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home \ work \ brand identity \ McConnell Dowell brand
Q: HOW DO YOU REBRAND WITHOUT LOSING BRAND EQUITY?
ANGLE: MEET THE CHALLENGE
McConnell Dowell is an international construction company who needed a rebrand to raise their profile in a competitive sector and to clearly define what they stand for –
all without losing existing brand equity.
A detailed brand audit followed by staff and client interviews set the scene for the development of a new brand definition. It became clear that McConnell Dowell is a courageous company, who consistently and creatively 'Meet the challenge'.
This phrase became the new brand proposition – the inspiration for an emphatic
brand system that was successfully rolled out across all regions and differentiates McConnell Dowell from their competitors.
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McConnell Dowell brand
McConnell Dowell's new logo maintains the existing brand colours and visual equity of the old logo, but the typography is refreshed and modernised as part of their rebrand. The strapline covers the organisation's creative approach to solving engineering and construction challenges.
MacDow autograph
McConnell Dowell has often been informally referred to as MacDow. Contractors and suppliers use the shorthand name and it appears in written documentation and proposals. It was a logical step to try and formalise the name by creating a MacDow 'autograph'. The autograph works alongside the corporate logo but doesn't take its place. It helps to 'humanise' the brand and adds another graphic element to the identity palette'.
MacDow hero photography
Hero photography matches sections of MacDow-made structures with structures from nature, to help communicate 'creative construction' and to differentiate MacDow from the competition.
Hero photography – tunnel
The strength and integrity of the natural rock wall reflects the same properties in a major tunnelling project in Auckland.
People photography
During the brand research process it was not uncommon to hear about the 'MacDow family' – a closeness and sense of unity that you don't often hear about in large corporates. An intimate style of on-the-job portrait photography was defined to reflect this family feel. Close up images that show the positivity within MacDow and the diversity of the workforce.
MacDow project photography
MacDow operate internationally on large scale construction and engineering projects. Marine work, tunnelling, pipelines, infrastucture, civil and electrical.
MacDow project photography – tunnel
The diversity of projects is captured in dynamic photography from around the world. Whether it's work in progress or completed projects, there is always a sense of
'meet the challenge'.
Brand language and typography
A direct and courageous style of writing is adopted. 'Mind over matter', 'Dig deep', 'Man made' and 'Brave the elements' speak as much about the individuals involved as they do about the organisation. Brand statements are handwritten in a style similar to that of the MacDow autograph.
Alternative display typography
Brand statements and other headlines can be typeset in Swiss Black Condensed to complement the Swiss font family used for body copy.
The business end
A suitably corporate-looking suite of stationery templates was produced for the four main centres – Australia, New Zealand and The Pacific, South East Asia and the Middle East. The corporate logo dominates and the autograph supports.
Brand building with print
MacDow's high level literature is designed to look completely different from the competition. Capability brochures feature hero photography on the cover and make good use of brand statements as titles.
Brand adverts