Kion Group

The starting point for this collaboration was a shift in the role of the holding brand over the past few years from a consciously understated, financial holding brand for forklift trucks to a high-profile master brand for logistics solutions with proprietary service offerings. This strategic shift occurred within the context of rapidly changing communication channels and requirements as well as dynamic market developments.

These increasingly complex demands on the KION Group's communication and brand presence called for a sharpening of its positioning, corporate identity and brand architecture. In the course of a strategy and design process that lasted several months, GABC developed a distinctive, flexible evolution of the corporate identity for the KION Group, making the company's new ambition clearly visible and strengthening the brand's presence internationally.

Developed in close collaboration with the client, the approach aimed to raise the profile of the KION Group umbrella brand while retaining the highly successful multibrand model. This was achieved by strengthening the synergies between the globally successful product brands and the umbrella brand.

In order to ensure maximum clarity in appearance and international practicability in brand management, we also simplified and strengthened the strategic brand statements.

The brand design was modernized without abandoning the core elements such as the characteristic KION Red. All design elements can now be used in a much more flexible, distinctive and integrated way across all media. Global practicability has been increased and simplified and enhanced with the help of an extensive set of icons. This gives the KION brand a much more active role in communications, without rivaling the still strong product brands.

To address the significantly increased communication needs of the master brand in a pragmatic yet brand-building manner, we developed and implemented a consistent approach for designing key visuals for products and services.

Thanks to a simplified brand architecture, it was possible to further increase the clarity of the brand – supported by a careful reduction of the word components – even in small, fragmented contexts.

Like most successful global companies, KION Marketing is supported by a range of different service providers. In order to make the significant change in the role of the KION brand understandable for all partners and guarantee successful implementation, GABC introduced the various agencies to the new brand identity.

We introduced the relaunch strategy and design along with KION's newly created digital brand portal, which is powered by Frontify. Here, KION marketers from all regions and brands can access a constantly updated, consolidated database of the relevant brand assets, along with templates for communication measures. GABC also supports KION's operational brand management by pragmatically structuring its decision-making processes for the coordination of branding requests from the markets.

Today, the KION Group presents itself with a globally consistent brand identity. International production sites and trade fair stands benefit from a cohesive appearance. The KION brand is an attractive umbrella for strong portfolio brands whose products and services are embedded in the KION family following clear principles.

This emphasis on synergies within the KION Group and the resulting strengthening of the master brand's profile also sends a powerful signal to the financial community as well as in today's competition for the best talent.