Higgins Group 

Being in business for fifty years in the tough world of roading and infrastructure is an achievement in itself. Staying ahead for another fifty and beyond was the challenge facing Palmerston North based Higgins Group.

Increased competition for business and staff as well as the changing face of company ownership were just some of the issues on the horizon.

Founded in the 1950's under Irish immigrant Dan Higgins, Higgins remains a family run business employing over 800 staff in a variety of business areas from contracting to road surface testing laboratories. Today, the fleet of Green Higgins trucks are a well known site on the roads of the North Island.

Studio Alexander's journey began with interviews with staff and clients to make sure that the language used was both real and appropriate. The team then set about finding differentiation, distinguishing each business unit and their offerings, and ultimately providing a positioning statement to express the Higgins approach to business.

This process helped to develop the Higgins language including a succinct business description - 'Roading and Infrastructure Specialists' and Vision and Values. The tag line 'showing the way' acknowledges that the Higgins culture is one of harnessing past experience to power great people. 'The Green Team' which was already a term used by both staff and public, but never formalised, was identified as being the perfect vehicle for internal communications and a way to signify the team spirit of the company.

With the brand language agreed, Studio Alexander then proceeded to work on the visual identity of the company. The past equity of the colour green and styling of the brand identity was not ignored when the design team set about developing a more modern brand identity and robust visual system able to work across all applications and environments from business cards to trucks. A shield design was developed to house 'The Green Team' and rules set in place for its use with the primary mark.

The staff who had played such an important part in the findings became the focus for both imagery and language. Collateral was developed for the internal audience using interviews with staff as examples of how 'showing the way' manifested itself in the everyday working practices of the company.

The process of communicating the new brand started from within. Studio Alexander recommended the employment of a full-time 'Brand Champion' to facilitate the smooth running of new brand communications and systems to staff, clients and suppliers.

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