When we started planning a high-quality video for our new Outdoor Accents® Avant Collection™ of decorative hardware, we knew we wanted a well-known and talented social media Influencer to help us show off the versatility of this new line. Our marketing team’s first choice was DIYer and brand ambassador Jen Woodhouse.
Jen is a natural fit for discussing our products. Not only has she been working with us since 2015, but she was using our products for her DIY blog long before we established a professional relationship with her. In addition to building a myriad of projects with Strong-Tie connectors and fasteners, she’s taught classes to DIYers showing how to use them inventively and properly. Her DIY projects range from a wall-size Scrabble® game to handmade furniture to outdoor structures.
When we called Jen with our proposal, we were delighted she agreed and jumped at the chance to partner with us.
“Simpson Strong-Tie has been one of my favorite partners to work with for years now, and I’m incredibly honored and excited to be working with them on the release of the Avant Collection! So far, I’ve built two large outdoor structures with the Outdoor Accents collection and am amazed by how easy it is to install,” Jen said. “And it’s not only beautiful, but structurally sound, which gives me peace of mind that I’m building a project with integrity, one that can be enjoyed for years to come.”
A DIYer to the core, Jen typically creates her own videos. So working with a professional film crew was a new and exciting experience for her. As we expected, she brought an infectious enthusiasm to the film set.
“I had never done anything like this,” she said, recalling the video cameras, light screens and microphones that were set up around the build site by the eight-person production crew. “It was a lot of fun. The production team was so professional. Normally, when I shoot a video, it’s just me and maybe one other person. On this shoot, I could leave it all to the experts and didn’t have to worry about anything. That was such a luxury.”
Prior to the shoot, the foundation was poured and all the lumber was precut and stained so the two-day shoot could focus on the actual build. With a two-man construction crew backing her up, Jen set to work building a 10×14 pavilion.
For nearly every angle and screw in the outdoor structure’s top framing, she and the installers tirelessly climbed up and down the ladder during the 10-hour shoot days as the director called for video to be shot from a multitude of angles. All along, Jen’s friendly, joyful personality kept everyone smiling throughout the long production days.
Under the glare of the fall California sun, her hair and makeup needed to be touched up repeatedly, something that isn’t normally part of her construction days. Jen took it all in stride and repeated her lines as many times as the director requested. After two days of the rigorous 10-hour shooting schedule, she was ready to go home to her kids and husband in Kentucky.
For the Avant Collection™ launch, Jen premiered our video on her social media channels, as well as writing a blog post about the experience. Follow her at @jenwoodhouse on Instagram or her blog on jenwoodhouse.com to see her take on Outdoor Accents.
Be sure to also follow the latest product and industry news on our social media channels: Simpson Strong-Tie on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, and @strongtie on Instagram.
Related:
Outdoor Accents® Avant Collection™ — a New Look for Backyards
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