CountryMark Builds Branding Success
Situation
CountryMark has been a supplier of quality fuels to fuel buyers in Indiana since the business formed in the 1940’s. While CountryMark remains an energy-only business today, they formerly operated as a full-service supplier of inputs for farmers. CountryMark’s challenge was twofold: most customers did not correctly associate CountryMark with energy products, and some of their branded dealers, their immediate customers, did not realize who owned the trademarked logo, and consequently were not using the mark correctly. CountryMark wanted to increase recognition of its branded fuels in hopes that customers would ask for it by name and identify CountryMark with energy products, specifically high-quality liquid fuels.
CountryMark Brand Manager Belinda Puetz shares their story and success.
Solution
Adayana and CountryMark began by thoroughly researching how customers, prospects, and branded dealers perceived the CountryMark brand and logo. They then formed a strategy to capture its brand equity while preserving the integrity of the CountryMark brand and logo. The branding process included an Executive Branding Session to create its brand identity and brand promise, logo modernization, testing of the logos and brand statements with customers, and a brand marketing strategy for both internal and external audiences.
Adayana helped introduce the brand through its Inside-Out Branding™ process, beginning with a formal launch to employees and then reaching out to branded dealers and other key customers. The external launch followed with new graphics for more than 90 fuel stations and more than 250 fuel delivery trucks as well as a targeted advertising campaign that included TV commercials, radio spots, and direct mail.
Success
One year after the brand launch, Adayana conducted a survey with CountryMark stakeholders to measure effectiveness of the branding initiative. Survey results showed that people most frequently identified CountryMark as a fuel company. This was a significant change from customer perceptions prior to the brand launch, when most respondents identified CountryMark not by its products or services, but by its business structure as a cooperative. The company has found that even when diesel sales are down, CountryMark fuel sales remain strong.
