Some businesses are more fun to work on than others. And waste management? You’d think that would be at the bottom of the list. But you’d be wrong.
Commercial waste management includes recycling, environmental impact and restrictions, tightly controlled regulation, and multiple waste streams. Not to mention the coordination of multiple suppliers, schedules and costs that can have a big effect on your bottom line.
What’s strange is that the industry itself seems to think it’s boring, At least based on the general level of ho-hum that characterized the websites of our new client’s competitors.
Boredom = Opportunity
So when Principle Waste and Environmental Services asked us to help with their new brand, we saw a giant hole in the marketplace. One they filled nicely.
First, though, we needed to address the name. They were referring to themselves as “PWES”. Not memorable. Not pronounceable. Almost anonymous.
But their real “first name” is “Principle”. And they picked it for real reasons. Their down-to-earth approach. Their solid integrity. Their hands-on, real-people team that creates a principled partnership with their clients. We recommended that they anchor the brand to that word and to those ideas.
Next, positioning.
Where do they fit among the other brands in their business?
Principle’s job is to take over the complexity and general annoyance of dealing with multiple waste streams, so their clients can focus on managing the actual properties. The company is small, but their founder has big experience and they are poised to grow. They’re friendly and personable, but thoroughly professional.
We wanted their brand identity to embody the credibility of an established company, but to have the warmth of the close, supportive working relationships they create. So we gave the logo a corporate vibe. But the site added personality, humor and attention-getting imagery. A nice balance that authentically aligns with who they are and what they offer.
The new site is only recently up and running, so no major results quite yet. But response from those who’ve experienced it has been 100% positive. And it’s infused their sales efforts with excitement, pride and confidence.
Want to bring design thinking like this to help power your company? Sure you do. Nobody wants to see a great brand opportunity… ahem… go to waste.
Here’s hoping that 2021 is a hell of a lot better than 2020.
(Turn on your sound!)
We are about to release the sixth calendar we’ve created for Legistics. Instead of the divisions, anger and frustration of 2020, perhaps we can shift our focus to address some of the big concerns we all share.
After a year of being reactive, of struggling, of turning inward, we hope that 2021 will be a year of re-engagement. The pandemic has shown us that, without a doubt, we are all citizens of a tightly interconnected world — a world eager for us to work together to solve its most important problems.
In our 2021 calendar — with the help of eight talented artists, my co-designer Amy Crossan, and our writer Emily Hutta — we highlight some of those big issues in the hopes that we can maintain our focus, keep an eye on the future, and create a world we can proudly hand to our children and grandchildren.
Each month, we’ll post one of these beautiful images along with a bit of written context about each topic. We hope they inspire you as they have us.
— Josh
