The Client
Anything Electric is a family-owned electrical services company specializing in residential, commercial and agricultural services. The owners, Wendon and Linda Wattam, had been flirting with the idea of entering into a franchise relationship under a U.S. firm, until they weighed the possibilities of growing their own business to the point where Anything Electric could one day itself be a franchise. That was the dream. How to get to that point was the challenge they faced.
Creating the brand
Linda and Wendon already had a great business name with equity: Anything Electric, which conveys a wide range of electrical services. What they lacked was a clearly defined position within the marketplace and a brand identity that would communicate their corporate values and services. Our approach was to differentiate Anything Electric from their competitors by reinforcing what they excelled at: a dedicated commitment to customer service across all aspects of their business. The existing logo was very generic and typical within their industry so a new identity and positioning statement was required.
We developed a corporate identity that harkened back to a bygone era of customer service: the 'serviceman' icon from the 1950's and 1960's - the fellows who rushed out to check your gas, oil, air and wiper fluid at the local filling station when you pulled up, or the milkman who diligently dropped off fresh milk and cream to your home before the sun rose. The typeface selection and colour scheme used in the logo and corporate print materials reinforced the era, however they were freshened up a bit to give everything a contemporary flair. No detail was overlooked in visually reinforcing a definitive era in customer service. The new positioning statement evolved from 'Anything, Anytime, Anywhere' (which was not entirely accurate, in a literal sense) to "Anything... covers a lot!", which had a playful double entendre about it while alluding to their various capabilities.
The graphical elements and colour schemes were carried through all new corporate communication materials such as brochures, business cards and rate service cards, to vehicle fleet graphics and staff uniforms, which set them apart from their competitors. The client admitted that there was some initial reluctance from the electricians on staff to wear a uniform, until they saw the positive reaction from both their residential and commercial clients.
Consumer Launch
A consumer campaign kicked off in local markets with newsprint, radio and outdoor. All creative drove traffic to a new consumer-friendly website where customers could learn more about Anything Electric, read informative articles and request a service appointment. A custom CMS platform allows the client to edit content on the fly and contribute relevant information such as consumer and commercial articles of interest and a customer oriented newsletter.
Check out the site @ www.anythingelectric.ca
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The impact in the market was noticeable - both from the trade side and the customer side. The branding efforts set Anything Electric apart from their competitors in the marketplace and the initial marketing efforts that concentrated on "an exceptional level of personalized customer service" resonated with both residential and commercial customers.
Radio Spots
Radio creative profiled fictitious customers for residential, commercial and agricultural electrical services.