Branding a revolutionary e-commerce model for silicones

THE CHALLENGE

When silicones leader Dow Corning Corporation planned to expand its pioneering XIAMETER® business model—including its web-enabled marketplace—providing a broader product offering and more ordering choices, it needed a brand relaunch campaign to generate awareness as well as build understanding of the XIAMETER brand’s benefits and enhancements. At the same time, XIAMETER brand needed to better connect to the Dow Corning® corporate brand, to bring clarity to a relationship that was not widely understood in the market.

THE INSIGHT

With its unique self-service model, the XIAMETER brand offered an alternative for customers who only needed standard silicone materials without the usual high-touch support, innovation and customized problem-solving that the Dow Corning brand was known for. The goal was to protect the Dow Corning brand by giving the XIAMETER brand a look and feel that was dramatically different from the Dow Corning product brand.

THE RESULTS

An overhaul of their abbreviated visual identity system was completed first, which employed a distinctive color palette and a friendly, less "corporate" copy tone than that of the parent Dow Corning brand. The new look and feel also incorporated a minimalist, hand-drawn illustration style that related the ease and simplicity of the DIY self-serve aspect of the streamlined business model. Then a global launch was executed in a series of online and print ads, external and internal educational materials, distributor communications, a tutorial on how to use the XIAMETER site, and a self-guided “interactive conversation” which explained the difference between standard and custom silicones and the benefits of the XIAMETER business model. The integrated program helped the XIAMETER brand meet and exceed its goals in influencing both awareness and understanding, and importantly, sales volume through the site far exceeded expectations for the relaunch. Dow Corning saw an increase in online sales of its XIAMETER brand from <5% to 50% in eight years while improving awareness and growth for the Dow Corning premium brand—including a 233% increase in a “likely to recommend” score for XIAMETER.