A rebrand that points in the right direction

Northstock

The Challenge: Rebranding & re-aligning a commercial HVAC company

Having a name that is nearly correct is often the worst than a completely unrelated one. Why? The human brain tends to jump to conclusions, make snap decisions and sort new info in the nearest mental slot - whether it’s right or wrong. So when the owners of H-MAC came to us, they had a familiar problem. Customers sort of got what they do - but not really.

H-MAC was close to their core offering of HVAC but confusing at the same time
The hyphenated abbreviated spelling only made the name more difficult to convey.
The word “mac” and “vac” lead to misconceptions. Computers? Vacuums?

So while the name was close, it was not close in a good way. It also offered no positioning, it attempted to convey what they did, and not how they did it - with honesty, conviction and purpose.

A common naming fallacy is that names have to communicate the what, the literal goods and service, vs. the how and why, the true differentiators of a company.

The "Ah-ha" Moment: NorthStock - a solid name for a straight up company

We’re firm believers in using the most valuable marketing tool, the company name, to convey a key attribute, a core value, something that will hold true for a business over time. In the case of NorthStock we had a client with a firm commitment to serve the construction trades with unparalleled service and integrity. In a world of online bait and switch, they were true to their word, and offered continual guidance and direction to their customers. The name NorthStock captured this “pivot point,” the unifying purpose around which all their goods and services revolved.

NorthStock is a great example of a perennial, or evergreen brand name, one based on positive connotations, one that will endure over time. If you’re looking for a new direction, consider aligning your brand with your why vs your what. Taking stock of your brand identity is a step in the bright direction.