Merging two reputations under one banner

Two established local businesses, Ray Piper Panel and Dave Hadley Tyres merged to consolidate premises, but to also extend the reach of their products and services.

Each had an excellent reputation and a loyal customer following, built up over many decades.

They initially wanted to rebrand under a completely new banner, and approached me for a strategy and positioning around a new name. I advised they should stick with what they had, and keep both their shingles over the door. This meant customers could see the logic behind the strategy, but also that any promotion and communication about the change would only need to be minimal.

I suggested they underpin the business with ‘Ultimate Automotive’, which meant they could extend their offer to other services.

The whole idea was to service customers, many who were car fanatics, through the idea of a brand that not only looked established, but said ‘we love cars’ through the identity itself.

We started from the idea of chromography, to not only reflect a golden age in motoring, but a love of the detail in cars. All that remained was to give it a contemporary spin.

Orange was the name of the game!