Basics VI: Bullshit marketing in the construction industry – 0 success guaranteed

In the construction industry, in-depth expertise often comes up against a phenomenon that does more harm than good for the target group: bullshit marketing. But what does it really involve? 🤔 In this article – part of a series on technical marketing – we show why exaggerated promises and empty buzzwords jeopardise not only trust but also credibility.

💡 Want to test your knowledge? 💡 At the end of the article, you will find practical case studies that will catapult you to the marketing summit of the construction industry – with real facts and clear communication with added value instead of bullshit! 🚀

Before we delve deeper into technical marketing planning from the perspective of the construction industry, we need to address a problematic trend: bullshit marketing.

The terms ‘bullshit’ and ‘marketing’ seem incompatible at first glance, but in practice they are cropping up more and more frequently. Exaggerated claims and vague advertising promises are not uncommon, especially in the technical marketing of the construction industry.

Technical features of a offer (product, software or service) are hidden behind meaningless buzzwords, whereby the clear requirements and needs of the target group are often misunderstood, ignored or miscommunicated.

Bullshit Marketing – A Definition

In his work On Bullshit, philosopher Harry G. Frankfurt (2005) explicitly distinguishes between lies and bullshit. While lying in marketing involves consciously misrepresenting facts, bullshit marketing is primarily defined by the fact that there is no genuine interest in the truth or in the actual properties of the offer. Instead, the focus is exclusively on the effect that the statements are intended to achieve on the target group – regardless of their technical truthfulness.

In the construction industry, where measurable, technical requirements form the basis for every decision regarding a quotation, bullshit marketing can quickly backfire. Specialist planners, planners such as engineers and architects, and other consultants, but also the executing trades, often have in-depth specialist knowledge and quickly see through empty marketing promises. Companies and offices that rely on exaggerated claims not only lose credibility in terms of their professional competence, but also the trust of their target group.

Marketing lies vs. bullshit

The distinction between ‘marketing lies’ and ‘marketing bullshit’ (Frankfurt 2005) is relevant in the marketing context. A marketing lie means that technical marketing managers deliberately make false statements about an offer. Bullshit, on the other hand, suggests that the marketing manager has no regard for the truth. Instead, adjectives such as ‘unique’, ‘revolutionary’ or ‘groundbreaking’ are used without solid evidence to suggest competence.

The use of bullshit marketing in the construction industry

The use of exaggerated terms and vague statements is particularly damaging in the construction industry, where target groups expect precise and reliable information. Statements that promise more than the offer can actually deliver lead to disappointment and a loss of trust. This is where bullshit marketing becomes a serious problem that can cause lasting damage to the technical integrity and credibility of the offer.

Examples of bullshit marketing in technical illustration

A common example is the use of misleading statistics. In the construction industry, diagrams often appear that show a “success story” of a product, as shown in Figure 7.

The labels can be replaced with any buzzwords like “resistance”, “added value”, “reach”, “click rate”, or “insulation value”. The problem: the diagrams remain nonsensical in the form presented.

For example, a diagram might show an increase in market share and customer satisfaction after the introduction of a product. However, a closer look at the axes and the scaling reveals that the visual representation is highly exaggerated. An actual increase of only a few percent has been turned into an impressive-looking graphic.

Fig. 7: Misleading presentation of correct data in a diagram through arbitrary scaling

As illustrated in Figure 8, the data's message changes significantly when uniform standards are applied. This shows that such an increase, which looks impressive when the scale is distorted, hardly represents a significant improvement and sometimes offers no real benefit for the target group.

Fig. 8 The ‘Hurray’ diagram in Fig. 7 to scale

In the construction industry, there is little tolerance for empty phrases or misleading claims. Planners, specialist planners, and contractors know exactly which technical features an offer must deliver, and they are not blinded by empty promises. Therefore, bullshit marketing can not only jeopardize the success of a marketing campaign, but also damage the trust and reputation of the company or engineering firm in the long term.

Conclusion: technical marketing without bullshit

For the construction industry, the following applies: Bullshit marketing may attract attention in the short term, but it destroys trust in the company or office in the long term. Anyone who wants to survive in this market must rely on honest, clear, and technically sound communication. Because marketing has a clear objective: to build a trusting relationship with the target group – and trust is based on honesty and authenticity, not on meaningless marketing bullshit.

It's going to be marketing-tastic.

Questions that will take your marketing expertise in the construction industry to the next level!

Case Study 1: The Difference Between Lies and Bullshit

A technical product manager at a construction company is planning a new marketing campaign for an innovative insulation board. In the draft text for the campaign, he describes the board as “groundbreaking” and “revolutionary” and claims it can reduce energy consumption by 50%, although no precise tests or data are available. His colleague notes that this is not necessarily a lie, as no explicit facts are refuted, but it could be bullshit.

Question: According to Harry G. Frankfurt, what makes this description bullshit?

A) The description contains details about the insulation board that inform the potential customer.

B) The claim about energy savings is not based on specific data and shows no real interest in the truth.

C) The statement uses scientific terms that are technically correct but misleading.

D) The statements have already been used in a previous campaign.

Solution: B)

Explanation:

According to Frankfurt, bullshit involves the product manager showing no genuine interest in the truth and instead focusing on the effect of the statements on the target group. The claims are not based on verifiable facts and could undermine the trust of the target group.

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Case Study 2:

The Consequences of Bullshit Marketing in the Construction Industry

A manufacturer of building materials launches a new concrete admixture and claims that it can extend the durability of structures by “at least 30 years”. However, this information is not supported by measurable evidence and is viewed skeptically by engineers in the industry. An architect who uses the product notices no extraordinary benefits after a few years and questions the manufacturer’s claims.

Question: Why is this type of bullshit marketing particularly risky in the construction industry?

A) Because customers in the construction industry often ignore vague promises.

B) Because construction projects are based on measurable requirements, and false expectations damage trust.

C) Because the competition also makes similar promises.

D) Because bullshit marketing leads to higher production costs.

Solution: B)

Explanation:

In the construction industry, purchasing decisions are based on measurable requirements. Bullshit marketing can therefore destroy trust and lead to disappointment, as engineers and architects, who are well-versed in the subject, expect realistic and verifiable promises.

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Further Reading

Frankfurt H. G. (2005): On Bullshit. Princeton University Press, 2005

Eisenberg, E. M. (1984). Ambiguity as strategy in organizational communication. Communication Monographs, 51, 227–242.