• by Fern Siegel , Yesterday

Landor, part of WPP, has rebranded one of Georgia's leading natural gas providers around customer experience. The remit is a challenge in a market where providers sell the same products and competition is price-driven.

The new positioning follows its acquisition by IGS Energy and Georgia's decision to deregulate its energy market.

The new Scana Energy brand will be visible across out-of-home, digital, billing, customer communications and employee experiences. VML led the TV launch campaign. The bear character and animation development was by Buck.

Ryan Frost, global executive creative director, Landor, said: "In markets where products are increasingly interchangeable, competitive advantage comes from investing in what customers already know, trust and remember. By identifying Scana Energy’s most distinctive existing assets, we were able to build on established brand equity rather than replace it — creating a brand that's more recognizable, more emotionally resonant and ultimately more valuable."

Brand work zeroed in on Scana Energy's bear characters, Harry, Linda and the cubs, as the strongest visual element. They were first introduced in a VML campaign, now used to highlight an emotional promise. "Big Bear Energy," noted in rounded graphic forms, icons and illustrations, suggests a cozy feeling of home.

The work, leveraging existing assets, shifts from basic utility to a human experience.

Typography is another new element. Landor's in-house type foundry developed Harry Display and Harry Text, a sans serif family inspired by the bears' personalities and physical form.

"This transformation is about much more than a new visual identity. It redefines what we stand for as a business and the superior experience we want every customer to feel. Landor helped us identify what made SCANA Energy distinctive and build a more compelling brand," added Jan Bowden, vice president/GM, Scana Energy.

Landor's design work includes Volkswagen Group, New York Golf Club, Misura and Imperia.