CASE STUDY: ADENTRA

REBRANDING FOR THE CORRECT PERCEPTION

COVERED ALONGSIDE THE INCORRECT INDUSTRY GROUP BY ANALYSTS, THIS TSX LISTED DISTRIBUTOR HAD TO REINVENT THE WAY THEY SHOW UP

CLIENT PROFILE

Our client is a TSX-listed, well-established distributor of architectural products in North America. With several consumer-facing brands commanding a large distribution footprint, a global imports division and a design firm all under its umbrella, the overarching corporate entity had challenges in getting the right coverage by industry analysts. Their previous name, HDI which was an initialism of Hardwoords Distribution and Imports, gave the impression to industry analysts that they are a lumber distributor, and accordingly this perception grouped the client amongst the incorrect cohort of companies.

CHALLENGE
How do we create an identity that places the client amongst the correct group of industrial peers to investors and analysis, yet differentiate enough to communicate its premium value?

OUTCOME

To accurately represent the company, we developed the following:

new company name
updated voice and key messaging
new logo and visual identity system
brand guidelines
creative direction for content, imagery and style

APPROACH - BRAND INTELLIGENCE

As a starting point, we dove deep into the client’s industry peers and competitors and organized them into two groups, one with positive associations and the other with detractor qualities.

We then implemented our brand research tools and frameworks to deconstruct the language used by these groups in their communications and discovered opportunities for our client to utilize key terms and language statements that differentiate them and reposition them as desired to the public markets.

Continuing on with this process we disassembled the industry groups’ visual identities and content and mapped out cliches in terms of identity elements such as colour, imagery and logos.

As the final step of the Intelligence process, we workshopped input from the executive team collecting their insights and perceptions on their company’s brand in terms of legacy, value and aspirations.

IMAGE OF FRAMEWORKS COLLECTING THIS INFO

APPROACH - BRAND TRANSFORMATION

NAMING

Taking the inputs from the Brand Intelligence process, we embarked on the naming process exploring several directions while considering contextual guardrails such as the company’s brand architecture, communication channels and their investor audience. We developed a manifesto to capture the voice, language and tonality of the brand we wanted to create.

Upon several rounds of presentations and feedback, we landed on Adentra, a take on the Spanish word ‘adentro’ meaning ‘inside’. The rationale represents the client’s end result of a premium space’s interior envelope for which they enable and distribute architectural products for. The sound and feel of the name easily differentiates the client from the industry while communicating a design-forward premium brand.

VISUAL IDENTITY

Extending the brand attributes into the visual identity, we designed a logo to represent a premium brand alongside an icon that speaks to the many facets of the company coming together in a unique way. The colour palette and tones represent an elevated entity making it stand apart from industrial players who tend to use single flat tones in their brand colours.

IDENTITY