MAT Electrics: new logo design

This isn't a new job - we finished it last year - but I've just been adding some new work to our website, and I thought it would be interesting to talk about this project here.



MAT Electrics are electrical contractors, based in Exeter. They faced increasing competition in their marketplace and recognised that rebranding and updating their visual identity would be an opportunity to address that. There were three key objectives in the project:
• Target ideal customers
• Create a platform for future growth and expansion
• Focus staff on the future direction of the company


Our first step was to spend some time talking to staff, to understand what they thought of the existing logo. Taking their feedback into account we began work on the new logo. Our key considerations when designing the logo were; a symbol that was easy to recognise, easy to reproduce across a range of material, and flexible enough to grow with the business as new services are added. The logo has been applied to stationery, uniforms, signage, vehicles and their website.



This is what MAT thought about the job:
"The new identity designed by Alder and Alder has helped us to reposition ourselves in our marketplace by changing the expectations of our clients. It has also helped our staff to see the business differently. Alder and Alder took the time to talk to key staff members to get a better understanding of the business, before beginning any design work. The new identity gives us the flexibility we wanted to meet our needs for future growth and expansion."
Tim Jones, Director

If you would like to see more examples of what we do for our clients, please visit our website: www.alderandalder.co.uk

Jumping on the brand wagon

It's an event that has captured the attention of millions across the globe, and marketing executives looking for an edge in a particularly competitive economic climate have been keen to exploit the opportunity.

Yes, the inauguration of Barak Obama as 44th US President has seen a rash of companies jumping at the opportunity to be associated with the Obama brand. You've got Hennessy launching a limited edition cognac with '44' on the bottle and the line 'unlimited potential'. Ben & Jerry's have launched a new ice cream, 'Yes, Pecan!' ('Yes, we can!' was one of Obama's campaign slogans), with the proceeds going to charities. And a slightly more abstract approach came from Veet (who make hair removal products), with an advert that said 'Goodbye Bush'. To read more about this take a look at the story from the Guardian.

The value of a powerful brand shouldn't be under estimated (whatever the size of your business), but the challenge is making sure you deliver on that 'brand promise', and meet the expectation of your audience. This is a tricky challenge for politicians, particularly at the moment (ask Gordon Brown).

If you want to find out how we work with our clients to maximise their brand potential, take a look at our website.

A lack of energy

Read an interesting article this week about levels of renewable energy generation in Europe. A report published in Germany earlier this month stated that they produce 15.3% of their electricity from renewable sources, and almost 10% of their total energy needs. And what about Britain? Well, it's a bit like Eurovision... we're near the bottom of the pile, with 5% of our electricity and less than 2% of our total needs.

In Germany their renewable energy generation saved their economy £15 billion in imported energy and related costs last year. It also saved more CO2 than all the cars in Germany produce in a year.

The UK has committed to the EU target of 15% of total energy from green sources by 2020, but many analysts don't think that will be met. Germany's target is 20%, and it's well on course to exceed it.

If you want to find out more, and what can be done to improve the situation, visit Friends of the Earth.

Small and green

New data from a survey just released by Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank shows that 80% of the small businesses who responded have made changes to improve their green credentials. But what I found most interesting was that 62% of the business owners had made the decision to be greener based on their own principles, with only a third making changes to reduce costs. One surprise was that only 25% had a recycling scheme in place - that seems to be one of the easier things to implement.

Interestingly the survey was carried out last summer - I imagine some of those figures may have changed (and not for the better). I know a lot of people I have spoken to who provide environmental consultancy of some kind say that clients are now driven by cost. 12 months ago they were driven by principle (or customer / client perception).

If you want to find out more about greening your business and the benefits visit Today and Tomorrow. For some tips on what you can do in your business take a look at the Green Business page.

Brrrrrrrrr

The coldest night for 20 years. Even the river froze (around the edges).

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009! How has it been for you so far?

I haven't got any interesting news (and all the real news is pretty grim too), so I thought I'd give you an appropriate cracker joke:

Why didn't the skeleton go to the New Year's party?
He had no body to go with.

After a joke like that the year has to get better, doesn't it?