Somerville Aluminum named '13 Dealer of Year

Central Jersey home remodeler Somerville Aluminum has been named Dealer of the Year by Window & Door magazine.

Somerville Aluminum was recognized for overall excellence in marketing for its “GO with the PRO” campaign. The company’s marketing team, The Think Cloud, spearheaded the continuing campaign, which has spanned the past two years.

Having expanded over the last several decades into a full-service home-remodeling and design firm, Somerville Aluminum, a third-generation business, needed a way to properly communicate the range of services it provided, according to a news release.

No longer just an installer of aluminum storm windows, the company had to capitalize on the brand recognition of its name, while at the same time communicate the many services offered.

The “Go with the Pro” campaign aimed to connect the high-precision skill it takes to be a performance athlete with the high-precision and skill of Somerville Aluminum. The marketing campaign set out to redefine the remodeler with their customers using many platforms, including print advertising in newspapers and magazines, TV, local sports arenas, direct mail, social media and the formation of many partnerships with local charitable organizations.

“We are a relationship-driven company. Our relationship with our customers is what matters the most. Our marketing needed to convey all of the capabilities of our company, while remaining true to our core values and customers,” said co-owner Gary Shiman. “This honor speaks to the success of the campaign achieving that.”

The campaign has been so successful that customers now immediately identify the trademark “Go with the Pro” tagline and the black and yellow colors used in the marketing materials and on employee clothing. It has become a salutation of sorts, with many customers pointing to the owners and employees greeting them with “Go with the Pro” instead of hello, according to Shiman.

The Think Cloud partners, Manish Patel and Jerry Chu, were equally pleased with the honor bestowed upon Somerville Aluminum for their efforts.

“Jerry Chu and I both want to congratulate Gary, David and the entire Somerville Aluminum family on winning this award. The Think Cloud was given a unique challenge and opportunity to transform and evolve the Somerville Aluminum brand and marketing approach.

The Window & Door Dealer of the Year Award is recognition of that effort and the faith Somerville Aluminum had in us,” Patel said.

Window & Door, an industry publication of the National Glass Association, serves the entire fenestration industry, including manufacturers, distributors and dealers nationwide and recognizes leading dealers across the country each year.

“The Dealers of the Year program is designed to highlight professionalism in our industry,” said John Swanson, editor/associate publisher. “With the spotlight on best practices among dealers and distributors, our readers can gain valuable insights and lessons to apply to their businesses to improve their own operations by learning from our 2013 honorees.”