Google Nest / Goodman

HVAC Partnership

Situation

Goodman Manufacturing, a manufacturer of high-performance HVAC systems, formed a partnership with Google Nest smart thermostats to co-promote the two products as a bundle to HVAC contractors and homeowners.

Challenge

Although Goodman has a loyal contractor and dealer base, many contractors were hesitant to specify or bundle the Nest E thermostat with their HVAC installations. This hesitancy stemmed from the inability to achieve an acceptable profit margin, as the contractor would be competing with big-box retail pricing.

Additional barriers included potential troubleshooting issues during installation and set-up, and possible homeowner reluctance to adopt smart home technology. To further complicate the challenge, Goodman has multiple levels of contractors (small, midsize, large). So, it was important that the go-to-market strategy and messaging resonated with each of these target audiences.

To address potential contractor hesitation, Goodman and Google Nest developed a pro-only model thermostat that included an extended warranty, VIP contractor support, and a lead generation feature for maintenance.

Approach

As seasoned industry veterans, K&A understood the importance of providing engaging messaging that would address both contractor and homeowner concerns. We first conducted research and interviews with various HVAC contractors to confirm the potential barriers to bundling the Nest thermostat with their HVAC units.

Once the assumptions were validated, K&A developed personas for the three contractor levels and homeowners. The personas served as a guideline that our creative team used to generate tailored messaging for each audience. The messaging hierarchy included carefully merging the voice of two very different, strong and well-known brands into a single unified message while ensuring brand identity was maintained.

Results

The right messaging balance was achieved by calling out the dual power of a Goodman HVAC unit and the advanced smart technology that the Nest thermostat provides. In fact, although K&A’s task was to develop a messaging hierarchy, that messaging was so well received by both Goodman and Google Nest that it was transformed into the launch’s headline – “The Brains of Google. The Brawn of Goodman.”