Rebranding over 5,000 petrol pumps for Esso Synergy fuel refresh
ExxonMobil is one of the world's oldest and largest petrochemical companies. Trading under the Esso brand, its petrol forecourt estate in the UK is significant with a mix of company and franchise owned sites.
In a competitive environment, branding of petrol stations and fuels is important in increasing and maintaining market share. Differentiation of fuel technology and product benefits over competitors is something to broadcast and win new customers. Especially for premium fuel brands like Esso.
We've worked with the petroleum company, its forecourt build and maintenance contractors and pump manufacturers for many years. We provide a range of architectural graphics and signage, including all pump labelling, forecourt graphics and MID signage panels.
Supplying this market relies on delivering on all aspects everytime — from product performance to safe installation on site.
Major national rebrand in minimal time
During the preceding year to the rollout, we worked behind the scenes under non-disclousure agreements for this closely-guarded project to launch Esso's new fuel branding — Synergy.
Key objectives:
- Rebrand all Esso pumps with new Synergy design
- Refurbish existing pump hardware
- Manufacture new pump graphics & labels
- Install rebranded pump panels across the UK
- Manage replacement parts, spares & new build requirements
Working on multiple prototype graphics and pump labels, achieving exact colour-matching, special spot-uv and metallic effects we created a high-performance material specification with comprehensive warranty cover.
In parallel to this, our project teams in the field surveyed and audited all sites to catalogue the myriad of pump types, sizes and configurations.
With graphics signed off, we could begin the huge task of rolling out the new branding — not simple, as each pump panel needed a complete re-brand.
Value engineering & rollout efficiency
Initially we were to manage one site at a time due constraints of the principle site contractor. After working closely with the end-client and contractor, we were able to offer alternative working methods and specifications.
We engineered a service to remove components from each site to enable a full refurbishment of the pump panels — not possible if left in-situ for heath & safety and operational reasons. Doing this also reduced cost by completing panels in high volumes. The earlier survey work also paid off with unique artwork for each pump type created and graphics bulk manufactured.
We were able to fully strip, repair and rebrand to an as "new condition" at significantly less cost than a new for old replacement of components and to a better standard than just replacing graphics on site.
The same panels did not go back to the same site as this would have left the sites inoperable. Instead we carefully managed a rotation of panels to rollout the branding with minimal service disruption and inline with other works.
During the project we re-engineered the manufacturing process from fully wrapping the sign panels, to colour-matched paint-spraying in our facility and just applying a front-face graphic. This reduced both material costs and more significantly the skill and installation time required. Over the course of the project this brought speed and cost benefits to the client.
