For decades, construction products competed for Google’s first page.
Today they are competing… to become AI’s first answer.
Gartner sees this shift as so significant that the consultancy expects PR – and earned media budgets – to double by 2027.
Today, marketers are prioritizing PR… as AI tools are now handing audiences fully-formed answers. Increasingly shaped by earned media and third-party validation.
As well as by trusted sources… and published content.
Recent research cited alongside the Gartner forecast points to a striking pattern. The overwhelming majority of the links AI engines reference – by some counts more than 90 percent – come from earned, shared or organic content.
”By 2027… a 2x increase in PR and earned media budgets…”
–Gartner
Because they realize that the next contractor, specifier or building owner may not begin with Google. Rather, they are more likely to begin by asking an AI platform which product to trust. If a manufacturer is credible. And whether a system has the proven performance… to belong on the “short list.”
PR is no longer only about visibility. It is about discoverability. Credibility and reputation.
And most importantly, preference.
And when something goes wrong… it can become the difference between a contained issue.
Or a market-wide crisis.
AI Doesn’t Just Find Brands, It Learns Narratives
AI is influenced by what the market says about a brand. That is a real opportunity for manufacturers… who commit PR as a growth discipline.
It increasingly rewards evidence that a product is trusted, specified, installed and discussed by credible third parties.
Consistent earned media and authentic thought leadership – clear technical proof aligned with channel messaging – gain an edge.
Without those signals… a brand may simply be left out.
The opportunity today, is not merely to “get mentioned.” It is to build a repeatable communications engine that buyers, editors, influencers and now AI platforms can all understand.
It comes down to three defined process moves. Earn trust. Reinforce it. Defend it.
Reputation Is Built Before It Is Tested
There is a sharper edge to all of this. The same AI that rewards a trusted narrative – will just as faithfully – preserve a damaging one.
If (or when) a concern surfaces, audiences look for reassurance. Quickly.
Consider a recent real estate construction development controversy in Texas involving questions about environmental safety near a residential community and an on-site elementary school.
Whether every accusation was fair… is not the point here.
The larger lesson to learn – is how quickly a company’s response – can become the story itself.
What should have been a moment for clarity and discipline became a cautionary tale about a company that looked defensive. Uncertain and unprepared.
And when the stakes involve homes or community trust… the room for error is increasingly small.
A brand – under pressure – cannot argue from confusion.
It was not PR leadership. It was poor reaction.
Start With What Not To Do
For Building Product Brands, a few hard rules are worth remembering in crisis PR.
The facts must be organized before anyone speaks. An unprepared spokesperson must never be put in front of a camera.
Technical proof should be translated… because data alone rarely reassures.
Sales, service, leadership and channel partners must be aligned around a single story.
Because audiences want accountability. And a path forward.
Most of all, do not wait until a crisis to decide what a brand stands for. By then, the market may already be deciding for you.
Then Build What You Can Defend
A crisis communications plan is not a binder on a shelf. It is a working system.
Who speaks? Who approves? Which customers, dealers, reps and media are to be alerted first? What proof points already exist?
These are not abstract questions. They determine whether a brand appears prepared.
Or panicked.
The strongest programs build the foundation long before pressure arrives. They earn media and educate the market. Developing executive visibility. And reinforcing product claims.
So, when the unexpected happens… the manufacturer is not introducing itself for the first time.
It already has credibility to draw on.
With industry-specific persona panels – messaging can be pressure-tested – in advance.
And communication gaps identified… before a crisis ever arrives.
We’ve Seen This Firsthand
Several years ago, Innovative Stone faced a sudden reputational threat when headlines questioned whether granite countertops could expose homeowners to dangerous levels of radon.
For a brand supplying countertops – through thousands of major retail locations – the risk was immediate.
Audiences had questions. The channel had concerns. The media wanted answers.
Kleber & Associates moved fast. Our team gathered credible data from scientific experts… monitoring and engaging more than 500 online conversations. We drafted customer communications. Developed fact sheets. And reached out to industry specialists. Within 24 hours, a response infrastructure was in place.
The result? The brand did not lose a single order. Headlines began reflecting the facts. And the customer relationship held.
Years in the market had earned the brand trust. Fast, transparent communication reinforced it. A disciplined response defended it.
Which is why the Gartner forecast matters. And how it is so very timely to consider today.
Effective PR must be prioritized. To protect trust. Support sales. Arm the channel. And help leadership move with confidence… when the story begins moving faster than expected.
PR Is No Longer a Support Function
PR has become part of the commercialization engine. The system that shapes discoverability, credibility, sales conversations and market adoption.
For building product manufacturers, the investment should reach beyond “getting press.” Instead, it should connect earned media to the sales conversation. Thought leadership to executive credibility. Case studies to buyer objections. Crisis planning to reputation protection. Channel messaging to pull-through.
And ensuring AI platforms consistently surface “trusted” information.
The goal is not simply to be interesting. The goal is to become findable, credible and preferred.
One Last Thought
Every building product challenger brand wants more growth. More qualified leads. More reasons to be chosen over the incumbent.
But growth is much more difficult when the marketplace cannot explain why the brand matters. And risk grows when there is no plan for the day… the wrong story can start to spread.
Yes, AI is raising the value of trusted narratives.
And crisis moments will elevate the value of preparation. All while… today’s buyers are raising the bar for proof.
At Kleber & Associates, we specialize in helping home and building product manufacturers accomplish three opportunities.
Earn trust before launch. Reinforce it as products gain adoption. And defend it when markets become uncertain.
With earned media, executive thought leadership, proven crisis communications and Ai visibility through sales and marketing alignment.
The brands that lead the next decade will not simply generate more coverage. They will build stronger market narratives. Before buyers ask. Before AI answers. Before a crisis tests them.
Every company has a story. Increasingly, AI will be the one telling it.
The question is… whether you have intentionally shaped that story, before someone else does.
Assuming your organization is preparing to increase its PR investment, the smarter question is not simply how much to spend.
It is where to point the investment.
Toward a reputation you can defend. Toward a crisis plan you hope you never use.
Let’s compare notes on this together sk@kleberandassociates.com 404-918-5700
