In cooperation with: Proud Design, Studio Aandacht, Bovil

Family firm Brabantia (established in 1919) is specialised in kitchen accessories and household articles and, since 2012, has been led by CEO Tijn van Elderen, already the fourth generation within the Brabantia family. Over the last few years he has opted for far-reaching repositioning, with as leitmotiv: which role do the Brabantia products play in the lives of their customers? Three creative agencies were engaged to develop the repositioning and implement it in all areas: Proud Design took care of the logo & packaging design, Studio Aandacht of the styling and photography and Bovil of the communication and copy.

This case is all about a family firm that has managed to turn things around in time with vision, decisiveness and the right amount of daring. The result is recognisable and contemporary. Each time the balance between classic and contemporary has been struck. It is accessible for a broad target group, while retaining a high-quality appearance. From the entire approach it is clear that Brabantia knows and has analysed its customer, context and market. In the rebranding of various products individual designers (such as Orla Kiely and Mae Engelgeer) and specialised agencies (like Van Berlo) were engaged. Through the space that Brabantia created they channelled maximum creative freedom for the designers. The result is attractive and effective design. It is also commendable that the company is involved in recycling and other aspects of sustainability.

The aim of the repositioning was to support Brabantia’s evolution into a stylish brand, creating a new look and feel, a fresh, stylish redesign to delight consumers. The company worked intensively with several design agencies to craft its new identity. The brand has undergone a transformation both at product level, and in the firm’s communications (online and offline), without sacrificing quality. And there’s no question that the rebranding is a commercial success, thanks to the careful selection of designers and design agencies by CEO Tijn van Elderen and the value director (Brand, Marketing & Product Innovation) Mechteld Petersen. An outstanding example of the excellent commissioning of design.