You operate in a commodity market, nothing special there or so it seems. You’re convinced if you decided to become a sustainable company you could really make a difference.
So one day you decide to go for it.
You have a radical new plan in mind, a big hairy audacious goal. You know that to achieve this goal people have to believe in you, support you and follow you: you have to take the lead. You want to express your new ambitions to the world: your stakeholders, your clients and your employees..But where do you start?
S T O R Y
Expressing courageous intentions is one thing… turning your company around is another
A good plan (meaning good in the big sense of the word… Good for everybody) needn’t be crystal clear to see its right. Expressing your idea so clearly others see it too…that’s tough.
Eneco (the number 2 energy company in the Netherlands) had such a plan. They recently captured their idea: All for sustainability. When we met them they clearly had the ambition but the words were not yet there. Call it cold feet or call it modesty: they were too shy to boast their ambitions.
Maybe it’s just typically Dutch to under promise. In Holland we all wanna be ‘gewoon’.
Through desk-research and inquisitive fieldwork we discovered being ‘gewoon’ is not an option in the energy market: especially not if you choose to go sustainable.
Challenges such as decentralized energy and working with renewable sources make the energy market one of the most exciting markets to be in. To achieve their goals Eneco needs to be able to direct and instigate the flow of change. That demands presence and credibility.
S O L U T I O N
An identity as a work in progress
What does a new breed energy provider look like?
We conjured up a flexible style that radiates a sustainable company with a bubbly personality, smart enough not only to exude ‘green’ (‘cause what color is wind or innovation?).
The visual identity and house style have naturally evolved along with the company. As the story got clearer the style tightened up too. We’ve translated the style into many applications from livery, websites, the looks of subsidiaries to I-phone applications and interiors.
Eneco have now been living their new strategy for a few years and a lot has changed. Their intentions are becoming a reality. Their core values and brand strategy get sharper every day as they constantly evolve. Thanks to the toolkits we’ve developed and the workshops we’ve conducted, Eneco employees and communication agencies fully understand and relate to Eneco’s compelling brand story.
Decisions
The company’s new entrepreneurial approach (moving from public service to a more market orientation) meant that brand management and the brand architecture behind it played a more important role in our job. One tool we’re very proud of is the brand decision tree we developed for Eneco. This tackles the problem that good ideas (always) want to branch off. The tool makes sure that they stay rooted and that the question of what adds value to the brand is always part of the decision-making process.
In record time Eneco have been able to transform themselves in line with their ambitions. We’re proud to be quick enough to keep up with them and when necessary stay a few steps ahead.
The telling of the Eneco story
Having worked with Eneco for several years, we’ve grown very close to them, but fortunately not so close that we’ve lost our outside view. Emphasizing what is really important and reminding them what makes them special is our biggest responsibility. Taking charge of the corporate story became the second phase in this project.
We’re with them every step of the way, to ensure their stories, designs and visuals reflect their evolution. Adapting to their needs, acting as a sounding board and second opinion for all the well-meant brand advice they receive from our beloved competitors and providing that much needed reality check as only a trusted friend can.
R E S U L T S
Having a business-like friendship that allows each other to learn and grow
The people at Eneco (especially Jolanda Raveneck, their corporate brand-manager) are inspiring partners. Working with them is learning from them. Hopefully they feel the same (sure they do).
In a business where takeovers are part of the daily reality Eneco turns out to be the big fish eating the other fish. Having a strong brand and a clear story could have something to do with that (besides having a big pile of money).
At the consumer level their sustainable strategy is recognized and wins a lot of support (people are voting with their euro’s, choosing Eneco as their preferred supplier).
Their Rep-track is off the charts. Rubbing shoulders with Dutch favourites such as Randstad and Rabobank.