Branding development

Polecat felt it was time to explore perceptions of their brand, reinvigorate it, reach consistency around what the company stands for, and strengthen its ability to communicate it, both internally and to external audiences.

A deep branding development exercise was needed to present Polecat as tech-driven organisation that provides answers to everything its audiences need to not only protect their reputation, but also to be seen to protect it.

The brand development process was shaped by two parallel tracks – strategic brand planning and creative execution – working together to define Polecat’s positioning and express it with clarity and confidence across every touchpoint.

Our strategic approach was designed to establish a clear direction and create alignment across the business:

• • a clearly defined purpose, mission and vision, with messaging that resonates both internally and externally
  • a strong value proposition and positioning framework to sharpen company messaging
  • seamless integration of proprietary products within the overarching corporate brand

With the strategic foundations in place, we set out to shape a brand identity that would reflect Polecat’s vision and resonate across all touchpoints:

• a distinct and unified brand identity, including a consistent tone of voice and a coherent visual and digital presence
• a visual style that reflects the brand’s complexity and ambition
• a digital look and feel that communicates Polecat’s focus on innovation and technology
• a suite of branded assets, including an initial campaign ad, brand guidelines, a sales brochure, website, flyer, whitepaper and PowerPoint templates

The first stage of the branding development exercise was a process of discovery: interviews with internal stakeholders in London and the US, interviews with Polecat customers, a brand workshop with key members of the Polecat team, and a full audit of existing brand materials. All this helped us gain a deep understanding of the brand internally and externally, and also the company culture. This then allowed us to formulate a brand strategy inspired by the excitement that innovation, technology and the power of human intelligence bring to Polecat’s reputation risk solutions.

For the brand proposition, we considered several themes: ‘Human intelligence’, ‘Technology-led’, ‘Owning reputation’, ‘Thought leadership’, ‘Ambition’ and ‘It’s for the big players’. These themes came together in the new core brand message we articulated:

We identified a clear set of values to anchor the brand’s purpose and actions:

• Enabling – thanks to Polecat’s imaginative focus, reputation is no longer only about risk but also about ambition and brand
• Valuable – reputation understood as a measurable KPI adds value to the bottom line
• Compelling – Polecat’s expertise in shaping the reputation industry through technology exceeds expectations
• Credible – Polecat’s objective approach delivers a platform to create accurate data intelligence that can be as trusted as the human care and intelligence behind it

Visually, our conclusions are carried by the concept of light.

Light travels faster than sound, it illuminates what you can’t see in the darkness, it gives vision, in the physical form and to forecast the future by removing the shadows of uncertainty.

Light gives a clear path forward, and Polecat harnesses light to understand what lies ahead.

As part of the branding development exercise, we introduced a palette of colour tones and gradients that convey energy, momentum and possibility. These visual elements were carefully chosen to reflect the forward-thinking nature of the brand, while adding depth and vibrancy across digital and print applications. The use of gradient also suggests transition and movement – a subtle nod to Polecat’s ability to navigate complexity and anticipate what’s next.

With the brand identity defined, we rolled it out across a range of applications to ensure consistency and impact at every interaction.

This included a logo and strapline lock-up, along with branded assets such as social media templates, a whitepaper, PowerPoint deck and a sub-brand flyer – all contributing to a unified presence across internal and external communications.

The rollout culminated in a refreshed website – a canvas rich in colour and light that captures the essence of the brand. Intelligent, clear and considered, the site brings the brand’s voice to life while avoiding jargon, reflecting a thoughtful and attentive approach.

The new brand and website were unveiled at the company’s annual conference – a key moment that brought the refreshed identity to life in front of employees, stakeholders and partners. The launch was met with enthusiasm and pride, reinforcing internal alignment and generating a strong sense of momentum. It marked not just the reveal of a new visual and verbal identity, but a renewed confidence in Polecat’s direction, purpose and ability to lead the conversation around reputation intelligence.

The CEO shared the new brand with the board. In her words – “it was a slam dunk”.

We created a bold, engaging animation for the launch event – a dynamic way to introduce the new identity and express the Light concept with energy and impact.

To build internal engagement and extend the reach of the brand, each employee also received a branded tote bag at the conference. More than just a giveaway, it became a conversation starter – a simple, visible reminder of a refreshed brand with purpose and momentum.