Brand strategy, visual identity, messaging and marketing collateral for one of our global lighting clients.
Time to shine
Restless have been partnering with Sylvania for over eight years, helping to build a strong brand presence within the international lighting market. In March 2018, Sylvania exhibited at Light+Building; one of the lighting industry’s biggest trade shows, where Restless helped launch, what is assuredly the most dramatic change in the brand’s visual identity in its recent history. Working in close collaboration with the client, the rebrand impacted every area of their business.
A heritage in light
Sylvania, a global lighting brand, originated in America in the early 1900s and has pioneered many of the lighting technologies we now take for granted in everyday use. Over its 90 year history, Sylvania has remained a dominant brand in the domestic retail lamp market and in recent years has developed a strong, commercial luminaire product portfolio. In 2016 Shanghai Feilo Acoustics Co Ltd purchased the Sylvania brand, along with two other established lighting brands – Concord, known in the UK for over 50 years and Lumiance, known throughout the Benelux region for over 80 years.
Thinking big
A worldwide, business strategy and brand review concluded that, although all three brands had substantial lighting heritage, Sylvania was by far the most widely known and therefore provided the greatest potential for global growth. In order to maintain and build upon its historic success, and expand into new emerging LED technologies and markets, the decision was taken to amalgamate the Lumiance product ranges into Sylvania, and reposition Concord as a range of products within the Sylvania brand. With experience of working with international lighting brands over the years, Restless were asked to redefine the Sylvania brand.
Building from the brand up
Although having gained in-depth knowledge whilst partnering with Sylvania over the years, the Restless design team chose to begin again. They questioned everything, and spent time observing Sylvania’s design, manufacturing, sales and distribution divisions, discovering shared business approaches and beliefs. By work-shopping these findings, Restless defined a brand purpose and a set of focused brand values, putting the customer experience at the heart of the proposition.
The objective was to reflect a simplified business strategy and to create a bold, unified, visual language. Starting with redrawing and refining the Sylvania logotype and also simplifying the product range structure, Restless conducted an audit of all marketing communications collateral. Flexible templates and bold marketing collateral items were developed along with comprehensive, brand and visual identity guidelines, enabling both international and country brand teams to work consistently to deliver global change. Bespoke online brand management tools and solutions were implemented to speed up brand delivery worldwide.
Light your world
The brand strategy culminated in the creation of a new strapline – ‘Light your world’. Capturing the simple, customer centric, brand proposition. ‘Light your world’ is an invitation. An offer of guidance. An empowering call to action. With light, Sylvania empower people to control their environment, giving them the freedom to grow, think, work, play; to live, to focus on the important things. Sylvania make people feel welcome and secure.
Turn up the brightness
Since launch, Restless work as brand guardians, and continue to partner with Sylvania to bring the brand to life, on a daily basis, creating internal and sales presentations, advertising campaigns, video and social media content.
Proof
Rebranding the entire organisation as ‘Sylvania’ has streamlined the creation of their brand marketing, with the new visual identity enabling consistent, worldwide implementation across all brand assets. With defined purpose and values, Restless has helped Sylvania refocus on a customer centric brand strategy, that continues to provide clarity and direction for future growth.
