Category Archives: AEC Industry

AEC Industry

Engineering Firm rebrand

Video Mar 19

For the past several years we have been working with FDH on several initiatives. We walked through our branding process together and applied what we learned to revamp their appearance and their voice.

As we walked through the process, one point became very evident – FDH is a company that was truly founded on innovation. The three founders were academics that were approached by a state department asking if there was a way in which to test a concrete dam’s structure without drilling core (in essence, weakening the dam’s structure). At that time, there wasn’t a way, but the three put their heads together, devised a process, developed the equipment and FDH was born.

One of the deliverables for the rebrand was to deliver a tag line that encapsulated this origin and communicated to their clients and potential clients the fact that other firms may claim they are innovative, but we live it. It came down to two tag lines; “engineered to innovate” and “engineering innovation.” The latter won out due to its action-oriented approach.

WEBSITE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

One of the cornerstone pieces to the new brand is their website. Early on we knew this site had to feel clean and innovative without being too complicated. The main device used to achieve those goals is a sliding accordion. Using this technology not only allowed us to present several photos/ideas on a page, but kept them neatly organized and provided some interactivity for the user. The back-end Content Management System was customized to facilitate easy entry of all the various types of content.

Additionally, FDH had a need for highly customized and branded PowerPoint templates and e-newsletter templates. These two pieces of their communication puzzle would help solidify the voice and unify their communications. Once the “corporate” template was created, separate “industry-specific” templates were rolled out. While different and unique by industry, they were also cohesive and tied directly back to the main brand vision.

Collateral

As part of our collaboration with FDH, we concepted and designed a flexible collateral system. The main piece of the package is a brochure/folder hybrid. It contains basic information about the company, their philosophy, etc. On the middle panel lives a custom pocket that will hold the various inserts we created for each of their practice areas.

The inserts are industry specific and are easily added, as needed, by their BD team. As a cost saving measure, the inserts were designed to be printed digitally (in short runs) to accommodate changes and any evolution in their messaging.

Branding, Strategy and Design for the AEC Industry

30 January 2015
AEC Industry, Marketing, Our thinking, Uncategorized Leave a comment

The value of rebranding — it’s not about the logo

The AEC industry has changed drastically since many firms were formed. If your firm wants to remain relevant, it’s time to re-evaluate your brand to make sure that it’s clearly reflecting your grand vision (you do have one don’t you?), brand personality, core values and purpose. Many established firms that come to us (over 20 AEC firms to date) are looking to refresh their identity or their website or {fill in the blank} without an integrated approach. Unfortunately this doesn’t always achieve the desired result. Your brand is so much more than just a tactic.

Probably one of the most significant outcomes of our branding process is the clarity and focus that it generates for your leadership team. It has a rejuvenating effect on the entire company—a renewed sense of purpose that goes deeper than some cheap marketing gimmick or incentive ever could.

The top 5 benefits of rebranding

  1. You will have a platform to establish a leadership position in your category and more importantly create alignment inside your company. It’s another chance to get things right.
  2. Your vision, purpose and core values get reflected into your new brand identity creating a sense of pride within your company.
  3. You will attract the right talent to your company and more importantly, make it easier to finally release those people that you know should have released long ago.
  4. You get exciting new graphics that rejuvenate your proposals, business cards, signage, shirts, trucks, website, etc.
  5. You get a brand standards guide to make sure your brand is consistent across all forms of communication – a key ingredient to managing a strong brand.