Nobody Ever Got Fired for Buying the Big Brand: What Rory Sutherland Teaches Us About Wood Floor Lacquer

Sutherland is one of the best known figures in British advertising. His central argument is that the most effective solutions to business problems often look illogical on a spreadsheet, because the people buying things are not spreadsheets. In Alchemy he groups the hidden reasons behind our choices into a handful of themes, including:

• SatisficingWhen we are uncertain, we do not hunt for the best option. We pick one that is good enough and unlikely to embarrass us. The term comes from the economist Herbert Simon, and Sutherland returns to it often.
• SignallingEffort, cost and commitment communicate trust in a way that words cannot.
• PerceptionWhat something means to us can matter as much as what it physically does.

Every one of those is at work every time a contractor chooses a lacquer, and every time a homeowner agrees to it.

There is an old saying from the computer industry that nobody was ever sacked for buying IBM. IBM never used it as a slogan, yet Sutherland points out it became one of the most powerful marketing ideas ever, because it spoke to what buyers really feared. They were not trying to buy the best computer. They were trying to avoid being blamed.

Floor finishing works exactly the same way.

• Blame is lopsidedIf a famous brand fails, it is bad luck. If an unfamiliar brand fails, it is your judgement that gets questioned.
• The downside is visible, the upside is notA floor that fails costs you a callback and your reputation. A floor that wears a bit better than expected rarely earns a thank you.
• Familiarity feels like evidenceSeeing a brand at the top of every search and listed by every online supplier feels like proof it works, even though that tells you about marketing budget and distribution, not chemistry.

One of Sutherland's favourite examples of signalling is the London black cab. To get a licence, drivers spend years learning around 25,000 streets for the Knowledge. A sat nav could do the routing, but that is not the point. The sheer cost of qualifying tells you something about the person driving: they are committed, and they are not going anywhere.

Contractors send signals to clients all the time, whether they mean to or not.

The cheap signals are easy for anyone to copy. The costly ones are hard to fake, which is why they are a far better guide for a homeowner deciding who to trust with their floor, and a far better way for a good contractor to stand out.

Sutherland opens Alchemy with Red Bull. Before launch, it reportedly scored the worst taste test results the research agency had ever seen. It was expensive and came in a small can. By any logical measure it should have failed. Instead, those odd features made people believe it was potent, and it became one of the most successful drinks in history.

The lesson for flooring is not that a product should be unpleasant. It is that the features which look like weaknesses on paper can become strengths once you frame them properly. Being unfamiliar is one of those.

• Unfamiliar means distinctiveYour client's neighbour did not get this finish on their floor. That makes your work stand apart.
• A specialist import suggests specialist knowledgeA Swedish professional finish, sourced through a single UK distributor, tells the client you went looking for the right product rather than grabbing the nearest one.
• A reason is worth more than a recognised nameA contractor who can explain why they chose a finish, and what it does on this floor, is showing real knowledge. Recognising a logo is not the same thing.

Good chemistry earns a place on the floor. Sutherland's point is that it also has to feel safe to choose. Here is how both halves come together.

Part oneHow the chemistry works

• Nano Ceramic FormulaArboritec lacquers use 12 nanometre ceramic silica particles that are surface treated so they bond chemically into the polymer as the film cures, rather than floating in it as a loose filler. A loose particle is a passenger in the film. A bonded one is load bearing. That bonded ceramic content runs through the whole range, from primer to topcoat.
• Dual Cure TechnologyAvenue 2K and Genuine 5 2K are two component lacquers, mixed with a hardener just before use, and they cure in two ways at once. Water evaporates to form the film, while the hardener (Part B) crosslinks the resin into a tougher, more chemically resistant network.
• Self crosslinking in a 1KClassic+ contains a built in ADH crosslinker, so it keeps crosslinking as it cures instead of relying on drying alone. That narrows the gap between a convenient 1K, single component and ready to use from the tin, and a full 2K system.

Part twoHow we remove the risk

• Unfamiliar does not mean new. Arboritec was founded in 1999 in Jörlanda, on Sweden's west coast, and developed its first products under the Nanofloor name, after the ceramic technology it was built on. It is owned by the Swedish industrial group Röko, and in 2019 it also took over Synteko, a Swedish floor finishes business founded in 1944. The name may be new to the UK trade, but the chemistry and the company behind it are well established.
• One UK distributor, one point of accountability. HF Flooring Supplies is Arboritec's sole UK distributor, so there is no chain of resellers between you and the people who know the product.
• Technical backup from people who sand floors. Our team has hands on contracting experience and a direct line to Arboritec's own technical and R&D staff in Sweden.
• Training with the manufacturer. Arboritec training courses run through HF, with Arboritec's own technical team in the room.
• An Approved Applicator scheme. Contractors who complete the training can join an Arboritec endorsed Approved Applicator register. That is the black cab signal, applied to wood floors.

1. Name the system. Tell the client exactly which Arboritec products are going on and how many coats.
2. Explain one feature in plain English. Pick the Nano Ceramic Formula or the dual cure, and describe what it means for their floor.
3. Show your credentials. If you are trained or approved, say so and show the certificate.
4. Own the choice. Present it as a deliberate specification, not an alternative to a brand they know.

Real floors help too. Our case studies show finished Arboritec floors by named contractors, which you can share with clients who want to see the result before they agree.

You do not need to know lacquer chemistry to choose a good contractor. A few simple questions will tell you a lot.

• Ask which finish they are using. A good contractor will name the exact product and number of coats without hesitating.
• Ask why they chose it for your room. A busy kitchen or hallway needs a tougher finish than a bedroom, and they should be able to explain the difference.
• Ask about training. Manufacturer training or an approved applicator certificate shows they have invested in doing the job properly.
• Ask how to look after it. The right cleaning products and a recoat plan will keep the floor looking good for years.

Still deciding between a lacquered and an oiled finish? Our guide to oiled versus lacquered wood floors explains the difference.

The key takeaways

• People choose to avoid blame more often than to find the best. Rory Sutherland calls this satisficing.
• Costly signals such as training and endorsement build trust that words alone cannot.
• Being unfamiliar can be a strength once it is framed as distinctive and deliberate.
• Arboritec combines the Nano Ceramic Formula and Dual Cure Technology with UK distribution, technical support and training that take the risk out of switching.