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Repositioning a meat brand in full transition
Our society is increasingly questioning the consumption of meat. As a manufacturer of fine meats, how do you deal with this? And how do you support your key partner—the butcher—in this transition? With a rebranding that changed Imperial's entire ecosystem, iO helped to transform the meat brand into a future-proof food brand.
New mission, vision, and values
Rebranding (logo, slogan, brand guide)
Online and offline
CMS
POS and trade fair material (incl. videos and 3D animation)
Loyalty program
B2B marketing programmes
The key question: how to transform?
The meat sector is in transition: a growing number of consumers are switching to hybrid or vegetarian diets. Imperial saw this changing consumer behaviour as a challenge and wanted to guide its customers/butchers through this transformation. This implied that the brand had to reinvent itself just as much.
Together with Imperial and research partner Herman Toch of FLRISCH, iO first took a closer look at the challenges and opportunities for both the brand and the sector.
The key question quickly emerged: how can a meat brand transform itself into a future-proof player that can also respond to the growing demand for healthy, sustainable and tasty meat alternatives?
Repositioning and rebranding of a meat brand into a broader food brand, with a particular focus on butchers as the primary target group.
We developed a strategic and creative campaign, running both online and offline, to strengthen their diverse foodservice segments and support their partner butchers.
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Imperial and iO: solid partners in a rapidly changing world
Food company Imperial Meat Products is known for its quality salamis, hams, salted meats, chicken products and vegetarian products. The company employs 800 people across five sites in Belgium and the Netherlands. IMP is part of international food company Sigma Alimentos.
Imperial Meat Product and iO have been working closely together on the Imperial brand for a few years. iO's permanent core team—an account manager and a strategist—brings in the appropriate experts for each project.
In a rapidly changing world, both companies are constantly evolving. Yet one thing remains constant: our commitment to listening to one another. It's how we work together to find the right solutions, every time.
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A strategic delicacy
We redefined Imperial's brand identity to perfectly align with the modern consumer's approach to meat and their evolving tastes.
At the core of the new vision is an exceptional taste experience and a sustainable partnership with butchers. We show how enjoying delicious meat can go hand-in-hand with a commitment to health and animal welfare, creating a guilt-free experience.
The new messaging is clear, powerful, and built for the future. Alongside premium meat, Imperial and its partner butchers now offer flavourful alternatives, empowering customers to make a choice at their butcher's that they can truly feel good about, every single day.
Partner for Taste Makers
We refreshed the brand logo and introduced the new tagline ‘Partner van smaakmakers’, which translates to the spirit of "A Partner for Artisans" or "A Partner for Tastemakers", positioning the butcher as a true expert in their craft. It perfectly captures Imperial’s new identity in Belgium and the Netherlands. To bring this to life consistently, we documented the corresponding new visual identity in a comprehensive brand guide.
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A seamless online and offline brand experience
Our team of creatives and marketers brought Imperial's new brand experience to life across all channels.
Among other things, we developed a content management system with engaging stories, an online portal for butchers, a targeted social media advertising strategy, and in-store materials (complete with product videos).
For the official brand launch at the Tavola trade fair, we designed an eye-catching 3D animation that seemed to pop right off the screen of the Imperial stand. We complemented this by new product campaigns, all perfectly aligned with the refreshed brand identity.
Hubspot platform on the way
The work doesn’t stop here. Next, we are partnering with MyB’Eats to build an innovative and interactive HubSpot platform, integrated with a new loyalty program. This will provide Imperial with a direct channel to keep butchers updated on the latest products, services, and promotions.
A successful transformation
Our partnership enabled Imperial to execute a successful repositioning and rebranding. With a sharp focus on the customer experience and a clear vision for growth, the brand is now perfectly positioned for the future.
How we supported Imperial
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Also looking for a repositioning and corresponding marketing communication?
Is your organisation also up for a transformation with accompanying online and offline communication? Our iO experts are at your service!
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