| SNCB La Gare - Het Station
2010 REBRAND 100 Winners > merit
Industry: Transportation
Enterprise Rebrand
Country Base: Belgium
Below: Before Images, Rebrand Images, Summary, Credits
Summary:
Industry Setting - SNCB-Holding is an acronym for « Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belges », the national Belgian railways company. La Gare-Het Station is the new SNCB brand. SNCB's main task is to manage the 37 largest stations (70% of all traffic), personnel and ICT. This new brand had to support the sociologic trend begun with high-speed trains network development in Europe 15 years ago.
Challenge - The stations had no real identity. The challenge was to create a new, compelling brand for the daily experience that 37 different stations deliver. Public awareness had to increase about what is new—stations are centers for travel, relaxation, and modern-day services. The stations are like metropolitan hubs in-between cities that are viable competitors to other modes of travel.
Strategy - The qualitative survey conducted by strategists revealed users' expectations. The ancient station was a dull, boring place that functioned as a passage gateway. Today's station is a place for travelers and visitors to shop, live, and use essential services on their way home via such amenities as a convenience supermarket, dry cleaning, newspaper stands, and more. These services had to be available for local as well as for international travelers. In addition, this new, ideal station is a place to enjoy, relax, dine, and alleviate stress in the midst of hectic schedules and crowds.
The brand elements were developed and incorporated for this new place and structure. All components are integrated to enhance expressed desires: user-friendliness, facilitated interaction, interior-exterior movement and dynamism, exchange, flexibility and emotion, multiplicity and variety.
Result - Using its local roots and names of the region (French, Flemish or bilingual) the « La Gare - Het Station » brand achieved success in addressing customer preferences.
Stations have become smart, fashionable, living places again, embracing modernity since the industrial revolution. Trains accommodate cell phones, laptops, Wi-Fi, and alleviate mobility issues. SNCB-Holding has succeeded in positioning trains and stations as competitors of planes and airports in the intra-European transportation sector. The evidence is in the increased traffic and service usage in and around the stations.
Credits:
Client:SNCB La Gare - Het Station - www.lagare.be
Brand Strategists/Designers: Hoet & Hoet - www.hoet-hoet.be
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