Winnebago Industries was founded in 1958 and has since grown and expanded into an organization with a portfolio of five brands spanning the RV and boating industries. The organization needed to develop an enterprise brand that could lift itself above this portfolio, help expand how it was perceived in the outdoors marketplace, and, most importantly, differentiate it from the product brand Winnebago.
Through ethnographic research Joe Smith identified an expanding outdoor lifestyle market that Winnebago Industries could tap into to move beyond its product-focused competition. We also knew that with legacy employees and loyal fans – of all the respective brands in the portfolio – it was important to respect the accomplishments already achieved by the organization.
To demonstrate the bold ambitions of the organization we developed a brand strategy and identity that firmly positioned them within the white space of the competitive set, as an outdoors lifestyle brand. We energized the ‘why’ of the organization through a strategy that culminated in “Be Great, Outdoors.” We used the strategy as a call to action for employees to create exceptional experiences and as a call to action for customers to let the outdoors impact them positively. An accompanying visual identity reinforced the lifestyle brand strategy and further distinguished the enterprise from the Winnebago product brand.
Since the brand launch, Winnebago Industries continues to garner attention from the investor community (a primary audience for the brand) for its strong growth potential. The organization continues to invest in brand because it has truly brought the organization around a shared purpose.
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