Tag: brand strategy

Empowering Irish Manufacturing with FactoryXChange: Leading the Digital Transformation Revolution

Posted on by Simon Richards

FactoryXChange, a new European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) that is helping to accelerate digital transformation and make advanced technologies accessible to manufacturing startups and SMEs across Ireland. FactoryXChange is about adopting the latest technology, advancing industries, reshaping education, and propelling society forward through technology.

FactoryXChange recognised that to drive their digital transformation mission, they needed a brand strategy that would give direction and communicate the offer with clarity, and a distinctive visual identity that would stand out in a eco-system of many business support and funding organisations. To do this we were tasked with four key deliverables:

  1. Customer first approach: Enabling a commitment to a customer centric approach that understands the needs and challenges that resonates with SME’s in the manufacturing sector.
  2. Brand strategy: We developed a process that included a series of collaborative consortium workshops that explored the brand’s essence. and identified what set them apart. The collaborative workshops provided a chance to fully understand the needs of the target audience and how we could position FactoryXChange to connect with them.
  3. Visual identity: Crafted with innovation, sustainability, and progress in mind, FactoryXChange’s visual identity incorporates design elements, a carefully chosen color palette, and a logo that stand out in the ecosystem of business support organizations. The design reflects their commitment to driving digital transformation.
  4. Tone of voice: We established a tone and voice that permeates all communication channels consistently, effectively conveying the brand’s message. This ensures a unified brand experience for all stakeholders.

Driving Digital Transformation

With input from consortium workshops and stakeholder engagement we developed four key pillars to communicate how, FactoryXChange is committed to driving digital transformation across a range of sectors:

  1. Community for Change: FactoryXChange brings together a community of businesses, innovators, and experts, all sharing a common goal – to advance digital transformation in manufacturing and beyond. This collaborative effort fosters innovation and progress.
  2. One-Stop-Shop for Digital Needs: From artificial intelligence to robotics, cybersecurity to supply chain management, FactoryXChange offers a comprehensive range of services to meet the digital needs of the SME manufacturing sector.
  3. Tech Translators: FactoryXChange goes beyond advocating for technology; they act as tech translators, bridging the gap between advanced technology and everyday people. This approach makes technology accessible, actionable, and impactful
  4. Creating a Sustainable Future: Sustainability is a cornerstone of FactoryXChange’s mission. They not only adopt advanced technology but harness it to create a sustainable future for businesses, communities, and the environment. This commitment extends to every aspect of their operations..

Positioning FactoryXChange for Success

Built around the idea of ‘Manufacturing Digital Transformation,’ FactoryXChange’s brand identity places them at the forefront of digital transformation, with a specific focus on manufacturing 4.0

The new brand identity is built on the concept of their role as a connector and catalyst for change. This informed the design of a strong and confident new logo. To ensure FactoryXChange has an accessible and simple design narrative the overall system utilises and stripped back colour palette of black and white, with a yellow and green gradient that serves as a metaphor for change and forward momentum.

The challenge was to create distance from competitors and stand apart from each individual consortium member with no single member dominating.

Switcher.ie acquisition demonstrates a strong brand is a valuable asset 

Posted on by Simon Richards

We are delighted that our friends at Switcher.ie have been acquired by Mediahuis. Our work with Switcher.ie to reposition, rename, and rebrand from U-Switch highlighted the importance of creating an accessible identity that embodied the company’s mission and unique positioning. Much like our collaborations with Openet, 4Site, Dubray, and TDS to name a few, this acquisition demonstrates the long-lasting value of a strong brand persona. Switcher director Carl Gaywood notes in the Independent “the quality of the Switcher platform and brand is truly outstanding”. Well done Switcher.ie on this achievement.  

11 brands we designed meaningful change for in 2021

Posted on by Simon Richards

2021 was an incredibly busy year in our studio. From new faces to new projects and group Teams calls to get-togethers, it’s fair to say there hasn’t been a dull moment. As the final few weeks of 2021 fade into a brand-new year with fresh surprises in store, we’re looking back on just some of the projects that we designed meaningful change for this year. And, if you have a strategy or branding project in mind for 2022, contact us at hello@richardsdee.com and you could find yourself on our list this time next year! 

01 — Indigo

With Indigo Telecoms Group’s acquisition of our previous client 4site, we collaborated with the teams to define, design, and implement a strategic new brand built for the future of communication. By evolving the name to simply Indigo and the positioning to ‘Engineering a Digital Future’, as well as crafting an identity reflecting the new company’s three core offerings, a colour palette reflecting and complementing their name, a digital stream representing a future of limitless possibilities, and a brand voice and messaging deeply rooted in their core values, we helped set Indigo on their path to accelerating their growth strategy.

