Bob,
For being the vice-president of a very well reknowned company, I feel that you lower yourself and your companies image by continuing this banter that "The Sky Is Falling", continually attempting to drive this topic into a product failure rationale, when all evidence put forth by yourself and any other member continually reinforces the proper causation of any of the mentioned products real underlying doom, which inevitably comes back to installation error.
Some companies revert to this method of marketing to reinforce fear into the minds of the consumer market, to justify their product line, rather that embrace the proper installation methods required for any product. I also conclude that your compony does do the proper installation methods, so this is not meant to be a slap at your installation methods.
Knowing both sides of the coin, one could conclude that your entire mission statement is this:
Obviously, this marketing strategy works. Personally, I feel that type of "Salesmanship" to be despicable.
I had the "Pleasure" to sit in at a Home Depot roofing presentation at my former secretaries home, just to see their methodology for justifying the higher end prices they get away with charging.
Their flip chart contained nothing about the correct installation methods, but continually hammered home the aspect of poor craftsmanship and gypsy contractors, which they pretend to not be associated with. For them, nothing could be farther from the truth. Read the horror stories of many consumers taken in by their slick "Sky Is Falling" manifesto, and you see that they mostly are completely dissatisfied with all aspects of their dealings with Home Depot tactics.
Your diatribe seems rather curiously similar.
Point out the correct methods of application versus the more commonly incorrect methods which occur far too often in the entire remodeling and retrofit industry, rather than circle the bandwagons for your doom and gloom stories about the products themselves.
You proclaim to be a leader, fighting for the cosumers best interest, yet, would they not be better served by the manufacturers not allowing so many hacks and DIY'ers from doing the installations? Could there not be a "Certified Installer" category, giving the true conscientious installation contractor a price benefit versus the uncertified or DIY handyman, thereby broadening the pricing gap, which would make choosing the less qualified installer immaterial?
Fight for the right causes, instead of self serving justification. I know that you are just trolling for comments that you can add to your sales materials, but try to really define the more altruistic potential that a broad forum voice could carry, instead of slamming improperly installed products and turning that fact into a product failure.
Sincerely,
Ed