1. Delivering the Message about Competitor’s Products
Oliver S. Delery, Jr., P.E.
Vice-President Technical Marketing
Forterra

2. Rigid Rugged Resilient

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4. Rigid Rugged Resilient

5. Federal Trade Commission Statement of Policy on Comparative Advertising
“Commission policy in the area of comparative advertising encourages the naming of, or reference to competitors, but requires clarity, and, if necessary, disclosure to avoid deception of the consumer.” “Comparative advertising, when truthful and non-deceptive, is a source of important information to consumers.” 8/13/79

6. FTC Act Restrictions
Conduct that violates the principles of fair competition, such as:
misrepresentation,
bribery,
disparagement of a competitor, or
disparagement of a competitor’s products.

7. FTC Statement of Policy on Deception
“The Commission will find deception if there is a representation, omission or practice that is likely to mislead the consumer acting reasonably in the circumstances, to the consumer’s detriment.” /14/83

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10. 9 out of 10 Engineers Spec Concrete Pipe over Plastic. Shouldn’t You?
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11. Comparisons – the key message
Build Trust
Be Honest
Admit Bias
Give the Devil His Due
Don’t Hide Shortcomings
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12. Address the Shortcomings of the Competition Whimsically
Point out flaws through examples not related to our business
Plant the seed of doubt in a specifier’s mind
Use this approach and Segway into issues involving pipe
Rigid Rugged Resilient

13. Concrete Pipe Is the ONLY pipe for playgrounds!
And for that day of rest, Concrete Pipe is the only pipe for playgrounds.
(Go to the animation after the first sentence.)
(Right after the fat kids line, look up at the ceiling for a few seconds then explain that you were just checking for lighting bolts, or say something like “I can get away with the fat kids joke because I was fat as a kid”.)
Metal RUSTS!
Calorically Challenged (Fat) kids DEFLECT plastic!

14. Other uses for concrete:
Bomb Shelters
Bridges
Shoes (Special Order)
Buildings
Highways
Safety Barriers
Besides pipe, there are many other fine uses for concrete including:
(Go through animation)

15. Other uses for metal: Any product that ends up in a junkyard
Soft drink cans
Beer cans (ok, so this is not that bad)
Garbage cans (this market has been lost to plastic)
And in keeping with my professed desire to tell the truth about my enemies, let me tell you about the other uses for metal:
(Go through the animation)

16. Other uses for plastic:
Garbage cans
2 liter soft drink bottles (their entry into metrics)
Legos
Credit cards
And what about plastic,
(Go through the animation)

17. Our Shortcomings – In Comparison, Use Them To Your Advantage
Concrete Pipe Is Heavy
Concrete Pipe has Short Lengths
Concrete Pipe has Leaky Joints
The Hydraulic “n” Factor is higher in Design
Concrete Pipe is Old and Dull
Concrete Pipe is Expensive
Rigid Rugged Resilient

18. Advanced Comparison – Design and Liability
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19. Starting From the Failure
What Happens if a Pipe Failure Occurs?
Set the Scene
After the Ambulance, it’s the Ambulance Chaser
“Have You Been Injured in a Car Wreck?”
A Structure, or Underground Bridge, Has Collapsed
The Lawyer Has an Expert Structural Witness
Rigid Rugged Resilient

20. Assigning (or Assuming) Responsibility
Who has the structural design and calculations?
Who reviewed them?
Who stamped the design?
How do the standards weigh in?
Are all standards the same?
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21. Now, you’ve set the stage to proceed – in a number of directions
Standards Review
Basic Rigid vs. Flexible Presentation
Failure Dynamics (for all products)
Specific Design Comparison (AASHTO LRFD)
Rigid Rugged Resilient

22. Standards Review Material Standards Manufacturing Standards
Material Testing Standards
Structural Design Standards
Installation Standards
Inspection Standards
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23. Basic Rigid Vs. Flexible Presentation
Structure vs. a “Hole”
Hydraulic Comparisons
Installation Requirements for each
Inspection Requirements for each
Crack Limits
Deflection Limits
Rigid Rugged Resilient

24. Failure Dynamics Concrete Plastic Metal
Overloading, Impact, Installation (Joints), Cracking
Plastic
Deflection, Temperature Changes (Joints), Fires, Flotation, Punctures, Connections, Brittleness
Metal
Corrosive Soils, Loss of Coating, Deflection, Flotation
Rigid Rugged Resilient

25. Specific Design Comparison (AASHTO LRFD Bridge Designs)
Concrete:
ASTM C-76 with Standard Installations
Pipe Manufacturer’s Design & Liability
Plastic:
Deflection
Wall Profiles
Vertical Arching Factor
Trench Boxes
Hydrostatic Forces
Soil Properties
Design Engineer’s Design and Liability
Rigid Rugged Resilient

26. In Conclusion Comparisons are Important & Critical
Start With Basic Concepts
Be Honest and Fair – Admit to Bias
Become a Resource
Change Will Come Gradually
(Unless that Seed of Doubt Grows Quickly – Keep Watering it!)
Rigid Rugged Resilient