• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, Yesterday

With fewer people able to buy or sell homes, many young Americans are feeling locked into their current living spaces. Craftsman, the venerable power tool brand, is tapping into that sentiment with a major refresh and a new campaign, “Build On.” Aimed squarely at millennial DIYers, the push celebrates the highs and lows of home improvement—and the high that comes from mastering a tough project.

Chelsey Whitehead, vice president of marketing, tells Marketing Daily why Craftsman is investing so heavily at this moment and why she thinks DIY is becoming more identity than hobby.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marketing Daily: Let’s start with the obvious: People aren’t moving. That’s slowing down home improvement spending, including for you, Home Depot, Lowe’s—everyone. This campaign seems to say: OK, you’re stuck. Make where you’re stuck better.

Chelsey Whitehead: Exactly. People buy homes much later than they used to—often in their mid-to-late 30s. And many can’t afford their dream home, so they end up with places that need work. You’ve got new homeowners with a list of things they want to change, and older homeowners who’ve been in their homes for 15, 20, or 30 years and are investing to stay longer. For both groups, DIY is often not a hobby—it’s part of who they are. These people are passionate, knowledgeable, and project-driven, even with incredibly busy lives.

We did a lot of research—focus groups and ride-alongs. We asked people to send us photos. For them, DIY isn’t a burden. They see it as an adventure. Sure, there are highs and lows, but that’s part of the appeal.

Marketing Daily: The campaign leans into those lows: rainstorms, bees, belligerent spouses. It reminds me of how running shoe commercials often focus on the agony of marathon training.

Whitehead: That’s how they think of it! We use that exact analogy internally. You start off excited with this grand vision. Then, mile four hits and something goes wrong. But when you push through, you get that DIY high like a runner’s high. That moment of “Heck yeah, I did it.” Then you keep going. What you build builds you. Every time they overcome a challenge, it fuels them to take on something bigger. And they do it over and over again.

Marketing Daily: You’re not just selling tools—you’re trying to build brand identity. But you’re up against massive retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot, plus your sibling brands at Stanley Black & Decker. How do you break through?

Whitehead: We focused on authentically connecting with this audience in the “messy middle”—those moments where they hesitate or get overwhelmed. Our tools are shown as enablers to help them push through. That’s how “Build On” came to be. Someone on our team said, “We need to give them the confidence to build on.” It stuck.

We already have strong brand awareness, especially with older customers. But with this younger crowd, we couldn’t rely just on legacy. We had to find a new way in. And we have an edge: We have the widest product line in the DIY tool space: garage, home, outdoor. We made sure the campaign showed that, and showed it in action. You’ll see our tools cutting through tubs, building sheds—real use cases.

Marketing Daily: This is a legacy brand. But for younger consumers, the Sears connection is ancient history. Does that legacy help or hurt?

Whitehead: It helps with older customers. But with younger audiences, we had to go beyond legacy. I don’t think there’s baggage. It’s just that the connection needs to be built differently.

Marketing Daily: Where are the ads running?

Whitehead: We partnered with Colle McVoy, and our in-house team led the strategy and production. We launched about a month ago, and it just aired during the NFL Draft. Most of the spending is on streaming TV, where we’re heavily invested, and social media. We’re still finalizing Q3 and Q4 plans, but this is our biggest push of the year. 

Marketing Daily: What metrics will tell you this campaign is a hit?

Whitehead: We’re looking at the standard brand health metrics—preference, consideration, purchase intent—and we break that down by age group. I’d love to see us move the needle with younger consumers. We’re also watching brand power. This campaign is less about specs and more about emotional connection, which is rare in our space. And of course, we’ll monitor typical media KPIs.

Marketing Daily: Let’s talk sales. What’s the entry point for most people?

Whitehead: For home tools, it’s drills and impact tools. That’s the gateway drug. Once you buy in and like the performance, people tend to stay loyal, especially since batteries are often interchangeable across products. For outdoor, it’s the leaf blower or string trimmer. Once those are in play, people usually stick with the system.

Marketing Daily: You mentioned more women getting into DIY. Tell me more about that.

Whitehead: Yes! There’s been a significant increase in female DIYers—and most of them are self-taught. Millennials actually report twice the skill level of older generations. There’s so much accessible content now, from YouTube to social media, that it’s completely changed how people learn.