Summary
AKW specialises in showering, daily living and kitchen solutions for the elderly, disabled and less able people of all ages.
With an increasingly ageing population, the future sales potential for this sector is high, especially for a market leading business like AKW. However, AKW was aware of a rather tired brand and lack of unique positioning. It recognised this as a weakness and was looking for a fresh approach. It was also looking to promote its offer to a wider audience – including the healthcare profession and builders’ merchants. This was the brief they set agencies in two individual competitive pitches: one for rebranding, the other for PR.
Wyatt demonstrated an integrated approach from the word go, and picked up both pieces of business. Since then, and in a short timescale, we have created a new brand and corporate identity, launched a highly successful ‘Styleability’ campaign and placed a large number of articles in influential publications, helping position AKW as a thought and practice leader. We’ve also delivered an effective social media strategy and started a major overhaul of their website. The early results have been hugely encouraging, with favourable responses from customers and influencers across the disability sector.
About the client
AKW is the UK’s market leader in showering, daily living and kitchen solutions for the elderly, disabled and less able people of all ages. They provide over 4,000 different products, and pride themselves on offering choice and genuine style.
Strategy
An ageing population, coupled with changes to how care services are commissioned, have opened up huge future potential.
AKW wanted to be in good shape to meet these opportunities, and recognised the importance of PR, branding and marcomms in establishing them as the leading supplier. They set us two key objectives:
1.Messaging. AKW realised they lacked ‘stand-out’ and unique messaging. Their strapline at the time used the word ‘independence’ – in common with 3 out of 5 of their main competitors. They wanted a new brand expression which clearly set them apart as an authoritative, market leading voice.
2. Promote to a wider audience. Traditionally, AKW communicated with local authorities, housing associations and contractors. AKW now wanted to extend its audience to include:
- The nursing and care sector
- Builders merchants and installers
- The private sector, educating users about home adaptationopportunities and solutions
Objectives
Our aim was to re-launch AKW as a true market leader and establish a strong story and platform for future communications. Our approach comprised:
1. Brand expression
Recent research shows that customers rank them particularly well in terms of choice and style. We set about aligning these attributes with AKW’s mission statement of ‘improving the quality of life for the elderly and disabled.’ Many academic and healthcare organisations measure ‘quality of life’ in terms of society’s ability to meet basic ‘needs’ (water, food, shelter), and ‘wants’ (education, employment, security). The more ‘needs and wants’ are met (e.g. the more choice you give), the greater the quality of life. And with over 4,000 products, no-one in the sector offers more choice than AKW. In other words, AKW doesn’t just meet people’s needs, they also meet people’s ‘wants’ – for choice and style. The new brand platform then became: choice = quality of life, which was given expression in a new strapline: Life. Style. Choice. This gave them the clear messaging they wanted.
2. Corporate identity
AKW had evolved from its roots as a ‘medicare’ business and its design style was firmly rooted in healthcare/public sector traditions. To reflect its market leading status, we redesigned the logo and created a new identity – with guidelines – which gave the brand a fresher, more aspirational look.
3. Styleability
We created a ‘Styleability’ campaign to remove negative perceptions some people have about adapted kitchens or bathrooms, and prove that these rooms too can be stylish. We were appointed to develop and manage a web, digital and PR strategy across 14 countries.
The target audience
AKW traditionally supplied solutions to the majority of local authorities, housing associations and contractors. It also has a growing reputation in the care homes and retirement housing market and specification sector. Increasingly, however, AKW wants to increase its profile in the nursing sector, and among builders’ merchants and plumbers/installers.
Media channels or techniques used
Comprising both marketing communications and PR, this fully integrated campaign includes:
PR activity
The ‘Styleability’ campaign was successfully launched at Naidex, the UK’s largest exhibition for the elderly, disabled and rehabilitation market. It has been supported with a ‘Styleability’ news magazine and social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter, as well as increased media presence, including thought-leadership based articles and case studies in key media.
Website
AKW’s website had served several years and was in need of an overhaul. We set about redesigning the website with more intuitive navigation, clearer messaging and features which include ‘recommendations’.
Advertising
We have produced adverts for their flagship products including their Luda® and Arka® showers.
Catalogue
AKW’s existing product catalogue ran to 254 pages and had been targeted at professional commissioners of healthcare. A revised version was slimmer, more appealing and easier to use.
Social media
‘Silver surfers’ are close to becoming the largest demographic age group online. Similarly, 45 per cent of disabled social media users say they’re active on Facebook or Twitter. Clearly, social media represents a significant opportunity for AKW to interact with its target audiences. We used Facebook to host AKW’s multimedia (mainly images). Both Twitter and Facebook link directly with the AKW website.
Facebook – May 2011
- 62 ‘likes’ to date
- 148 unique users have interacted with or viewed Styleability
Twitter – May 2011 - 72 followers, including key publications, charities, groups, organisations and influential bloggers
- 115 users follow AKW Styleability, including key publications, charities, groups, organisations, influential bloggers and paralympians
Timescales of the campaign
The business was won in January 2011, and the new brand and Styleability campaign launched in March.
Results
The new brand has been well received, while AKW has made real headway in influencing a more diverse target audience. In terms of builders’ merchants and installers in particular, AKW has recently won a major contract to supply solutions to a leading construction materials business.
Media relations
Wyatt has placed 40 pieces of individual coverage. This has achieved an EVA of £40,000 and EPRV of £112,000.
Client testimonial
“Our brand launch, Styleability PR campaign, lifestyle customer magazine and social launch has proved to be highly successful and the feedback we’ve received has been extremely positive. Wyatt has grasped the essence of AKW and devised an effective communications campaign which is building our profile and delivering the results we need to double in business from £40 million to £80 million by 2014.” Paul Massey, chief executive, AKW Medicare
