Brand Umbrellas - Concept

The Background
Extensive market research commissioned from a leading brand strategy agency showed that despite Rettig ICC offering the leading European and national steel panel brand names, Rettig ICC needed to accelerate brand definition and realise real differentiation from other competitors operating in the same industrial sector. Continuing to spread investments over 10 brands with a finite Marketing and Sales budget would not change the status quo and not maximise differentiation possibilities in branding and product terms from low cost importers.

Brand Positioning

  • In early 2006 the significant decision was taken to mould our diverse brand offering into two attractive and differentiated brand umbrellas.
  • One brand would be a Technological brand with focus on mid-sized to bigger projects and applications.
  • The second umbrella would be an Emotional quality brand with a focus on smaller applications such as domestic housing.

Brand Alignment

  • Important decions were taken to keep the individual brand names but accord a powerful common visual identity to the names that make up each brand umbrella
  • A common visual identity meant employing a new and common logo, serving as a unifying symbol, and the same powerful brand communication theme and visuals in all markets.



 
 

The essence of our branding strategy is that our individual brand names will not disappear, but be harnessed into two powerful brand concepts, characterised by increased investment in market visibility and punch in execution. Commercially, each umbrella will promote one brand in each national market, gradually converting all sales to that brand via customer- focused approach. In the German market, this process started back in April when Radson sales management and customer service was integrated into the Purmo business. Each brand umbrella is now responsible for planning the product profile necessary to "own" its brand position, effectively sourcing internally from Rettig branded factories and elsewhere when necessary. Product names will also be unified within each umbrella, meaning for instance that Purmo and Radson will use the same product names for the same products in their respective markets.

The branding was launched at the ISH trade fair in Frankfurt in March 2007 and will be followed by substantial pan-European campaigns which will be visible to professionals and end consumers throughout 2007.