Fletcher Construction 

Fletcher Construction can claim a colourful history. From modest beginnings in Dunedin in 1909, the company grew rapidly - international expansion and acquisitions came thick and fast - then the operational focus shifted closer to home.

The value of Fletcher Construction's intellectual property is wrapped up in its brand. Communications Executive Peter Cowey took a long, hard look at the way the company projected itself in the marketplace. Had the lion lost its roar? He observed that, in a world more accustomed to having companies and their brands over-promising and under-delivering, Fletcher Construction was doing quite the opposite. It was consistently giving customers a good experience but this wasn't being mirrored well in the positioning, communication or visual representation of their brand.

Guided by experience, research, fresh ideas and a logical process of analysis, the new brand positioning was distilled - 'Pride of Place'. Research indicated there was a market perception of Fletcher as the best. The notion of 'pride' supported that idea. A realistic lion leant a double meaning to the word 'pride' and made relevant the decision to keep the equity of the original lion symbol. The notion of 'place' represented the functional aspect of the business.

To announce the change internally, emails alerted staff to a humorous video clip offering a light-hearted look at the brand change. 'Pride of Place' posters were given to staff nationwide. Externally, the brand positioning was rolled out through advertising, environmental graphics, collateral and a new website.

According to Peter Cowey, the project fulfilled all his objectives. The bottom line is, as it should be, a solid return on investment.

"With a consistent brand message now running across all divisions," says Peter, "each communication stream supports the other, there's less duplication, and a much more effective marketing spend. Everyone in the organisation can leverage off a strong brand that is our own and not simply a hangover from the previous corporate parents. So people can relate to it and it becomes harder for competitors to occupy Fletcher Construction's hard won territory."

The Fletcher Construction Brand Identity was nominated as a finalist in the 2005 Best Design Awards Identity Development (Large Scale) category.

Back to Studio Alexander