2018 was a tough year for Canadian reforestation companies.
Brand Identity | Visual Identity | Marketing | Brand Videos | Advertising | Copywriting | Photography
Additional photography: Duncan Ferguson, Colin Nadon, Margot BD, Mackenzie Storozuk
In 2018, the number of tree planting job applications industry-wide dropped dramatically. The shortfall left reforestation companies scrambling to fill positions and get contracts finished.
Brinkman Reforestation reached out to us to help diagnose and solve their recruiting problem.
01. Brand Identity.
We needed to understand the planters.
If we could understand why people loved tree planting and why they chose Brinkman, we believed we could make an offer that would get them applying again.
Not about the Benjamins.
Historically, tree planting positions were so coveted it could be hard to get hired. Legendary paydays were a big part of it. But when wages stagnated for the better part of two decades and veteran planters moved on, young people were left without a clear reason to choose reforestation as a summer job.
Based on surveys and interviews with planters, we discovered that one of the most commonly held beliefs, people mainly tree plant for the money, wasn’t totally accurate. The number one reason people endure the hardships of this job is friendship. Yes, money was a factor, but it was the community that kept people coming back every year.
Brinkman already had a fantastic reputation and a vibrant community of employees but they weren’t reaching new planters with their usual channels, word of mouth and job fairs. The Brinkman brand was already strong in the hearts and minds of its planters, but it needed an updated, clear value proposition and new ways of reaching its audience.
We launched Brinkman’s Instagram account and gave 2000 current and past planters a place to connect, share stories and build community on their own terms. Interacting with the online community guided a 2020 website update focused on landing page messaging that spoke to community and connection.
02. Visual Identity
Line it up.
The Brinkman visual identity was centred around its iconic logo and colour, but the public-facing image was inconsistent. It needed to be aligned and updated to connect with its youthful audience.
New voice,
new type.
We updated the logotype with a typeface better suited to the logo: a modern refresh that would appeal to youthful tree planters and forestry professionals. To create a consistent and memorable brand experience, we aligned this new identity across every touchpoint, from social media to business cards.
03. Marketing
More than just
a job.
With a clear value proposition and crisp new visual identity, it was time to take the message to a new generation of Canadian tree planters.
Accessibility and simplicity.
The goal was to create a seamless digital experience on every channel that would appeal to a predominantly 18-25 year-old market. We made the application process as simple as possible giving prospective planters the opportunity to go from advertisement to application in two clicks.
For tree planters, by tree planters.
Our promotions focused on generating excitement and interest while social accounts drove the message of friendship and connection. The amount of high-quality, user-generated content submitted by the community was remarkable. Tree planters actively took part in shaping the Brinkman brand through their stories and imagery.
The results.
+ 3000 Instagram followers
+ 300 Facebook followers
10 X website traffic for 2020
- 23% bounce rate yr/yr
+ 14% page views yr/yr
+ 161% increase in applications yr/yr
But numbers don’t tell the whole story.
Working with Brinkman we were able to help bring applications back to where they should be. The more significant change, however, was that we helped Brinkman to understand and develop their brand. By creating social hubs for their planters to share and engage in the off-season, they’ve built an engaged community. By interacting with this community, Brinkman has gained a better understanding of their planter’s needs.
With this insight, they have been able to develop a clearer, more relevant value proposition to serve their customer. Most importantly, the connection between the business and the people they employ is getting stronger. And that is a sign of a healthy brand.
“Working with Lobby was a great experience, I feel like they worked really hard to understand the needs of our market and the strengths of our organization.
They’ve helped us develop a strategy to connect with our planters, grow relationships and build a community for our business. The confidence boost has been huge.”