SSE
Following the sale of its GB retail energy supply business to OVO Group, SSE plc required a brand refresh and new brand architecture to reflect the strategic change of direction to focus on renewable energy and regulated electricity networks.
“Aileen was quick to establish herself and her credentials as a brand professional among key stakeholders across a complex operating model.”
Sean Munday, Head of Group Communications and Reporting
Brief
To manage and deliver the creative development of a new brand identity and associated guidelines; design new professional brand marketing function; identify and implement appropriate brand management system, in a stand-alone role with limited resource.
Achievements
- Took ownership of brand refresh project: managed creative agency briefed to deliver all key elements of new brand and guidelines (strategic positioning, look and feel, tone of voice, verbal, visual – photographic, illustrative and graphic, and digital).
- Identified and engaged with key stakeholders and brand touchpoints for activation (events, websites, signage, PowerPoint templates, stationery, uniforms, lanyards etc.)
- Crafted new Head of Group Brand Marketing and Design role, to create a Group brand strategy and centre of excellence, encompassing brand governance and leadership of design function.
- Identified and validated business requirements for a SAAS brand management system. Researched whole of market to identify appropriate software solution. Engaged with three short-listed vendors; analysed and evaluated proposals and pricing to create recommendations and business case for submission to Procurement and IT.
- Facilitated showcases for brand and marketing colleagues to achieve buy-in to new Brand Centre to house digital assets, knowledge centre, campaigns and events, design templates and marketing shop. Recommended high-level blueprint new design management briefing process to build in governance.
- Created high-level brand activation plan with sliding timescales dependent on global pandemic restrictions being eased.
Final outcome
Delivered refreshed brand guidelines including strengthened brand assets (suites of illustrations, icons, stationery and PowerPoint). Drove new recommended brand technology (SAAS) through multi-layer procurement and technical approval processes to proof of concept stage, as sole consultant. Proposed scope of new permanent Head of Brand role which was successfully recruited in April 2020.
“Aileen joined SSE at a time of significant and rapid change. There was an immediate requirement to build a brand at pace to reflect the refocusing of the Group as a developer, operator and owner of low-carbon infrastructure. While a new SSE Group brand strategy had been formulated by a working party over the course of some months prior to her arrival, much needed to be done in completing the brand development and creating brand guidelines from scratch.
Aileen was quick to establish herself and her credentials as a brand professional among key stakeholders across a complex operating model. Her tenacity resulted in the delivery of a robust brand system, a detailed set of brand guidelines and a near-ready brand management system that was the product of thorough research and internal due diligence. In summary, Aileen was able – over the course of a very tight timeframe – to deliver a lot of brand work that will stand SSE in good stead as it plays its part in the fight against climate change.”
“Aileen contacted me at the start of 2020 as she was conducting research and due diligence into martech vendors with a UK presence. The list of requirements was extensive, with an overarching aim that the selected vendor could facilitate and sustain SSE plc’s (a FTSE 100 Energy company) urgent rebranding and repositioning. It was apparent from my first conversation with Aileen, that she was a consummate marketing professional, so it came as no surprise to learn she was a Chartered Marketer and a Fellow of the CIM.
Aileen walked me through the key drivers for the SaaS-solution for online brand management and DAM, whilst clearly demonstrating an enormous knowledge of SSE and current challenges in the energy sector. She very succinctly espoused the new vision, mission and values, outlining how critical they were to secure long-term sustainable growth for the SSE brand. Over the coming weeks and months, despite the challenges of a truncated timeline, managing competing stakeholder requirements, Aileen’s competence and flair ensured an enjoyable journey. Everyone’s resolve was tested again as the Covid-19 pandemic hit and that seemed to underline the acute need for a remote, online brand management solution.
“Aileen delivers and ensures the job gets done. When you have a project like this one, with complexity, different stakeholder groups and many moving parts, this can be very reassuring indeed”