Guard-O-Matic
“Love it! It's perfect. Let's run with it.”
The problem
Guard-O-Matic came to us with an interesting business situation. They were already doing relatively well given the bad economy, but they wanted to take advantage of recession as an opportunity to solidify their position against their local and national competition.
Despite the fact that the company had been around for more than four decades and were the largest security company in the state, very few area residents (including their customers) were familiar with the name Guard-O-Matic.
Here’s what they looked like when they first came to us:
There’s a perception that the larger national security companies are more reliable, when really they’ve streamlined the humanity out of their business, relied on fear to sell their product, and cut corners to boost their profits. Guard-O-Matic had a new story to tell, the story of a local security company that could server you better than the national providers.
Forty’s solution
Attempting to balance the company’s long heritage with modern relevance, we overhauled their visual identity while preserving their iconic red oval. Through a careful balance of typography, color, and dimensionality, we developed a new logo that was familiar but refreshingly contemporary.
To emphasize their regional nature and focus on their community, we positioned Guard-O-Matic as “Your neighbor’s security company,” turning the conversation away from fear and individuality toward a more positive and reassuring vision of the future. This concept also emphasized their long history in the state, and their intention to be around for decades to come.
After solidifying the brand concept, we expanded and refined their visual and verbal identity. To tie in their values and emotional appeal, we incorporated textures found inside family homes, simple and universal language, friendly typefaces, and images of real employees and customers instead of stock photography.
Based on this foundation, we then executed on their new brand experience in a variety of media, including uniforms, vehicles, marketing pieces, television commercials, and more.
By focusing on what makes Guard-O-Matic unique and communicating this to the right audiences, we were able to create a reliable and neighborly experience, increase awareness with their target audience, and drive additional business to this wonderful local brand.
Visit Guard-O-Matic online at http://guardomatic.com/