improvement is fun and fulfilling, given the right tools, products, knowledge and advice; and helping suppliers and retailers sell even more DIY tools and consumables to an eager audience."

To promote the campaign, there will be coverage in national and regional consumer media in additional to a full suite of social media engagement opportunities across Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. Information, blogs and 'how-to' videos can also be found on the NHIM website alongside marketing materials for merchants, independent retailers and wholesalers keen to join in and include point of sale, posters, press ads, or templates and social media opportunities.

Will Jones, Chief Operating Officer of BHETA, said: "This is great news for BHETA and great news for BHETA members, especially those who sponsor the NHIM campaign. With leading brand suppliers like QEP, Schneider Electric, Croydex, House of Mosaics, Nilfisk and Amtech (DK Tools) on board, we will be working together to engage with consumers and stimulate retail sales throughout the Autumn."

NHIM is a BHETA initiative in a joint venture with specialist broadcast PR company, The Relations Group.