Crafting a new identity for a future-focused plastics leader.
Background
Nursery Supplies Inc. (NSI), a leading manufacturer of horticultural containers and Summit Plastics, had been merged for 10 years when they reached out to FVM. While the companies operated as separate brands, leadership wanted to consolidate a top-level identity with current offerings — and future plastics acquisitions — in mind. The company needed a name, story, logo, and visual identity that could all scale without losing the organization’s focus on sustainability and customization.
The challenges
NSI’s executive team’s request sounded simple on the surface, but extended to cover many strategic and identity wrinkles that had to be solved, or at least planned for, along the way.
- New branding needed to make sense for current horticulture audiences including NSI and Summit Plastics customers, but also work for potential acquisitions in an unknown number of broader plastics manufacturing segments.
- FVM had to determine a brand hierarchy between the existing brands and a new parent brand. Should NSI, Summit, and future acquisitions keep their existing identities? What, if anything, should trickle down from the parent brand?
- NSI has a significant commitment to sustainability — how could we weave this into its story without overpromising… or watering down key business messages?
Our solution
Meeting with NSI/Summit’s leadership team and key customers, FVM identified critical differentiators in the industry. We quickly learned the unique dynamics of horticultural container sales and market drivers, finding opportunities to avoid bottom-dollar import trappings and making the company’s customization offerings a centerpiece to the brand.
During a half-day on-site strategy session with key leadership, we engaged the team with exercises to solidify messaging points, determine graphic identity preferences, and kick off ideation for company naming direction. Sustainability had to shine, but without sounding like a “green only” nonprofit. Expertise mattered, but only if it sounded genuine and personal. And everyone agreed that a clean, minimal design would serve the open future of the new brand best.
Name and messaging
Over the course of our engagement, FVM concepted and presented naming ideas for both NSI/Summit, as well as for the new parent company’s identity. We needed a new story for the brand that captured our findings: This was an organization that served as a true partner to clients; not just a company that pumped out bottom-dollar products like competitors. They were personal, consultative, and growth-focused… and we wanted to bring that to life.
The new top-level company name was CREO Group, which would house brands like CREO Greenhouse, and future acquisitions, under it. The name immediately harkened to the creative capabilities made possible by its flexible manufacturing approach. And CREO Group’s narrative made relationship-building its cornerstone, with guidelines that incorporated sustainability, industry expertise and proven legacy — even throwing a little shade at the competition.
Visual identity
CREO Group’s visual identity started with an iconic logo featuring bold capital type in both horizontal and vertical layouts. The CREO name is stamped within an icon that is at once a container, a leaf, and a seal… reinforcing both the “what” and the “how” of the company’s primary values.
Broken into pieces, the logo container can be repurposed… recycled even… into framing devices, brackets, floral patterns, and photo highlight elements, all of which call back to CREO’s horticultural roots — without boxing it in forever. We then extended these elements with a full palette of secondary colors into business materials and more to launch CREO Group with comprehensive and commanding energy.
All in all, we delivered:
- A new company name
- Brand hierarchy strategy, including parent and sub-brand recommendations
- New messaging guidelines (including brand positioning, messaging pillars, personality traits, elevator pitches, and more)
- New graphic identity (including logos, graphic elements, photography guidelines, colors, and example executions)
- Company business materials
- PowerPoint template
- Business cards
- Canva templates
- Email signature(s)
- A comprehensive brand guide documenting visual and language usage guidelines for internal employees to communicate the new company brand with consistency
Ready to get started?
Contact us to discuss how FVM can support your B2B marketing goals.