Brand Strategy and Design

Johnson Controls

Over the past several decades, Johnson Controls has been a top supplier to the automotive industry while building on its heritage and maintaining a strong reputation for optimizing building efficiency.

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Signage

Identity Elements

Interactive

Visual Systems

Identity

Repositioning a brand for global growth

  • Capabilities utilized:
  • Analytics
  • Brand Architecture
  • Positioning
  • Portfolio strategy
  • Identity
  • Visual System
  • Interactive design
  • Environmental design
  • Brand activation
  • Brand management

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. 137,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles.

Over the past several decades, Johnson Controls has been a top supplier to the automotive industry while building on its heritage and maintaining a strong reputation for optimizing building efficiency. The company’s acquisition of York helped significantly strengthen Johnson Controls its portfolio and provided an even stronger, diversified revenue base. Ready to broaden market’s perceptions about its capabilities, Johnson Controls engaged Lippincott to reposition its brand to leverage the company’s market leadership and help fuel future growth.

Challenge

The brand had developed many strengths, but it was also facing a number of challenges.

Repositioning the corporate brand could help support a higher valuation. JCI was receiving a solid market valuation relative to its auto parts peers. There were other positionings that could be explored that might play to improved valuations.

Initial phase of work focused on qualitative assessment of brand strengths, challenges and potential direction. There were many positive attributes to leverage. However, the brand was not well known in the market, with the interesting exception of NGOs.

Solutions

Lippincott conducted extensive global brand assessment to determine key market needs, image drivers and high potential growth areas for the brand in a competitive context. The findings were translated into a clear corporate positioning that builds on Johnson Controls’ unique ability to create appealing environment for customers across many areas of their lives ­— homes, cars, and offices. The positioning was then converted into a brand promise to engage employees to “live the brand”. A new visual identity system and guidelines were created to express the new positioning.

We analyzed broad existing brand portfolio architecture and developed recommendations for brand transition, including the evaluation and selection of a new communications and advertising vendor.

We generated momentum for the introduction of the new entity through the design of an interactive online brand center, development of a new sales presentation and leadership of a brand messaging platform development seminars.

Significant potential for increased competitive differentiation

We recommended a more efficient master brand model, noting that some exceptions would be necessary.

Logo

before

after

Collateral system

Brochure covers

Telling a story

The inside cover of a brochure tells the story of the shape that is used on its cover. Here is an example:

On the cover...

The design of this Johnson Controls wireless thermostat was the inspiration for the cover shape on this brochure.

How is it smart?

It enables accurate temperature sensing without wiring, and greatly reduces wiring costs. Johnson Controls is a global leader in creating comfortable residential and commercial environments.

Brand Architecture

In order to bring the recommendations to life, we produced a continuum of options.

Brand guidelines and brand center

Brand center

We developed a detailed brand center.

Brand guidelines

We developed detailed brand guidelines.

Key highlights

  1. We analyzed broad existing brand portfolio architecture and developed recommendations for brand transition, including the evaluation and selection of a new communications and advertising vendor.
  2. We generated momentum for the introduction of the new entity through the design of an interactive online brand center, development of a new sales presentation and leadership of a brand messaging platform development seminars.
  3. Redesigned the entire global visual identity system, from literature and the Web, to vehicles and signs.