Frawley | Branding and Marketing Agency

Repositioning Ireland’s largest Integrated Farm Services Organisation

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Client Testimonial

Kevin Coffey, Chief Executive

“We recently chose Frawley for the purposes of a rebrand project which involved a complete review of our identity from an internal and external stakeholder perspective. Our old brand Munster Cattle Breeding Group wasn’t accurately reflective of the full-service offering. In addition, owing to the Co-Op structure of our organisation a number of brand identities were in existence. Tony, Kieran, Mandy and the team brought a very comprehensive strategic process to the table which involved an in-depth research phase. This research phase provided the framework for a brand strategy development process which in turn allowed for the design and delivery of our new identity Munster Bovine. Tony and team delivered this project through uncovering, challenging and delivering key insights which informed a very clear positioning message and creative direction. Our new Munster Bovine brand and positioning message very accurately reflect the services we provide to our farmer customers today and also the vision we have for the company going forward. Working with Tony and the team in what could be quite an intrusive process was quite the opposite owing to their professionalism and intuitive processes. We are in a very strong position to message to our customers the fully integrated nature of our farm services through our new brand identity and are very pleased with the outcome of this rebranding process. Thank you to Tony and all his team in Frawley.”

The Background

Munster Bovine is Ireland’s largest integrated farm services organisation located in Ballyvorisheen, Mallow, Co. Cork. It is a farmer-owned collective with Dairygold, Kerry Agribusiness and Shinagh Estates as its shareholders. The business provides AI Services, Milk Recording and Herd Health to over 9,000 herd owners across Munster and Galway.

The company was founded by Dr. J.J. R. Nagle who pioneered artificial insemination in Ireland in the 1940s. Munster Bovine remains at the cutting edge of innovation in farming; currently developing smart technology that will guide the future of herd management decisions.

Brand Challenges

1. Customers were referring to the company in numerous ways thereby diluting brand equity e.g. ‘Munster AI’ and ‘Dairygold AI’.

2. The brand identity was being altered to suit different touchpoints contributing to confusion around the company name.

3. Multiple brand names were being used online to represent the company (website and social media).

4. The brand needed to effectively communicate to customers the fully integrated nature of the farm services rather than three disconnected farm services being marketed.

The Brief

We were challenged to conduct comprehensive brand research and deliver a brand strategy report and brand identity design. Subsequently, we were asked to devise a brand communications strategy to roll-out the new brand internally and to the 9,000 herd owners across Munster and Galway. This brief required the following scope of work:

1. Conduct comprehensive brand research with key stakeholders and a representative sample of customers.

2. Using insights obtained, devise a brand strategy that will reduce confusion, ensure consistency and build brand loyalty.

3. Design a distinctive brand identity that is congruent with the business’ personality and will connect with herd owners. This new identity must connect with talented graduates who want to work for a progressive company.

4. Develop a brand communications strategy with the marketing team to deliver clear and consistent messaging to key customer segments.

5. Recommend a number of specialists and advise them on how the brand’s look and feel should be carried across signage, vehicle livery and videography.

Brand Research & Insights

Extensive employee and customer research conducted unearthed a number of the following key insights:

1. Customers view the brand name, ‘Munster Cattle Breeding Group’, as being overly long as they often shorten it to just ‘Munster’.

2. ‘Cattle Breeding’ does not accurately reflect the fully integrated services the company provides to herd owners. Unlike others, AI services is just one of three key farm services offered to herd owners.

3. Customers often use one/two of the company’s integrated farm services, unaware of the potential to maximise herd performance by using AI services, Milk recording and herd health together.

Brand Strategy

Brand Name

Research revealed that customers deeply resonate with the word ‘Munster’. Munster is seen to have strong brand recognition and positive customer perceptions of ‘provenance’ and ‘supporting local’. For this reason, it was imperative to retain ‘Munster’ within the brand name.

In place of ‘Cattle Breeding Group’, the company required a word that unifies what is common across the three integrated services. Each service offered is centered around the bull (for genetics) and the cow (for milk recording & herd health). Together, the cow and bull are scientifically classified as ‘Bos Taurus’ (‘Cow Bull’ in Latin) which translates to ‘Bovine’ in English.

Munster Bovine more accurately reflects the business’ expertise in providing fully integrated farm services around the bovine animal.

Positioning Message

Collectively Improving Farm Life

Rationale:

Collectively: Munster Bovine is a farmer owned collective, working together for the betterment of herd owners.

Improving: Its people believe in continuous improvement through the use of fully integrated farm services.

Farm Life: Munster Bovine want customers to feel like they belong to something that not only improves their herd, but their quality of life and overall work-life balance.

Brand Vision

To be recognised as pioneers in sustainably maximising bovine performance while collectively improving farm life.

Brand Identity Design

The new brand identity required an independent symbol that can be used across all key touch-points. Our process begins with sketching out ideas and selecting the strongest ones for refinement.

Each element of the symbol is integral and contributes to the overall rationale:

Central circle: The Bovine Animal

DNA Strand: Superior Genetics

Full Service Integration: Maximises Herd Performance

Data Points: Units of Herd Information

Complete Brand Symbol

The brand name is styled in a bespoke font with friendly curves to compliment the agri-tech look and feel of the symbol. ‘Munster’ is given heavier typography to accentuate the positive perceptions of ‘supporting local’ held by customers.