Superior Construction is a nearly 90-year-old company steeped in tradition and family values. Owned by the same family for four generations, the heavy civil infrastructure contractor also had the same visual identity for much of its history, which had become stale and unappealing to younger audiences.
Challenge
After advising Superior’s leadership that the company needed a rebrand, we engaged with a branding specialist agency to develop the new brand identity, including a new logo and other visual elements to build a cohesive brand system. While the branding agency worked on the visual identity, we crafted core messaging and new mission, vision and values statements.
Once these foundational elements were in place, we set out to communicate them to all of Superior’s stakeholders, emphasizing the company’s history and legacy, along with the new messages of innovation and forward-thinking.
As the new brand was a significant departure from its predecessor and a shift toward a more modern, progressive look, we announced it concurrently with a celebration of the company’s 85th anniversary. This helped reassure Superior's many longtime employees who felt emotionally connected to the old brand that the company wasn’t disregarding its history but building upon it.
We developed and implemented a comprehensive brand roll-out and 85th-anniversary campaign, including:
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Internal communications to ensure employees were the first to know and felt they had the inside scoop on the new logo
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A logo evolution reel showcasing how the brand had evolved over the years
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A letter from the CEO comparing logos to bridges (the company’s signature project type) to demonstrate that — just as critical infrastructure ultimately needs upgrading and repairs — so does a company’s brand
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Email and “snail mail” announcements to external stakeholders, including clients, vendors and government officials
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A website pop-up explaining the new look
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A social media campaign featuring stories of Superior’s projects and people throughout its 85 years in business alongside its newly codified mission, vision, values and fresh brand identity
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A jobsite tour by executive leadership to include craft workers in the rebranding celebration
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An extensive media relations campaign
To ensure we got the best coverage in our highest-priority media outlet, we negotiated a media exclusive with the company’s hometown business publication, the Jacksonville Business Journal, resulting in a cover story featuring all of the campaign’s key messages with the headline: “Building connections: How Superior Construction has found success in (literally) building bridges.”
We then reached out to regional, national, trade and business press, securing a wide range of coverage through various strategies:
Superior Construction has remained a valued Reputation Ink client in the years since the rebrand. As the company's de facto extended marketing department, we've helped Superior secure coverage of its projects in local, regional, national and trade media; strategically build its asset library by coordinating jobsite photo shoots; produce numerous marketing videos; win major industry awards; book key speaking opportunities; develop website content; manage its social media presence; and provide creative design services, including Superior's award-winning annual report.