Deflecting Price Competition
Our client was the leading mobile operator in Estonia. They faced increasing price competition. We persuaded them not to drop price and lose their premium quality image, but to attack their competitors from below by creating a budget challenger brand
New Brand Positioning
We developed a brand positioning around the idea that 'our tariffs are so low we don't have any money left for design', appealing to those particularly price sensitive segments who don't value frills and fancy looks. The strategy was highly successful, as the premium brand was able to maintain its premium price and market share, and the challenger brand won more customers and revenue than its budgeted targets - not only in the target youth segment, but also amongst price-conscious pensioners.
Simple, fun identity
The quirky, hand-drawn identity emphasised the 'cheap' positioning. We created a range of variants on the logo while keeping to the distinctive feel and the stand-out fluorescent green and black colours.
Award-winning design
Working with our design partners L&Co, we came up with everything from hand drawn logos to a new typeface ‘Diil Bold Collapsed’, through to launch concepts and SIM card packaging. The designs were created in English then translated into Estonian by a local advertising agency.
The brand won the inaugural Design Week Benchmark Award in the Telecom sector and was runner up for Best of Show .
Hand-drawn Brand Identity Guidelines
The guidelines were designed to be as easy, simple and relaxed as the mobile network. They utilised the unconventional unpredictability of the hand drawn style to create a very strong and recognisable brand identity.
No-nonsense website
We designed the website in the same no-nonsense style. The aim was to cut away the usual complicated nature of tariffs and contracts and introduce a new type of super simple way to get people onto a network.
Guerilla Marketing Across Media
We also developed a series of unconventional campaign ideas which were used at and after launch. These very rapidly built awareness and interest for very low budget, and included Diil protests, Diil fruit, (legal) fly-posting and other original out-of-home activity.
The diil brand didn't just divert the attention of competitors and their customers, it became a commercial success in own right. The parent brand has since (with our help) migrated from EMT to Telia - but the diil brand remains!
“I have worked with David Hensley on different projects for more than ten years. He has the ability to adapt and solve the complicated issues with exceptional speed and I have always admired his ability to work under very tight deadlines. David leads the discussions with a certain passion that involves people and helps to create a special team spirit in order to achieve the best possible results.”