Case Study – Hardide Coatings

To ensure that Hardide could communicate their message, the first stage of the branding refresh was to create a new Customer Proposition. Following workshop meetings with key staff, including the CEO and Sales Managers, Veucom created the new Customer Proposition, ensuring that it was concise, direct and conveyed the main features and benefits of using Hardide Coatings. The Proposition successfully positioned the company within the marketplace, communicating directly to the many target industries. With the new website set to be the main marketing tool, the Customer Proposition was created with this in mind, and written to aid SEO and better search engine rankings.

As the existing brand had proved very successful, any change would need to be subtle and retain the same company logo. A change of corporate colours was proposed, transforming the existing stark black and red into a dark blue and magenta based red. Whilst the change was subtle, it allowed for a much ‘warmer’, ‘friendlier’ and more contemporary identity. It also allowed the introduction of the blue and red throughout the range of marketing communications.

A series of graphic devices was devised to be used throughout the branded communications. This utilised the two new colours and consisted of flowing graphic lines and pictures positioned inside irregular curved flowing shapes, representing the swirling, gaseous phase of the Hardide coating process. Clean, white space was also used widely to create a more technical and scientific perception.

A brand new website was designed to complement the brand refresh. The new website featured a revised structure and site plan, all-new content and a WordPress Content Management System platform to allow easy updating in-house.

The design featured the new colour way and supporting graphic styling to ensure brand recognition and aesthetic consistency with all other marketing communications. The website content was optimised so that the key search words and terms provided the best possible results. This successfully produced several number 1 positions in search engine rankings.

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With field sales being a key part to Hardide building customer relationships, a new Corporate Brochure was designed for business development managers to use as a sales tool, in addition to being distributed by mail and throughout exhibition campaigns. Using the new brand graphics, the 8-page brochure featured a pocketed back cover for the insertion of sales literature such as technical data sheets.

Hardide Coatings attend many events throughout the year, taking space at targeted exhibitions and conferences. Veucom designed new exhibition stand graphics to complement the new brand, and managed the stand building and logistics, delivering a complete turnkey solution.

Veucom designed a range of digital advertisements to appear on specific industry websites. Promoting the features and benefits of using Hardide Coatings, the advertisements used 2 stage gif graphics to convey the sales messages.

Hardide plc, the parent company of Hardide Coatings Ltd, is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM listings. For ten years, Hardide plc have chosen Veucom to design and produce their Annual Report. With each year presenting new operational and financial highlights, Veucom also works with the Hardide plc team to produce the themed messaging to integrate with the new design.

As a key part of the branding project, new photography was proposed to enable Hardide to showcase their manufacturing facilities and technical capabilities. A series of photographic shoots were organised and shot within the UK and US facilities providing a valuable number of pictures to use throughout the entire range of marketing communications.