(Berkeley, CA. April 14th, 2008).  Integrated brand strategy and design firm Addis Creson has developed the brand strategy and design for a new style of solar energy company, Sungevity.  In a major departure from traditional solar energy companies, Sungevity will use publicly available satellite imagery to do remote roof analysis and design solar systems.  Customers are able to review online the different Sungevity options to go solar, check the price quotes, and then place their order online.

Danny Kennedy, Sungevity CEO and long-time champion for solar energy in California’s public sector, decided to build a business model based on the economic advantages of solar.  He came to Addis Creson to build the brand for the start-up.  Addis Creson was tasked with creating the brand essence, identifying the target audience, defining the brand platform, and the design of the Sungevity logo.  The burnt orange logo implies the shape of the sun and uses a simple graphic of a home repeated to form the circle. 

Sungevity is a service provider that designs and installs the individual solar energy system for each home.  The use of satellite imagery eliminates the need for sales calls and in-person home surveys.  The brand is set to overcome resistance to solar power installation by making it easy, relevant, beneficial, and cheaper than traditional methods, changing perceptions of the solar category and building interest in the target audience:  efficiency seekers and environmental protectors.

The brand platform focuses on the fact that sunlight is the least costly and most abundant fuel on earth, making it the most sensible option to save money and increase the long-term value of one’s home. 

John Creson, executive creative director for Addis Creson, explains, “The brand essence is ‘power shift’ – evoking the shift of power to people, and change for the better.  We felt strongly that the Sungevity business model has a significant point of difference from other solar energy companies, it’s much more user-friendly.  The brand system reflects that.”

Sungevity’s Kennedy says, “We were considering global agencies based in other parts of the world.   Not only is Addis Creson based in the same city, but we also found their philosophy of working with clients to create positive change very appealing, because we are a mission-based company.  They have a strong sensibility for what we are about; they have been a fantastic partner because of their unique ability to combine strategic and design thinking to build a brand for a clean-energy future. 

We are not just selling this as a ‘green’ business, however, and Addis Creson got that.  They share our skepticism on greenwashing.”


ABOUT ADDIS CRESON

Addis Creson is an integrated brand strategy and design firm that partners with clients who have the courage to redefine their business categories and create positive change in the world around them. The company believes that mission-driven companies can lead by example and express their vision through brand experiences. Addis Creson has created innovative brands for companies like 24 Hour Fitness, Blue Shield, GE Healthcare, Intel, Kashi, Kidfresh, Pottery Barn Kids, Qua Baths & Spa at Caesar’s Palace and ThinkProducts.

(Berkeley, CA – April 29, 2008). Integrated brand strategy and design firm Addis Creson, whose primary focus is on working with clients to promote positive change, has enhanced its offering to include brand strategy tools and techniques that leverage client work in environmental and social sustainability.
Steven Addis, CEO, says, “Our goal with clients is to give their brand a strategic and competitive advantage.  Sustainability is an increasingly desirable business goal, and our expertise helps clients navigate waters that are still relatively uncharted.  We help them understand how sustainability relates to their reputation, show them how to integrate sustainability into their company, and apply this knowledge to their brand(s).”

Addis Creson’s sustainability program is led by senior strategist Jeni Rogers.  She holds an MBA in Sustainable Management and teaches the subject at San Francisco’s Presidio School of Management.

Ms. Rogers explains, “The successful promotion of sustainable practices by any brand relies on a foundation of authenticity. We work with companies already practicing sustainability and with companies just beginning to explore how it can be integrated into their business model. In both cases, we delve into the core brand offering to uncover the most compelling actions the brand can take to tell its sustainability story.

Utilizing a highly customized approach and the Addis Creson process, we collaborate with our clients to develop programs for the market place that are authentic from a human, financial, and environmental perspective.  For companies sitting on the sustainability fence, we highlight the business case, illustrate successes other brands have experienced, and ensure that the pitfalls of greenwashing are made clear.  We also advise clients on the establishment of pilot programs such as eco-efficiency, where clients optimize their business model by integrating greener practices while spending less money.”