02 — Reitigh

2021 also saw us win new clients such as Reitigh, one of Ireland’s leading software companies solving the most complex processing challenges in financial services for banking, investment, and insurance enterprises. We worked closely with their leadership team to devise a unique  set of values, a brand purpose, and a compelling promise as well as a strong design system and laser-focused messaging that brought their approach of ‘Always Simplifying’ to life. Plus, in the spirit of the festive season, we were even nominated for an ICAD Bell for our work! View more work here →

03 — Kerry

This year we helped Kerry look Beyond the Horizon with their stunning new pattern. Built in four layers to reflect Kerry’s From Food, For Food heritage, their strength in people, their  unrivalled capacity for innovation, and their promise to reach over 2 billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030, the new hand-illustrated pattern brings their brand to life in miniature wherever it’s used. View more work here →

04 — MII

One of our biggest projects of 2021 was our rebrand of MII. Building on the brand strategy developed by Genesis, we delivered a revitalised visual and verbal identity system across the MII brand from the mark to a suite of impactful typefaces and the website to event naming. By amplifying MII’s role as the voice of authority for marketing in Ireland and an accelerator of marketing talent, we equipped the team with a brand that evokes their limitless ambition and radiates confidence. Read our full case study here →

05 — HOHR

2021 saw us appointed as Brand Partners to the Leadership team at the €1.6bn entrepreneurial powerhouse House of HR. Our challenge was to redevelop the Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values and crystalise these into a powerful creative strategy and identity system. Our solution was a rebellious and powerful system connected deeply to the brand we had defined previously, setting House of HR up for a bold and impactful future. Read our full case study here →.

06 — St. Vincent’s

For the third year running we produced St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group’s annual report. Designed around the theme of ‘Next Steps: Towards the Future of Healthcare’, we collaborated closely with the team at St. Vincent’s to deliver artwork and final layout for 2020’s report. 

07 — Fáilte Ireland

2021 also saw us refresh the brand identity of Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s national tourism authority. Building on the strength of the iconic shamrock, we imbued the revitalised logo with a sense of authority by reaching back to the classic identity born in the 1960s, as well as modernised the identity by refreshing the typeface, harmonising the colours with Fáilte Ireland’s regional brands, and reversing the mark from a negative shape (white) to a positive shape (green). Rich in storytelling, the new logo asserts Fáilte Ireland’s role as the trusted shaper of the tourism industry in Ireland. View more work here →

08 — Energia

2021 marked another busy year with one of our closest clients, Energia. As their longstanding brand partners, this year we collaborated on a range of exciting projects that unifies their brand experience across all channels and underpinning their mission. We have a number of interesting Energia projects on the go in our studio for 2022 in what will be a challenging start of the year for the energy sector.. View more work here →

09 — Irish Water

2021 also saw a stunning new photography project take off with our friends at Irish Water. Together, we embarked on a project to update Irish Water’s image bank to capture the scale and breadth of their investment in Ireland’s water infrastructure. In 11 days, across 28 locations around Ireland, we collaborated with photographer Keith Arkins to capture aerial and ground photography that visually evoked Irish Water’s national status from coast to coast.

10 — Childline

Just over a year ago, we won one of the most meaningful rebrands of 2021 – ISPCC Childline. Selected as brand partners to Ireland’s largest children’s charity, the past year saw us enter the worlds of children and ISPCC Childline teams across Ireland through workshops to discover how we could help ISPCC and their service Childline reclaim their roles as children’s advocates and allies. By crafting a visual and verbal identity deeply rooted in the vernacular of children while clarifying the relationship between the brands, ISPCC and Childline are established as the definitive destinations for resilience and support for generations of children to come.

11 — Studio Photoshoot

Earlier this year when we had the chance to safely – if briefly! – get back into the office, we took the opportunity to refresh our RichardsDee photography with the brilliant Josh Mulholland. Check out our sweet O’Connell Street space and the wonderful faces new and familiar that make it such a meaningful place to be. All it’s missing is a Christmas tree!

All the stars align for Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning

Posted on by Celine Dee

Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice together with Bewley’s, is 25 years old this year. In over two decades, Ireland’s longest running one day charity event has raised over €32 million for hospice care nationwide and served over 16 million cups of coffee.

We were appointed to refresh the campaign strategy and creative in 2016 which led to the campaign achieving the best results ever and winning an AIM Award for CSR. The bar was set high for our 2017 campaign which took place yesterday in homes, businesses and hospices all over the country. We planned our RD coffee morning months ago which included a highly competitive studio bake off, and we were delighted to host our agency neighbours in Portobello who supported us to raise funds for our local hospice, Our Lady’s Hospice in Harold’s Cross.

With more passionate brand ambassadors coming on board, strong commitment from hospices all over the country and of course Bewley’s commitment to drive this campaign forward every year, we are excited to see the results of 2017 in coming weeks.

