In the second of a series of posts on the crucial role played by branding in influencing client choice, we examine a case study that shows the role of design expertise in helping a business build a strong brand.
WASTE management may not be an area that people might immediately associate with the need for strong branding, but as in any other sector, such companies need to maintain both their client roster and profitability, and in large part, this comes down to being able to stand out from the crowd.
One such company was UK sewage specialist Serious, which began life in 1995 in Staffordshire as Envirotech.
Standing out from competitors is critical
As Envirotech, annual sales peaked at a respectable £2m, but competitors began mimicking its approach to business, so muddying the waters of the market and imperiling the company’s market share.
Envirotech managing director David Birkett decided the only way to differentiate themselves was to develop a clearer identity.
“We wanted to work in the domestic arena but we also wanted an image that would have an impact on corporate clients, making them realize we weren't a two-bit operation,' says Birkett.
Developing a brand that will win new clients
The new identity had to overcome clients’ natural inclination to approach the business of sewage management with a red face or a stifled titter.
The inspiration for the new Serious brand was born from the idea to take the well-known, if slightly risqué, phrase ‘That’s serious sh**’ into a slogan that provokes a knowing smile on the part of business clients and domestic customers.
Leeds-based design agency Elmwood’s choice of sludge-brown and yellow was supplemented by the most important move of all – changing the company name to Serious**.
The two asterisks are important, as they allow slogans such as 'Taking care of **it' and 'Take my word for **it', to be used on vehicles and printed materials.
Being brave when rebranding can bring rewards
Elmwood creative director Jonathan Sands says Birkett was “very brave to go with something so edgy”.
But his bravery has been well rewarded, because since the launch of the new identity, sales in Serious's core areas of business have leapt by 75 per cent, and demand for work in new areas, such as septic tank maintenance has also increased.
Another happy by-product of the Serious** success story has been a string of design awards, recognizing both the creative work and its bottom line impact.
The Design Business Association's Design Effectiveness Awards praised a 'bold branding decision, brilliantly executed, which delivered tangible business results'.
This blogpost is drawn from ‘The power of branding: a practical guide’, a special resource for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) produced by the Design Council, the national strategic body for design in the UK.
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