Ms. Rogers continued, “An increasing number of retailers, most notably Wal-Mart, are imposing sustainability criteria on the manufacture and distribution of products, thus consumer goods companies are being pressured to reassess the very foundation of their businesses. Ignoring the importance of sustainability to the brand’s reputation is likely to imperil the brand in the long-term.”

Addis Creson’s brand strategy process that emphasizes sustainability brings together the core brand promise, and the business’ sustainability actions, to deliver significant business and social value.

About Addis Creson

Addis Creson is an integrated brand strategy and design firm that partners with clients who have the courage to redefine their business categories and create positive change in the world around them. We believe that mission-driven companies can lead by example and express their vision through brand experiences. Addis Creson has created innovative brands for companies like 24 Hour Fitness, Blue Shield, GE Healthcare, Intel, Kashi, Kidfresh, Pottery Barn Kids, Project Better Place, Qua Baths & Spa at Caesar’s Palace, Sungevity and ThinkProducts.

Jeni Rogers bio

Jeni Rogers is a brand strategist whose commitment to positive change pervades everything she does. An artist by training, she received a BAFA with an emphasis in sculpture from the University of New Mexico. She has an MBA from the Presidio School of Management (member of the first graduating class in 2005), where her coursework focused on sustainable business strategy and where she is currently an instructor in the school’s Marketing Management and Sustainability Course. Before joining Addis Creson in 2006, Ms. Rogers worked in both the creative and brand groups at Clif Bar. At Addis Creson, she has defined business and brand strategies for companies such as Sungevity, Kashi, Kellogg's, and ThinkProducts.

I think we have a specific way of describing our firm. We are definitely both brand strategists and designers. I think John, Rodney, and Steven may have a precise description to add here.

This is clunky wording – but if you can edit to make is smoother, this is the thrust of the idea.

Most recently, Williams was senior vice president of the Robert Mondavi Lifestyle Brands, the premium wine franchise owned by Constellation Brands, where he oversaw the successful turnaround of the category-leading Woodbridge brand.

Previously, he led the marketing team for the launch of OnStar for General Motors, and its highly successful, award-winning campaign.  Prior to OnStar, he served as group product director for Johnson & Johnson, leading its flagship Brand-Aid brand to its largest share gain in over a decade. Williams cut his teeth in brand management at Procter & Gamble.  

Addis Creson CEO, Steven Addis says, “Rodney is a consummate strategist with deep client-side experience, brilliant insight, and a personality that is a delight for our team and our clients. We are very fortunate to have found Rodney and we already appreciate his contribution as we experience growth that we haven’t seen for years.  

Williams adds, “I was drawn to Addis Creson because of their philosophy of positive change, working with clients and brands that make a difference. OnStar had that quality. I’m already learning how much work it takes for the brand strategists to iterate the client’s needs before presentation stage, and of course on the client side I understand the business structure, and the commercial pressures from Wall Street. I am excited to work with such experienced colleagues who not only create breakthrough brand strategy but also bring it to life with incredible design.”  

Williams holds a BA from Amherst College and an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Mr. Williams serves on several boards including: Maverick Beverage Brands, a Sunkist joint venture; Pikolino LLC, a manufacturer of innovative children’s furniture; the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco; the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, based in Oakland, CA; and the United Movement to End Child Soldiering, based in Washington D.C. and Kampala, Uganda.  

About Addis Creson  

Addis Creson is a brand consultancy that partners with companies to find and express the meaning of their brands through strategic and creative thinking. The focus of Addis Creson is to create positive change by helping our clients improve the way people relate to their brands, and their brands relate to people. For more than 20 years the firm has worked with clients that include Barclays Global Investors, Blue Shield, Charles Schwab, Clorox, Dole, Gap Inc., GE Healthcare, Harrah's/Caesars Palace, Intel, Kashi, Lego, Pepsi, Sephora, 24 Hour Fitness, and Williams Sonoma/Pottery Barn Kids. Addis Creson also advises a select number of not-for-profit agencies and start-up ventures.   

To learn more, please visit http://www.addiscreson.com. To contact us directly email us at positivechange@addiscreson or call (510) 704-7500. We look forward to hearing from you.