If you haven’t already donated, there is still time simply text COFFEE to donate 50300.

 

Dublin Sightseeing Rebrand

Posted on by Amanda Smith

Challenge

Dublin Sightseeing has a great product portfolio and a solid reputation for providing tours and travel services in and around Dublin. However, the market has become more competitive, audiences purchasing behaviours are changing, and Dublin Sightseeing’s image had become fragmented and did not reflect either the quality of the product or the level of experience provided. While known and identified as the Green Bus, the brand, its key point of difference and its portfolio of tours and associated services were not well known.

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Through a process of staff engagement, competitive benchmarking and customer research, we clearly identified and built on the strengths of the business and established the direction, which would lead to a more competitive and confident positioning and visual expression for the brand and its portfolio of products.

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The challenge was to relook at the brand and how it engages with its many audiences, helping to grow market share, and regain its position as the “authentic Dublin” sightseeing company. We also needed to leverage the positive experience of the ‘Green bus city tour’ across the entire portfolio and clearly communicate the different tours and services on offer. An essential part of the process was ensuring that the brand and products were future proofed and could adapt to accommodate changes in technology, visitor expectations and possible category extensions, highlighting the need to challenge the naming and presentation of the brand.

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Insight

Aligning with Destination Brand Dublin, the two key audience segments for Dublin Sightseeing are the Social Energisers and Culturally Curious, who are seeking experiences that provide a real sense of place, along with an insightful and entertaining experience. It was important for us to show that Dublin Sightseeing is not a faceless multinational, but a team passionate and proud of their city and eager to share that with the world. Building on the company’s core USP – the best and most knowledgable drivers and guides in the city, and the inimitable Dublin personality, combined with our audience’s desire for fun, authentic experiences, we defined the positioning as “the Dubliners Guide to Dublin”.

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The name of the brand needed to change to become more active, iconic and memorable – less about a generic sightseeing service, and more about what it can enable travellers to do. The name DoDublin emerged as a clear favourite from the naming process, and resonated well with local and international audiences when tested.

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Opportunity

Our opportunity lay in creating a brand that could house a wide portfolio of distinct but related products that would be the authority on all transport and guided tours for national and international visitors alike. A confident masterbrand approach provides credibility, confidence and makes the most of all cross-selling opportunities, enabling the brand to maximise marketing efficiencies. It also establishes a brand architecture that is simple and strong, delivering impact and establishing a family style for all products.

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The new identity created with Dublin, travel and sightseeing at its core – is visually represented by a ‘D’ with the symbol of an eye and a travel route combined.

Our tagline, ‘Don’t just sightsee, explore’ repositions DoDublin versus their competitors and speaks directly to visitors’ desire to get under the skin of the city they are visiting. The visual expression and messaging provides a distinct insight into the city, the culture and the people providing an experience that is real, unique and never scripted.

 

51st&Green – A Fusion of Ireland and America

Posted on by Simon Richards

It’s been over a year in the making, but our role in the creation of the new executive lounge at Dublin Airport is complete. Not only is this lounge the only US Preclearance lounge in Europe, it is the first lounge on “US soil,” outside of America.  Working across concept, creative direction, naming, brand identity and passenger experience, this week marks the launch of the lounge, where all of these elements can be experienced together for the first time.

From an initial brief to delivery, the challenge was to convey and position a new lounge experience that captured the crossing of time zones and countries. With a clear understanding of the audience, we considered spaces for play, work, relaxation and to explore the fusion of Irish and American produce. A key focal point was the idea of a barista, to reinforce the quality of experience and to create a talking point for the lounge. MCA Architects led the delivery of the built environment, bringing to life the concept through references to time and the brand colour palette.

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Menu covers and delph.

The name 51st&Green was inspired by the idea of an intersection; the fusion of the best of Ireland with the best of America. The 51st represents the creation of a new time zone – the 51st state of America and the Green is a proud reference towards Ireland and the new Dublin Airport brand. In addition, the construction of the name reflects a traditional American address, and this street sign concept is brought through in the style of the brand mark. This theme is continued across all key touch points to build the 51st&Green story.

This new lounge represents a place where Ireland and America connect; a place where people, time and cultures blend to create a truly unique lounge experience, and we are delighted to have played a leading role in bringing the vision to life.

#51standGreen

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Straight Talking Identity

Posted on by Simon Richards

Following a pitch process, we were delighted to be appointed to work on the naming, brand strategy and creative development of Intuity, a newly formed entity in Galway.

Intuity is home to tec support, an IT support and maintenance business and ice cube, a company that has been providing software solutions to Credit Unions and marts for decades. It was important to develop an overarching creative strategy that aligned the brands and built on the new group positioning – Straight Talking Experts.

With plans for a 100-strong expansion to its workforce, Intuity is ambitious and we are delighted to have played a part in their inception.

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