Creating New Energy for a Natural Resource Company

The assignment was straightforward: The North American Coal Corporation wanted a new logo to replace the one that dated from the early 1900s when the company was formed. When we did a little digging, we discovered they needed something more.

We discovered that North American Coal had virtually no brand identity; it was subsumed under the names and brands of its mine properties. Everyone in the industry knew Coteau and Falkirk and Sabine, and the national environmental and safety awards were given in the name of the mines, not the company. As a result, you couldn’t find the North American Coal brand anywhere in the Top 10 lists.

Our recommendation: The company not only needed a new logo, they needed a coherent brand strategy, a commitment to a consistent identity and an aggressive plan to promote the brand. That’s what we built for them: a strategy, a brand, graphic standards, collateral, a Web site (www.nacoal.com) and a coordinated campaign.

Now, everybody in the industry not only knows their name, they also know North American Coal as a world-class producer.