CASE STUDY
CLIENTWestern Oregon Waste (WOW)
MARKETGarbage service
PROGRAMBrand system
Family-owned garbage franchises with different names in different communities in Oregon.
Residential and business customers in Oregon communities; city or county government agencies that grant and manage franchises.
Develop one name and brand identity to clarify communications and save costs for all of the franchises from McMinnville to the Pacific Coast, by ordering common truck graphics and other materials. Create visibility for the company around the 75th anniversary. Eliminate confusion of multiple names in different regions.
Build a splashy, high visibility design system around the owner-selected name: Western Oregon Waste, or WOW. Design trucks to stand out and create a powerful brand image. Unify the brand on materials from Ad cans at events to signing to truck graphics and garbage cans. Create a comic book look and modular identity that works in multiple applications. Create the WOW Man character to communicate services in the WOW Town News. Create sub-brands for the Recovery Zone (recycling center) and Greenlands.
Cost savings with common materials for all locations. Huge increase in staff enthusiasm and support for company initiatives. Established the foundation for providing a “WOW!” level of service. Great community acceptance and positive response. Streamlined communications with franchise overseers.
At the time, I wasn’t sure I really wanted to make the investment in re-branding KE Enterprises as Western Oregon Waste. But given the success of WOW, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Our new brand has had a major impact on our business. Now we have a big, bright, positive presence in the communities we serve. WOW has become a rallying point and morale-booster for our staff. And the brand makes it easier to meet with city councils about franchise agreements and rates because they already have a sense of who we are.