ABM

New:  Logo; positioning & attitude

Launched:  February 17, 2012

Story in brief:
In 1909, it was one guy with a mop and a bucket; today, it's 100,000 employees in fifteen countries, generating $4 billion. In 1994, having added security services, parking, energy management and engineering services to its heritage base, janitorial service for office and other institutional buildings, and having outgrown "American," it exchanged "American Building Maintenance" for "ABM Industries" and now, simply "ABM."

To an already chaotic portfolio of acquired brands, in 2010 ABM added Linc Group, greatly expanding ABM's physical footprint and service range in technical building services and energy solutions, in particular.  "Linc was transformative, a game-changer for ABM" says Brett Knox, now ABM's SVP Marketing.  Knox came with Linc and together with his boss, Linc's CEO Tracy Price, made the case to ABM CEO Henrik Slipsager to consider rebranding, to project "a new ABM," and more importantly to unite all divisions, subdivisions and acquisitions (Linc included) into one defining brand, "One ABM." 

This idea fell on fertile soil. For several years, Slipsager and his board had talked about rebranding; they now welcomed action, and charged Knox to manage the process. Given the okay "to find an alternative logo," Knox sent an RFQ to "a number of agencies or specialists across the country." Three firms were then commissioned to develop logo concepts, including  the Irvine, California-based RiechesBaird and the team of Joe Finocchiaro and Jerry Kuyper, who had collaborated on the 2006 Cisco rebranding. "We were impressed by RiechesBaird as strategists" said Knox, "and happily they agreed to sign on for that, and to design the logo applications. But we chose Joe and Jerry's logo," which puts ABM's people at the heart of its identity. Executive team approval was unanimous and immediate ; CEO Slipsager's only question was "What do I need to do to support this?"

"As you know"  says Knox, "it's the repositioning that matters, more than the new logo; the logo change just makes it an event. It signals the rebirth of a 103-year-old company, to become the global leader in integrated facility solutions."

In designing the visual applications, RiechesBaird added a circular "collaboration icon;" you can see it in the two-minute launch film on ABM's "Our New Brand" page, which emphasizes the "One ABM" story.

Credits:
C.E.O. - Henrik Slipsager
C.M.O. - Tracy Price, EVP and Brett Knox, SVP Marketing
Identity design - Joe Finocchiaro and Jerry Kuyper
Applications design - RiechesBaird 

Kuyper and Finocchiaro
 

First Impressions:
Strategy:  This is classic unification branding –  to integrate acquisitions, build collective pride and facilitate cross selling. It is the kind of rebranding event that should (but seldom does) alert investors.
Design:  If you are stuck with initials, best to give them strong personality –  in this case, literally. These soft-shouldered letterforms set up an engaging surprise, when they morph into soft shoulders. 

Other comments:
On October 23, when the ABM rebranding was celebrated at the New York Stock Exchange closing-bell ceremony, designers Kuyper and Finocchiaro were invited to participate -- rare and welcome recognition.

 

Corporate Brand Matrix ratings:  
0% structural,  100% strategic,  0% functional (est.)