June 2020 — November 2023, ESC Limited (e-commerce / retail)

Digital Content & Brand Strategy

Creating a cohesive customer experience.

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Background

— Brief

Since 1987, ESC, a Bermuda-based company, has continuously expanded into new markets. As a result of these changes, their current branding needs revision to sustain growth. In collaboration, we are exploring what ESC represents in the community now and in the future.

— Measurements of Success

Increased online sales // increased social media engagement

— Tools

Adobe Illustrator // Shopify // Brand Archetypes // Competitive Landscape Analysis

— Skills

Logo Development // Brand Positioning // Web Design // Prototyping // Primary & Secondary Research // Synthesis & Ideation // Strategic Recommendations // Brand Guidelines

Why?

With ESC catering to primarily two customer segments: electricians by trade and home decorators, the biggest challenge is marrying the two opposites into one succinct brand and logo design that captures the nuances of each without creating brand identity confusion

In addition, ESC acquired a custom framing company, Frameworks, earlier this year which required a physical renovation to accommodate the extra equipment, staff, and stock.

Context

“I’ve been coming to ESC for years, to me it’s all ESC”

Insight: Most customers refer to all departments under ESC Limited as “ESC” rather than “ESC Limited”, “Escape” and “Escpresso”.

Out of 23 respondents, 22 people referred to the company as “ESC”, 1 person referred to the company as “Escape”.

In January 2023, we assumed that low online electrical sales meant electricians did not use the site, the response we received was the opposite.

“Where did the electrical go from the website, can you put it back up?”

Insight: Electrical customers used the website as a catalog, to know what ESC had in stock and provide quotes to customers.

“I love coming in [to ESC], there is always a friendly vibe, and I usually find something I wasn’t even looking for”

Insight: Many customers have formed relationships with the team members at ESC. Additionally, people enjoy sipping a coffee at the cafe and browsing around the store.

— What people are saying // User Insights

How Might We?

Create a cohesive customer experience that promotes mastery, courageousness, and connection through a brand identity that celebrates ESC's history and future.

[Brand Voice // Tone]

We speak honestly, and candidly, with a friendly, and authentic tone. We do not recommend something we personally would not put in our own home.

ESC Brand Archetype

[Customer Drivers]

Our customers are driven by mastery of their craft, courageousness, growth, development, and connection.

[Strategy]

Our strategy is to make our customers and employees feel inspired, and empowered to succeed and achieve.

[Brand Vibe]

The ambiance we want to create is a welcoming community, that people want to be a part of.

Above is a competitive landscape analysis; it helps ESC determine potential areas of opportunity and threats.

In ESC’s case, it serves a dual purpose to determine how they compare branding-wise and find points of differentiation. 

— Current Digital Content

Since switching digital content strategy in 2020, ESC has seen a follower increase of 20%

A growth strategy we implemented was an Annual Cup Match giveaway, in partnership with a local vendor. In 2022, we partnered with @rumtherock, a branch of Bacardi, and reached over 5.5K followers of which, 1/3 were current followers and 2/3 were non-followers.

— Logo Ideation [work in progress]

— Prototyping

Annotations of three recent logo iterations

Mobile mock-up

Web mock-up

Challenge

With ESC catering to primarily two customer segments: electricians by trade and home decorators, the biggest challenge is marrying the two opposites into one logo design that captures the nuances of each without creating brand identity confusion.

Next Steps


  1. Define who ESC is for

  2. Complete a brand audit

  3. Articulate ESC’s brand heart (purpose, vision, mission, values)

  4. Clarify brand messaging

  5. Determine visual identity

  6. Create brand guidelines

  7. Rebrand rollout