New branding exercise for Essential Hardware Group

Red Tie Africa (specialists in local store marketing) took an idea stemming from a potential TVC and conceptualised a plan of that better communicates the client's brand to core trade. The process required an in-depth review and re-establishment of the array of offerings to its members, suppliers and the economy as a whole.

It was important to understand the business model, its role-players and its uniqueness.

These stores retain their independence and make their own business decisions based on their local community needs. Each store can tailor stock, pricing, advertising content, location and all other activities to suit its target market. However, each store has branded signage.

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Core values

The new creative sets out to communicate who it is as a group and aims to base its communication on its core values of family, community, responsibility and independence. The campaign has five key areas.

1. The Corporate Brand - Essential Hardware (www.essentialgroup.co.za) with the tagline: Will you please plan my world
   
2. The Members' Newsletter (www.talkorange.co.za) with the tagline: You build the future our children will play in
   
3. The multi-way communication channel between members, head office, regional managers and suppliers (www.letstalkhardware.co.za) with the tagline: We build the future our children will learn in
   
4. The independent member store's communication channel to its customers (www.myhardware.co.za) with the tagline: I build the future our children will live in.
   
5. Generic message with the tagline: We will build your future together.
   

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Recent trade advertising in the DIY Trade News publication featured five double page spreads, one for each of the communication channels and a fifth to incorporate all of the channel identities under the Essential umbrella.

The campaign was timed to coincide with the launch of the TV campaign, the launch of all the respective websites and the delivery of new in store POS materials along with the new online templates on the Red Tie system for the stores to customise their local store advertising content and an ongoing PR strategy tailored to each business sector.

The theme will be part of the group's Trade Day on 20 May 2012, to further embed the message.