| SouthWest Water
2010 REBRAND 100 Winners > merit
Industry: Energy and Utilities
Enterprise Rebrand
Country Base: USA
Below: Before Images, Rebrand Images, Summary, Credits
Summary:
Industry Setting - SouthWest Water Company (SWWC) provides essential water, wastewater, and related services to more than 2 million people across the US.
Challenge - The parent company had acquired many regional water systems over time. These subsidiaries operated under many different names across the country and branding was implemented inconsistently (if at all).
A new CEO and Executive Team identified inefficiencies throughout the company and began an intensive integration effort across all key functional areas.
Strategy - Management understood smart branding could help culturally unite the diverse branches of the company and create efficiencies:
- Using a single name was a crucial step to consolidate and promote the company effectively, for both external and internal audiences. A subtle change to the way the name was represented (Southwest Water became SouthWest Water) helped make sense of the company’s geographic focus – the company isn’t just in the southwest US, but it is focused in the South and West US
- Market research with customers and interviews with employees informed a new brand positioning that draws on the company’s genuine commitment to stewardship of water as a crucial resource.
- A launch campaign was orchestrated for employees across the US to garner buy-in – from top management down to line employees. The brand launch became the visual representation for consolidation and integration, and a call for solidarity around the company’s commitment to quality service.
Result
- SWWC's introductory brand launch kits resulted in rapid adoption of the new identity on everything from signage to uniforms in every division.
- A series of branded water icons continues to provide consistency in application, but variation in on-going implementation.
- An online "portal" system now allows the corporate communications department to regulate how the brand is applied to communication materials, and enables employees to create brand-consistent materials on-demand, with centrally negotiated pricing.
- The redesigned website has helped the company easily explain the two very divergent parts of its business to customers, and has garnered widespread employee enthusiasm (documented in a recent employee survey).
Credits:
Client: SouthWest Water - www.southwestwater.com
Brand Strategists/Designers: KBDA - www.kbda.com
Creative Direction: Kim Baer and Allison Bloss
Design Team: Allison Bloss, Keith Knueven
Photography: Jeff Zaruba
Illustration: Craig Frazier
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