Unsafe strategy

In 2008, Arco had annual sales of £214m in the distribution of safety equipment, workwear, factory equipment and general supplies, but was about to face the biggest recession in living memory. The Arco own brand was seen as inferior, often rejected by wearers, and with a portfolio of over 30 brands, even the Arco sales team didn’t know which brands they owned and which were vendors'.

Act like an expert

To support the positioning and create consistency, we modernised the brand identity scheme (although the logo remained the same), introduced the strapline ‘Experts in Safety’ and encouraged big brand behaviour. Using imagery that suggested expertise, the brand was able to reassure customers of its credentials. Own brands were cut from 30+ to 3 and a hugely successful Essentials range introduced.

The results

Sales in the 3 years following the rebrand rose 16% to £251m (2012/13) and own brand sales went up 11% in a declining market. Adam Young, Marketing Director, confirmed the impact:

“Customers like BAE Systems, DHL, Tarmac and Premier Foods now acknowledge the quality of Arco’s own brand by specifying it as their preferred choice.”