In its 175-year history, the North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) has evolved from merely overseeing the state rail corridor to becoming a pivotal player in the transportation industry. With a strategic shift towards collaboration and partnership, NCRR recognized the need for a bold new vision to reflect its transformation and get on track to redefine its brand strategy, visual identity, and overall brand expression to align with its new business approach.

The Challenge:

As NCRR ventured into new territories within the rail industry, it faced a dual challenge. Firstly, it needed to alter perceptions among its target audience, showcasing its expertise beyond corridor management. Secondly, NCRR aimed to redefine how clients interacted with the company, shifting from a traditional approach of strict policy and rule enforcement to one focused on fostering partnerships and innovation.

Our Approach:

We set out to develop a new brand that signaled NCRR's growth-oriented, partnership-driven mission, knowing that there needed to be cross-organizational, internal, and external change to alter the brand perception. We aimed to position NCRR as an indispensable partner in any rail-related endeavor.

Collaboration is key in our process of evolving brand identities. Beyond available market research, data, and business plans, our greatest asset for the development of the creative was client insight. We forged a strong working relationship between our teams through two interactive workshops, to fully understand our partner’s challenges, business vision, and collaboration styles. 

We delivered a comprehensive brand strategy and style guide outlining NCRR’s new positioning and target audiences, complete with a new visual identity. Additionally, we developed a cohesive and impactful messaging architecture, as well as a brand manifesto and tagline.

With expertly executed creative assets in print, digital, web, and video, we successfully delivered NCRR’s unique value proposition across all mediums.

Results:

We successfully redefined the NCRR brand identity, positioning it as a rail industry expert. The bold new vision resonates with stakeholders, driving increased recognition and credibility in new areas of expertise, and opening the door to new markets and relationships.

NCRR’s transformation from a corridor manager to a rail expert and collaborative powerhouse is a testament to its commitment to evolution and innovation. Our work together continues to drive positive change and make lasting impacts in the dynamic world of rail transportation.

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