New York, NY — YBG Marketing, a leading representative of luxury interior brands, took center stage at BDNY 2024 with a clear mission: to listen and learn directly from designers about what motivates them to choose specific products. This year, YBG Marketing emphasized its role as a bridge between innovative brands and the designers whose voices shape product selections in an increasingly competitive market.
“Our brand partners depend on us not only to represent them but to bring back valuable insights from designers,” explains Stacey Savarese, CEO of YBG Marketing. “They want to know what makes a designer choose one product over another and, more importantly, what differentiates a product enough to make it essential in a project.”
A major theme of YBG Marketing’s discussions at BDNY centered on the crucial role that manufacturer relationships play in a designer’s selection process. The guidance and support a manufacturer offers in showing how a product fits within a designer’s vision is often the deciding factor in product selection.
“An ongoing relationship with a manufacturer can make all the difference,” Savarese explains. “Designers rely on manufacturers to not only provide top-quality products but to support them in envisioning how those products will work in their specific design contexts. When a brand can help a designer see how a piece will fit seamlessly into a space, that partnership goes from transactional to truly collaborative.”
BDNY offered the perfect platform for YBG Marketing to engage with designers and capture their input in a personal, impactful way. During the event, YBG Marketing hosted conversations and interactive feedback sessions with designers across commercial and residential sectors, focusing on what factors drive them to specify certain products.
“We’re not just looking for surface-level feedback,” Savarese continues. “We want to know what truly resonates with designers, from aesthetics and functionality to lead times and customer support. These meetings help our brand partners make informed decisions that align with what designers actually need.”
Through its bespoke programs, YBG Marketing has built a robust foundation for helping both designers and manufacturers gain traction and visibility in the marketplace. These tailored programs, proven to elevate product presence and brand recognition, are designed to assist interior designers in easily discovering and specifying products while enabling manufacturers to establish trusted relationships that foster loyalty and increase specification rates in projects.
“YBG Marketing’s bespoke programs help build recognition by putting brands front and center, showcasing their unique qualities and advantages,” Savarese notes. “We work closely with both designers and manufacturers to ensure that these products are more than just seen—they’re remembered and ultimately specified. Our programs include everything from strategic market introductions to in-depth training sessions that equip designers with the knowledge and confidence to choose these products.”
One of YBG Marketing’s strongest strategies is ensuring designers and brands achieve visibility in major design publications. Through established relationships with influential editors and media outlets, YBG Marketing helps brands and designers gain valuable press exposure, increasing their credibility and reach within the industry. This strategic media presence not only enhances recognition but also drives specification, as being featured in major publications positions brands as top choices among their peers.
“One way to make sure a brand gets specified is to build its reputation in trusted industry publications,” Savarese adds. “When a designer or product is highlighted in a respected magazine, it’s a strong endorsement that resonates with others in the industry. It helps designers feel confident that these are products worthy of their clients’ projects.”
One of the key conversations at BDNY was with Melissa Watkins from The Gettys Group, a respected figure in commercial interior design. Watkins highlighted that, beyond quality, product visibility, accessibility, and reliable lead times are crucial in determining what she specifies.
“When we’re working with tight timelines, we need assurance that products will arrive when promised,” Watkins shared. “And beyond that, brands need to stand out. Samples are critical for us to assess quality firsthand, but beautiful, realistic images also help clients understand how a product fits within their vision.”
YBG Marketing also spoke with Nicole Yousefi of Zeeba Interiors, a boutique Interior Designer specializing in luxury senior living, who underscored how important it is for brands to provide not only top-quality samples and imagery but also assurances on lead times.
“When I’m selecting products, I’m looking at quality and aesthetic, yes, but also reliability,” Yousefi explained. “For senior living, where deadlines are strict, having a brand I know will deliver on time makes all the difference. And when they can provide visuals that show how their product looks in a real setting, it’s easier to communicate to my clients how it will enhance their space.”
In these conversations, designers shared that one of the most influential factors in product selection is visibility. With a wide range of choices available, brands must stand out in a way that makes them memorable and accessible.
“By putting products right in front of designers, brands are positioning themselves to be chosen,” Savarese explains. “And it’s not just about what they see but what they experience—the feel of a fabric, the weight of a material, or the quality of a finish. These details are what capture attention and build trust, especially in a crowded market.”
YBG Marketing’s commitment to gathering these insights is a key part of its value to the brands it represents. By holding regular meetings, implementing bespoke programs, and attending events like BDNY, YBG Marketing helps brands stay aligned with designer expectations, fostering partnerships that enhance product appeal and build loyalty.
“We’re here to represent our brands in a way that makes them indispensable to designers,” Savarese concludes. “By prioritizing designer feedback, facilitating media visibility, and offering tailored programs, we ensure that the brands we represent are not only seen but understood and valued. When a designer feels heard and supported, they’re much more likely to specify a product, which benefits everyone involved.”
With BDNY 2024 as a pivotal opportunity, YBG Marketing has demonstrated its dedication to bridging the gap between brands and designers, helping shape products and solutions that reflect real needs and elevate the standards of the interior design industry.
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