Alumil - Corporate Identity Revitalization

The Challenge: Alumil, is the No1 Aluminum Industry manufacturer in Greece and amongst the most rapidly growing across Europe. The company offers a wide range of products, from aluminum systems (window and door frames) to solar protection, to plastics. While the company operated mostly on a business-to-business level, it decided to approach the end user and enter the retail arena. Alumil engaged Brandessence / CBX for the development of a comprehensive corporate identity environmental branding program. Along with developing an environmental branding concept appropriate for the retail environment, the challenge was to reposition a traditionally distant, cold manufacturer, as warm and people friendly. To add to the above challenge, it was critical to remember that although Alumil was making an organized effort to reach the end user, it would not cease to operate as a manufacturer. All branding efforts thus, should be appropriate and appealing to a wide range of audiences, consumers, partners and customers.

The Solution: The first step in the branding program was the definition of Alumil’s desired, core values. Innovation, dynamism and focus on interpersonal relations were identified as Alumil’s most important values. Special emphasis was placed on the company’s focus on interpersonal relations. Based on the brand’s desired core values, Brandessence / CBX developed a house-style (look & feel) for Alumil and a environmental branding concept for the company’s showrooms and exhibit booths. Brandessence / CBX maintained the company’s logo and yellow color, that had equity, and developed a house-style that brought forth a human face. In an effort to develop a warmer, more approachable look, the logo’s black color was changed into dark gray, making the overall look friendlier while maintaining the logo’s impact. The corporate slogan “Building excellence every day” was added to communicate the brand’s core message at all points-of-touch. Alumil’s corporate, trade and technical brochures, to be distributed in showrooms and trade shows were also redesigned. Alumil’s house-style was applied to all print materials, in order to present a consistent and meaningful corporate identity. A color coding approach was used for print materials. The color yellow was used in materials targeting consumers in order to project a warmer, friendlier image, while silver was used in materials targeting technical, trade audiences in order to project a technologically advanced and innovative look. In addition, Brandessence / CBX developed the logos for each and every Alumil product. The overall re-branding goal was to communicate the brand’s values, and to be clear, simple and understandable. Alumil’s website was also re-branded with the new house-style and reorganized to project the brand’s image and goals. For the environmental design of Alumil’s showrooms and exhibit booths, Brandessence / CBX followed the module approach. Alumil, as an aluminum systems manufacturer, displays its offerings only in trade shows and showrooms. Building booths for each and every national and international trade show was costing the company an enormous amount of money. By developing an environmental branding concept based on modules, Brandessence / CBX offered a cost-effective branding solution. Importantly, this solution allowed the presentation of the company’s corporate identity in a consistent way in showrooms and trade shows. The module approach is an extremely effective solution as it allows to brand spaces of any size. Modules are stored in the company’s storing rooms and different pieces in different numbers are used to brand any space according to size. Brandessence / CBX designed ergonomic stands used to exhibit cross sections of Alumil’s aluminum systems, siding/door and window frame accessories, types of materials, doors etc. In addition, Brandessence / CBX designed a set of branding blocks to be used for branding a space but also as space dividers. All furniture needed for the company’s showrooms down to the smallest detail, were also designed, for example, reception desk, office and conference desks, chairs, lamps, info kiosk etc. The retail/environmental branding concept was presented to the client in 3D virtual reality animation. All three Alumil showrooms are fully constructed and operating.