Remember the old joke about the camper who stops to tie his shoes instead of running away from a charging grizzly? His buddy says, “Don’t bother putting on your running shoes, you can’t outrun a grizzly bear.”  And the punch line follows: “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.”

It occurred to me that this construction market makes that story an important lesson. A lot of building products manufacturers have cut overhead to the bone, sales are rare and contracts are not very big whenever they do come in. For most, it’s as rough as it’s ever been.

Over the next few months, something’s got to change. But if it doesn’t, businesses will fail.  Some old line brands will forever disappear. Right now, to survive, companies don’t have to set sales records, they just have to stay out in front of their competitors.

There are positive signs that the economy will rebound significantly starting in first or second quarter 2011. In our business, that will begin by architects producing drawings and specifications. These are architects who have been fairly idle for quite a while and who will be using manufacturers’ web sites, Google, magazines like Architectural Products and other research tools to get back up to speed. That’s why you want to be there when they are. That means cleaning up your website, SEO, advertising and PR, developing high quality continuing education courses and judiciously selecting from among the trade shows.

McGraw Hill Construction has said that the construction Industry is confident there will be a recovery beginning by the end of 2010. Bloomberg cites

Courtesy McGraw-Hill

NAHB’s statements that new home construction will come back to 2009 levels in 2011. Personally, I believe there will be legislative changes in the next congress that will cause about a trillion dollars to come back into play as early as Q1- first into asset acquisition of cheap, high-value properties, and planning (including architecture). That leaves two trillion idle cash dollars still in the hands of asset managers and cash-rich investors. They’ll release half that if Obama repeats Clinton - when he and Newt Gingrich worked together to produce a tremendous financial boom. The final trillion will return in 2012, largely because the deficit trend will have been reversed and holding cash on the sidelines will be pointlessly inefficient. So get ready for a sustained period of growth.

That means now - right now - is the time to start ramping up. Those companies who get the architects’ Share of Mind now, will survive to enjoy a larger Share of Market in the near future.

Jack is president and creative director of LarsonOBrien Marketing Group and was once a UPI correspondent and radio news anchor.

Hello and welcome back to The Weekly LOdown - where we gather our favorite links from the architecture and building industry and share them with you each and every Friday.

This week we’ve got Happy Hour, funny money and Vanilla Ice! Here’s what we’ve been clicking:

Allison

Because it’s Friday, and happy hour is just around the corner, here’s a look at some of the world’s most architecturally-impressive wineries.

Nick

This is just a fun/random photo of four “bill-dings.”

Julianne

What happens when you combine 90s music, do-it-yourself projects and reality television? A show that chronicles Vanilla Ice renovating a Florida mansion. “The Vanilla Ice Project” kicks off this fall on the DIY Network. Apparently, “Ice Ice Baby” led to a “passion for home improvement.” I think I’ll be tuning in when the show debuts in October, as I love renovating and reality TV. Will you?

Thanks for reading!

Hello and welcome back to The Weekly LOdown - where we gather our favorite links from the architecture and building industry and share them with you each and every Friday.

This week we’ve got Kanye West, a pool with a view and cheap LEDs! Here’s what we’ve been clicking:

Allison

I actually laughed out loud when I saw the subject of this link - “Archi-Mixtape Vol. 1.” When I think of a mixtape, I think high school and road trips, not architects and blueprints. Plus, it’s pretty rare that I get an architectural e-newsletter featuring a picture of Kanye West, so that alone made it worth checking out.

Nick

This summer has been HOT, and I’ve done more swimming than I can remember. So I thought it was appropriate to share information about a new initiative, called + Pool, started by a group of architects and designers to build a floating pool on the rivers of NYC. It’s meant to improve the city’s use of natural resources, increase its environmental quality and bring back its historic water culture. Makes sense to me…plus, look at the view!

Julianne

The New York Times Green Blog reveals that The Home Depot is now selling an LED bulb for just under $20 that is expected to last up to 30 years. Would you purchase one of these for your home? Personally, I have CFLs in my home and once they burn out and I use up my supply, I’ll probably make the gradual shift to LEDs. Manufacturers are constantly improving the quality of LEDs and prices should continue to drop even more as LEDs grow in popularity in the consumer space.

Thanks for reading!

Somehow, it is August. Somehow, summer is drawing to a close. And somehow, today is my last day as the Summer Public Relations Intern here at LarsonO’Brien Marketing Group.

I’m sitting here at my desk for the last time, reflecting on the experience and what I have learned over the course of the summer. Honestly, I can say only positive things about my experience. And stop—I’m not saying that only because this post is for LO’s blog! I’ve gained important professional experience, formed relationships with great people, and confirmed to myself that I am pursuing the right career path.

I accepted the position as the Public Relations Intern in May because I hoped to discover a true interest in the field—luckily, the experience solidified an answer to my uncertainty! Furthermore, I uncovered a love for writing. I didn’t hate it in the past, of course, but this internship gave me the ability to write for fun. Writing a term paper in college, for example, is much different than creating a focused piece, but with free rein on how to convey the ideas in a press release or blog post. I decided just last week to minor in Professional Writing, a choice I probably would have forgone if not for this internship.

I recommend the overall internship experience to EVERY college student, as an internship offers a world of opportunity. Knowledge must be applied in real world environments, which in turn will help a student develop skills for better performance. Advanced levels of education are no longer enough to fully prepare for the professional atmosphere. Internships offer students work experience that provides confidence in abilities, a strong work ethic, effective communication skills, and critical thinking abilities.

So even though it seems impossible, the summer and my internship have come to a close. I am so thankful to everyone here at LarsonO’Brien for the wonderful opportunity. I will really miss being a part of this great team, and only have the highest praise and best wishes for the company!

Hello and welcome back to The Weekly LOdown - where we gather our favorite links from the architecture and building industry and share them with you each and every Friday.

This week we have architectural debates, popular entertainment, a blast from the past and a whole lot of connections between architecture and advertising. Here’s what we’ve been clicking:

Allison

Last week, Alex blogged about architects pursuing careers outside their own industry, partly for economic reasons. This week, my link discusses the issue of other industries adopting the title of architect, despite the jobs having nothing to do with blueprints and building products. There are arguments presented for both sides: many feel that “architect” should refer solely to those licensed to work in the architecture, engineering and construction fields, while others claim that the definition of architect is broad enough to encompass software architects, information architects and any other profession that “designs and guides a plan or undertaking.” I’m inclined to side with the former argument. Where do you stand on the debate?

Julianne

At LO, we are mad about “Mad Men”, and this article about the show’s architecture is right up our alley. Season four premiered on Sunday night, and the newly-formed Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce agency has moved into the Time-Life Building, an example of international-style architecture, completed in 1959. If you want to bring “Mad Men” style to your home, check out this post from Apartment Therapy. Are you as excited as I am that the show is back? I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season plays out.

Alexandra

Banana Republic united two familiar subjects for us here at LarsonO’Brien: advertising and architecture. Models, clad in classic Banana Republic attire, were placed in a mock architectural firm setting. Personally, I like the billboards, but some industry professionals find the advertisements… questionable. Check out this humorous interview from Gawker.com for a sardonic take on Banana’s marketing strategy!

Nick

I found the perfect link for our blog! This post shows advertisements from Architectural Forum magazine in 1939. The publication folded in 1974, which only adds to the mystique of this interesting glimpse into the history of our business. If you love advertising and architecture as much as we do, you must check it out!

Thanks for reading!