As we celebrate the life of architect Frank Gehry, we remember the loss of a practitioner who demonstrated – at scale – how architecture shapes markets long before products are ever discussed.
Gehry didn’t just design buildings.
He redefined what materials could do. How systems could perform. And how cities could be experienced.
From titanium-clad museums to sculptural concert halls, his work forced manufacturers, engineers, and contractors to respond to architectural intent rather than the other way around.
After all, the building products industry is built upon a foundation: Before products are chosen… they are specified.
Architecture doesn’t react to markets. It creates them.
Gehry’s projects didn’t succeed because of promotion or popularity. They succeeded because his vision was translated into specifications. Materials, systems, and products followed design intent – long before pricing conversations began – and long before buyers ever entered the picture.
In those moments, when an idea becomes a specification, markets are set.
That distinction matters.
Because in the building products industry, solutions rarely are chosen at the point of purchase. They’re often specified upstream when architects define what performance, form, and function must exist… for a project to move forward.
Architects Define What’s Eligible.
Architects are often described as influential. But that accolade misses the point.
Influence suggests persuasion. Yet, specification isn’t about persuasion.
It’s authority.
Architects don’t convince others to choose products. They determine which products are allowed to compete at all. Once a product is committed into specifications, it becomes the defined path for everyone downstream.
Builders, contractors, distributors, and owners become fully aligned.
That makes architects unlike any other audience in building products marketing.
By the time a product is analyzed on price, availability – and ultimately brand preference – the real decision has already been made. What’s left is execution.
How Specification Power Actually Works.
Every project starts with design intent.
Before materials are evaluated, architects define how a building should perform, feel, and endure. Performance criteria, compliance requirements, sustainability goals, and long-term risk all come into play early.
Products that meet those criteria are added to the system. Products that don’t… well, are invisible.
Specification decisions are formed by familiarity, documentation, and trust built over time. Architects return to solutions they understand, have used successfully, and can defend technically. Risk avoidance matters. So does clarity.
Specification isn’t transactional. It’s cumulative.
And building materials marketing that focuses only on downstream demand… frequently arrives too late.
The Opportunity. And the Risk for Building Product Brands.
For manufacturers, specification represents one of the most coveted opportunities.
But it’s also where mistakes are most costly.
Brands that approach architects with vague claims, or incomplete technical support quickly lose credibility. Architects are not seeking shameless promotion… they are looking for confidence. Communication that creates friction, uncertainty, or extra work gets filtered out early.
Visibility alone doesn’t create specifications. Education does.
Building Product Brands win when they help architects design better buildings. Manage risk.
And deliver repeatable results.
Marketing to Architects Requires a Different Discipline.
Marketing to architects isn’t about frequency. It’s about usefulness.
Architects value information that supports how they work. With clear technical documentation. Accessible digital assets, and resources that integrate into their design process.
They expect accuracy, restraint, and respect for their role.
This is whymarketing building products to architects is different from marketing to other audiences. It requires understanding the language of design intent, compliance, and performance.
The brands that succeed understand this isn’t a single, one-size-fits-all marketing theme mission.
It’s a unique relationship mindset.
And it requires steadiness across content, tools, and dedicated communication.
Specification Is the Market. Not a Moment.
Frank Gehry once said he didn’t set out to change cities. Only to be part of them.
Yet his work transformed environments precisely because architects operate upstream, shaping what follows.
The same principle applies to sales & marketing alignment for building products.
Specification is not a single decision…rather, it is an accumulation of trust and familiarity, built over multiple projects. Brands that respect architect specification power earn repeat inclusion. While those that ignore it compete for more limited opportunities.
So, don’t chase demand.
Help create it.
For nearly four decades, Kleber & Associates has specialized in building products sales and marketing for specification-driven channels. Helping brands earn credibility upstream, where decisions begin. And where markets take shape.
We look forward to celebrating the new year with our client partners and industry influencers at the Consumer Electronics Show and IBS/KBIS in the weeks ahead. We’d welcome the opportunity to include you… contact Steve Kleber at sk@kleberandassociates.com to compare notes together.
