How IPEX Doubled Engagement with User-Generated Content

IPEX, a North American leader in thermoplastic piping systems, aimed to deepen its connection with the skilled trades professionals who rely on its products. With 85% of trades professionals following brands on social media, the goal was clear: build credibility with an audience that trusts authentic, in-the-field proof over polished advertising. The challenge was creating this content at scale.

This case study details how a strategic shift to user-generated content (UGC) not only solved this problem but also delivered unprecedented efficiency and engagement.

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The Challenge: Creating Credible Content with Limited Access

To build trust with engineers, contractors, and installers, IPEX needed to showcase its products in real-world applications. However, obtaining this content was a significant hurdle.

Access Constraints

IPEX products are often installed underground, inside walls, or on active construction sites, making traditional video and photo shoots difficult, expensive, and disruptive.

Audience Skepticism

Trades professionals value peer validation. They respond to content that shows real people using products on actual jobsites, a format that is difficult to replicate with traditional marketing.

Budget Reductions

Midway through the initial campaign, the social media budget was cut by 50-75%.

The Solution: Empowering the Experts to tell the story

The most credible storytellers weren’t on a production crew; they were the trades professionals already using and trusting IPEX products. The solution was to empower this community to become the content engine.

We developed a system to transform authentic jobsite moments into a scalable content pipeline. This involved:

Cultivating a UGC Ecosystem
We created programs to encourage and capture content from contractors and installers who were already documenting their work.
Prioritizing Authenticity
The strategy shifted focus from high-production shoots to in-use footage and peer-to-peer validation from professionals who stake their reputations on the products they choose.
Reframing the Narrative
We made the people installing IPEX products the heroes of the story, turning their everyday work into powerful proof points for the brand.

The Results: Driving Growth Through Authenticity

By embracing authenticity, IPEX defied industry benchmarks and achieved remarkable growth in the first year, even with reduced financial resources.

25M

MASSIVE REACH AND FOLLOWER GROWTH

Generated over 25 million impressions and grew the social follower base by 20%.

65%

EXPLOSIVE ENGAGEMENT

Average monthly impressions increased by 600%, while average monthly engagements saw a 64% lift.

110%

INCREASED COST EFFECIENCY

Cost Per Click (CPC)  

$0.13 (105% more efficient than the
$1.00 B2B benchmark).

Cost Per Engagement (CPE) 

$0.01 (110% more efficient than the $0.12 benchmark).

Conclusion

The IPEX case demonstrates a powerful lesson for B2B marketing: authenticity is not just a creative preference; it is a performance multiplier. By turning a content production challenge into a community-building opportunity, IPEX built a sustainable and cost-effective marketing engine. The strategy proved that when you empower your customers to tell your story, the results are more credible, more engaging, and far more efficient.

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