Case Studies
Brand identity for EV charging network launches in UK
Firedog completed the first phase of energy branding for Zest, a public EV charging network which has launched in the United Kingdom.
The Zest charge point infrastructure promises to expand rapidly across the country. The initial primary audience is public and commercial landowners. The brand’s goal is to make EV charging an everywhere occurrence. That means, a charging point outside your gym or the shopping centre. Indeed, any place which is most convenient to the everyday citizen.
The business is looking to create a mutually beneficial commercial solution for land owners. The Zest proposition: Removing the financial barriers in committing to large-scale charger deployments. Firedog was appointed due to our solid experience in the energy and sustainable sectors. We recently completed another EV energy branding project and have a good understanding of this rapidly growing and exciting sector.
The strategic cues for the sustainable branding; a blend of technology, sustainability and a grass roots EV consumer advocacy. A number of incumbent energy brands are still tied to the notion of old school energy. Some providers are even converting service stations into charging areas. As is commonly felt, no one likes to hang out in a station forecourt. Therefore, the Zest branding is to be freshly consumer focussed; The public EV charging network naturally synchronised with people’s lives.
Brand positioning
We commenced the visual discovery by creating a series of mood boards. These referenced existing brands across a number of sectors. This is supported by studies in colour, imagery and look and feel. We struck upon this idea of “natural energy” and sought out this concept within the natural environment. We are interested in Earth’s creatures which are able to power themselves. Also, natural objects which react to the natural earth’s power (Such as a dandelion harnessing wind energy in order to spread its seed further afield). We looked at Bees, Manta Rays and all sorts of creatures. We struck upon the noble little hummingbird. Whilst it doesn’t create its own energy, it does harness nectar and turns that into little bursts of powerful activity. We are inspired by its delicate unassuming nature – And it’s agility and natural exuberance.
Once an idea is formed, it becomes a process of visual articulation. After that, we grabbed a bunch of references and set about creating a symbol which represents the natural form. Yet, is strong enough to retain visual impact. We also noted the bright colours within the little bird and used these to create a diverse and expressive palette. We contrasted this delicate form with a strong (somewhat visually automotive) wordmark to create a contemporary brand aesthetic.
The brand has secured an initial £30 Million investment from specialist sustainable economy private equity business, Zouk Capital. Furthermore, this investment is supported by the UK Government’s Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF) which is also managed on behalf of Zouk Capital. The CIIF fund was established by the UK Government in 2019 and backed by HM Treasury to help develop public charging infrastructure points for electric vehicles throughout the UK. We continue to work with the business on developing brand custodianship and are developing a phase two of visual identity roll-out and execution.