The Business Challenge
The umbrella brand strategy meant using the same identity (Unicarm chef symbol and name), with the attributes and values it represented, in all the brand's expressions: corporate communication, retail and merchandising space and product brands. This expansion led to the dilution of the brand and the fundamental values on which it had been built. In addition, the need for unity, had locked the brand in an outdated and irrelevant communication language for some categories. And, at the packaging level, in the absence of clear master packaging rules, the monolithic identity, supported only by the presence of the logo, was not enough to ensure the coherence of a portfolio of more than 500 SKUs (with stand-alone brands and endorsed brands). In this context, Unicarm needed a strategic solution to realign its brand to its current business position and turn it into a growth engine for the company.
Our approach
A monolithic brand strategy with a unique identity applies and works for a multi-category portfolio when the categories have common core characteristics and the needs and expectations of the consumers of each category are largely similar. Otherwise, the same visual identity for multiple categories may become irrelevant to consumers, affecting brand credibility.
In the case of Unicarm, the mandatory requirement of entrepreneurs was to keep the same name for the main business categories (sausage, canned food, dairy and retail), but also for the corporate brand. It remains to be seen whether this decision will help future business strategies, in a world where brands focus on consumer typologies and competition is fierce even on sub-categories.
From the perspective of the brand strategy, the remaining solution was to think of ways to individualize the identity of the categories and the corporate one, taking into account the following restrictions: wordmark (part of the logo, without symbol) common to all categories, including corporate and keeping the symbol (chef chef) for the sausage category, being an element with which the customer considered the brand to be visually associated.
Branding solution
A brand with value in its name with tradition
In the audit process, we discovered a deep admiration for what Unicarm corporate business represented for the N-V region of the country: an honest business with respect for tradition and people, which grew step by step, through the work and dedication of genuine people. All these positive attributes have been transmitted over the years to any activity in the portfolio.
A monolithic brand architecture with individualization by category
Starting from the requirement to keep the common name for all core activities, including the corporate one, we recommended the unit of visual identity for corporate and retail activities, both anchored in the company's way of doing things. Whereas, for product brands (sausage, dairy, canned food), we went further in the development of identity, keeping the wordmark, but individualizing them to meet consumer expectations.
Identity that captures authenticity and continuity
To build corporate identity, we looked for the attributes that give uniqueness to the organization and its way of doing things. Interviewing and talking to people, visiting retail locations I found a dedication to doing things well, consistently. People associated Unicarm with respect for authentic values and for delivering quality in any business instance. For generations in the area, who have built their lives in other countries, the company has become, over time, the certainty of preserving the traditional taste and that whenever they return, they will find “something” that reminds them of their original places. Continuity, tradition and excellence inspired the design of the symbol of the new identity. We created a symbol around the letter “U”, which I stylized in the form of an emblem created from a ribbon, to suggest the two attributes.
We kept the red and blue colors in the new corporate identity, for which the brand was recognized, but brought them into modernity, choosing vibrant shades that are also relevant to the product brand. At the communication level, we emphasized the values cherished by the team and developed a unique visual language, generated by identity.
Anniversary communication
We created the communication anniversary concept “Together for 20 years” to mark an important moment in the evolution of the company, which would not have been possible without the support of all the partners and team people who stood by them.
Visual concept for retail
For retail, we wanted to help the brand distance itself from the cold image generated by its original identity and lack of sustained communication. We have generated a visual concept that creates a friendly and welcoming space, using unique elements of brand identity and adding colors, images and shapes specific to the environment. The communication of the retail brand completes the story of the Unicarm brand, talking about its own products, available in a space thought out in the brand's personality.
