JKBuild is Jan Kelley’s dedicated building materials practice. We help manufacturers, distributors and specialty brands create demand across the full path to purchase, from the first product search to the final install.
Because in building materials, the sale rarely belongs to one audience. Architects influence the spec. Distributors influence availability. Contractors influence what actually gets used. We build marketing that connects all three.
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Discover the six new rules redefining how building materials brands compete, connect, and grow in 2026.
Building materials rarely move in a straight line from marketing to sales. Your brand may need to influence architects, designers, builders, distributors, dealers, contractors and homeowners, sometimes on the same project. That complexity is where we thrive.
A product can be specified by an architect, recommended by a distributor and installed by a contractor. If each audience is getting a different story, or no story at all, demand starts leaking between stages. A strong building materials strategy connects those decisions so the value established upstream still matters downstream.
Our growth framework reflects how building materials actually move through the market. We connect the moments where demand is created, decisions are made and products are ultimately purchased, reordered and installed.
Show up when architects, builders, contractors, distributors and other decision-makers are researching products, comparing options and solving problems.
Services:
The goal:
Build visibility early enough to influence what makes the shortlist.
Give decision-makers the information, proof and confidence they need to move from consideration to specification, recommendation or purchase.
Services:
The goal:
Give people stronger reasons to choose your product and stronger tools to move the decision forward.
Keep demand moving by supporting the distributors, contractors and installers who influence what gets ordered, installed and chosen again.
How we help:
The goal:
Turn successful projects into stronger channel relationships and repeat demand.
Performance Media & Creative
How we used Glidden's 'no bull' personality to spark brand growth.
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Performance Media & Creative
How we launched drywall that works harder on the job.
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Brand Strategy, Visual Identity & Digital Experience
How we helped CEDUR redefine premium roofing.
Read nowThe Jan Kelley team is one of the most flexible, positive, solution-oriented teams I have worked with in my career. The entire team truly 'gets us' and does everything they can to pivot with us, while still doing what is best for the brands.
Their strategic approach not only amplified our visibility within The Home Depot’s expansive customer base, but also delivered a campaign that was both compelling and data-driven. The results spoke volumes, with a significant uplift in brand engagement and customer interactions that exceeded our project goals.
Working with Jan Kelley has genuinely been a pleasure. They’re professional, helpful and attentive to our needs, deadlines and goals. Most recently, they handled the full relaunch of several of our products, from media strategy and creative to an on-site photo and video shoot. The launches have been a huge success, and they consistently deliver the results we expect, often exceeding them.
Discover the top 6 trends shaping the building materials industry in 2026, and what they mean for marketers. From trust and AI to M&A and data intelligence, learn how to turn pressure into progress.
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Learn the five essential strategies for a successful building materials product launch. Discover how to differentiate, connect with your audience, align sales and marketing, and drive real results.
Watch nowThese are real questions from real conversations. We'd rather answer them here than leave you wondering.
Simple. We have JKBuild. JKBuild is built around the realities of building materials marketing. We understand that the person who discovers a product may not be the person who specifies it, stocks it, recommends it or installs it.
Strong relationships create a foundation. Marketing can help those relationships work harder.
That might mean giving distributor reps better sales tools, creating demand that reaches the counter, supporting contractors after purchase or making your brand easier to find when the next project begins.
Before they are ready to buy. The exact timing varies by product and project, but research and comparison often begin well before a quote request or purchase order. Useful technical content, search visibility and specification resources give your brand a chance to influence those earlier decisions.
Yes. In fact, trade-heavy categories often make the need for a connected approach even clearer. Architects, distributors, dealers, builders and contractors have different questions and different reasons to choose a product. We build the strategy around those differences instead of forcing one campaign to do every job.
AI-assisted search is adding another layer to product research. Buyers can now ask detailed questions, compare options and explore technical topics without following a traditional search journey. The fundamentals still matter: clear product information, useful expertise, strong technical content and a brand that search engines and AI systems can understand.
Contact us. We can assess how your brand appears across search, specification content, channel touchpoints and AI-assisted discovery, then identify the highest-value opportunities to improve visibility and conversion.
Tell us about your business goals, and let’s discuss how we can build a growth engine tailored to your specific market demands.
