The mission 

Mercury has been doing big things since 1972. In that time they’ve built and managed countless major engineering projects across Europe and beyond. They’ve also built a team of over 4500 people, and a stellar reputation. 

When Mercury met the Neworld Team, they were ready for a major rebrand. Their existing brand had served them well, but they had outgrown it. The design was beginning to feel a bit staid and dated. They struggled to express a unified identity across a complex range of services. They needed to retain their brightest and best and recruit a whole new generation of fresh talent

Most important of all, they had just been through a management buyout and they knew there were bigger things than ever on the horizon.

The question 

How do you express massive change, while upholding a brand’s integrity?

Mercury had just been through a big change, and they were hungry for more. And here’s where the real story of this rebrand kicks in. Change is a brilliant catalyst. It can also be intensely challenging for any organisation. So this rebrand had to be more than a shiny new wrapper. It had to be a rallying call for the whole company. All 4500 strong.

Mercury needed a brand strategy that respected their legacy, leveraged their reputation, reflected their ambition and expressed their dynamic vision. All at once.

No pressure. (Just kidding. This is our favourite kind of challenge. We knew exactly where to start.)

The process 

From the very first moment of the project, creating a feeling of shared ownership in the brand was going to be important. That’s true of every rebrand, but this one was folded into a larger story of change and growth. It was our responsibility to help Mercury navigate the process as a united team. 

We started by listening and talking to a diverse range of stakeholders. We used a workshop approach to build internal consensus at every stage. And we did something else that might raise some eyebrows. We went way beyond research, strategy, and design. (Because it doesn’t matter how good your branding is, if your team isn’t ready to embody it.)

We engaged in a change management programme to make sure that Mercury’s employees knew they were the most important part of this new journey. We needed them to understand that they were the keystone of this new brand vision, so they could be inspired by it and proud of it. 

It worked.

The transformation 

Putting in the hours, going deep, and building the team’s engagement with ownership of the brand was more than worth it. The positioning we developed for Mercury was centred around the excellence of their people, and their deeply held commitment to their clients. That fundamental desire to excel is the heart of what sets them apart, crystallised in their new positioning statement, ‘Your Vision. Our Duty.’ This bold promise to clients is deservedly confident, proud and forward looking. 

The new brand identity and design system involved the creation of over 400 pieces of collateral for multiple channels and uses. This extended across key areas such as social media platforms, brand writing, tone of voice, IT systems, branded digital assets, web site development, signage, advertising, uniforms and vehicle livery. We acted as brand guardians throughout, ensuring consistency and adherence to brand guidelines. We watched Mercury embrace this new identity as a united, enthusiastic and excited team, and it was an experience that will stick with our own team for a long time.