ONE VOICE REBRANDING: MESSAGING, WEB, COLLATERAL
"We couldn't be more pleased, SunStar helped us hold on to our nearly 100-year history as a conservative investment firm while bringing us into 2020. Our new site reflects our dedication to our process and to investing in Minnesota and the upper Midwest. It also gives clients and potential investors an excellent glimpse into who we are as people."
Annette Lance, Assistant Manager-Investor Relations for Mairs & Power
Introduction
Mairs & Power has served the Minneapolis-St. Paul area as investment counsel for nearly 100 years. They offer individually managed accounts to individuals and institutions as well as a family of three mutual funds. The firm is Minnesota’s oldest investment firm under continuous ownership and management. It remains independent and is 100% employee owned with approximately 45 employees and $9.6B AUM as of 9/30/2019. View the Mairs & Power Website
Problem
Mairs & Power sought a marketing partner to help refresh its image as well as review and revise its marketing communication messaging across all external channels. The project was named “One Voice.” The website and materials were developed five years earlier and the firm wished to refresh its brand in a way that honored the past while looking to the future. They wanted to ensure consistency of the firm’s story and enhance a user’s experience.
Solution
Early in 2019, we began working with Mairs & Power on a project that lasted nine months. The scope of work included brand recommendations, new website and new collateral materials.
In the initial months, we conducted on site interviews with management, surveys of all employees and phone interviews with clients and Financial Advisors. We probed for what qualities an investment firm needed as well as current and desired attributes of Mairs & Power. This created the framework for the deliverables.
For the website, we provided all project management, copywriting, design, programming and hosting. The site includes all custom photography and two management videos developed with SunStar’s direction. In addition, we developed custom programming to allow all data to be updated by uploading spreadsheets or feeds from the Administrator.
The message for the firm “long-term investing” stayed fundamentally in place however the tone and approach was amended to reflect a more personable, approachable firm with people who were 100% committed to ensuring everything they do is in the best interest of clients and shareholders. We also facilitated a more balanced presentation of individually managed accounts to counterweight the mutual fund business to support the firm’s desire to reach institutional and high net worth business. Calls to action and initial SEO was added to help with more engagement.
As the program progressed, SunStar designed and edited existing copy for a host of materials including fund fact sheets, the corporate brochure, an advisory brochure, specialized presentation on the merits of investing regionally and more.
Accopmplishments
The new branding was well-received. All deadlines were met and the program was delivered within budget.