HPC GROUP

HPC Group (Home Project Centre) is the umbrella brand for a group of nine indigenous Irish hardware stores. Each of the stores in the group operates with some autonomy, due to the fact that each one possesses a strong local brand identity. The stores service both trade and serious DIY customers, and the HPC Group wished to improve the connectivity of the individual stores under the HPC Group brand. With this in mind, they contacted drawinginc as creative brand marketing and design specialists, to help achieve the objectives in this project. Drawinginc carried out primary marketing research on sample stores to establish the perceptions of the trade and DIY customers to the products, prices, and customer service on offer from the HPC Group stores, and the result of the research helped formulate the direction of the marketing communications. It was the expressed brief for the marketing communications that HPC Group establish more relevance to its chosen customers, while in turn increase brand loyalty, sales and profitability. Drawinginc designers created a brand identity that reflects the strength of the group and this was achieved through using vibrant photography, typography and colour. All marketing communication activity was spearheaded using the revamped brand, and the creation of a virtual DIY customer (Yvonne), and slogans, to consolidate the existing customer base and to attract new customers. The brand marketing communications strategy included Seasonal Brochures, Customised Supplier Brochures, Showroom Promotions, Monthly Trade Mailings and Promotions, ‘Super Sale’ Days and Corporate Events. The brand communication strategy was supported by radio and press advertising.