Case Study
Autobound
the summary
Enabling the next era of experience in vehicle commerce
The Problem
Near-ready to launch a new service that promised to amplify the scale, reach, and reputation of its organization, Autobound—an all-in-one automotive logistics solution provider—was grappling with how to bring forward its transformative new offer in relation to its existing brand. With a market amidst a fundamental shift and capable competitors closing in, I partnered with Autobound to find an approach that would expound and enrich both brands.
The Challenge
How might we brand and integrate Autobound’s offer expansion into its existing ecosystem and fuel the company for entry into the international arena?
The Solution
Leaning into the constantly changing, chaotic space between customer expectation and experience, we crafted a strategy that clarified and expanded Autobound’s brand ecosystem, elevated its enterprise, and enabled a new set of precedents in the world of vehicle commerce.
Category
Automotive, Logistics, Experience
Things We Did
Brand strategy + positioning
Brand architecture
Value proposition design
Communication guidelines
Copywriting + messaging
Art direction
Visual identity system
People Who Helped
Julian Rotondo | Creative direction + design
the results
Impacts
Press
the details
Building Context
Navigating the sweeping change brought on by digital acceleration and a rise in demand for electric vehicles, Original Equipment Manufacturers and Value-Added Resellers were racing to restructure operations, reduce overhead, and regain momentum in the market. Ready to double-down on its reputation and resources as a regional leader in vehicle logistics and transport, Autobound developed the “Hub”—a promising new offer expansion. Despite being confident in its power and potential, the Autobound team knew that a misstep in bringing the Hub to market could derail the company’s growth and damage its existing business.
Digging into varying degrees of synergy and separation between Autobound as a point-to-point carrier and a holistic, service-centered ecosystem, we set out to better understand how the capabilities and culture around vehicle commerce were evolving. Identifying new demands in access and expectation driven by a transfer of power from seller to buyer, we uncovered a widening divide in the car-buying experience. While OEMs and VARs were exceeding expectations for vehicle innovation, they were still tethered to a legacy system that failed before consumers ever got behind the wheel.
Driving Change
Reinterpreting expectation as an ever-changing ideal rather than a static benchmark, we pushed past the utilitarian functions of transporting vehicles to establish Autobound’s HUB as a catalyst for best-in-class vehicle commerce. Within its brand ecosystem, we positioned the HUB as a beacon for best-in-class service and experience—that which customers are encouraged to demand, and vendors could now be empowered to deliver. With our strategic direction defined, we primed Autobound for international expansion through revitalized communication, channel and messaging guidance, and a bespoke extension to the brand’s existing visual identity system.
