Agency McKenna Launches Rebrand for Chicagoland’s Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute.

Launching an industry brand to elevate the science, skill and craftmanship that goes into cast iron pipe that lasts for over 100 years required an agency team that gets the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.

We have a favorite saying at Agency McKenna— “If you don’t toot your own horn, no one can hear the music.” We’re going to do a sound off because one of our association clients, the Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute (CISPI), just launched its newly refreshed brand identity and tagline.

Up for the Challenge Ahead for Growth

Our task was to help the Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute create a refreshed brand that would be distinctive and build brand recognition. Most brands evolve over time, but it had been more than 25 years since CISPI’s last brand refresh. It was time to update the Institute’s image to appeal to the next generation of plumbing, engineering and construction professionals. We were eager to dive in!

To begin this project, we worked with the leadership at CISPI, representatives of its member companies and its board to conduct stakeholder interviews and better understand the attributes that make the Institute unique. We also reviewed the visual competitive landscape of others in the commercial plumbing industry. This analysis helped us define the visual vocabulary that would set the new CISPI brand apart.

Building on a Rich History

The CISPI brand has been around since 1949, and it was especially important maintain continuity with the Institute’s past logo designs. We wanted to make sure to capitalize on the brand equity that CISPI had built up through decades of pro-American manufacturing.

The new branding acknowledges CISPI’s long history with the plumbing industry, yet has a distinctly modern feel. The evolution of CISPI’s new logo and tagline are future-focused and support the strategy to build awareness and consideration with the next generation of plumbing professionals.

Communicating Brand Values

Another important aspect we wanted to emphasize was the Institute’s “Made in American” messaging. Although the color red had been part of the previous design, we decided to introduce the color blue as well. These vibrant red and blue hues work together to highlight the Institute’s American heritage and underscore the fact that CISPI represents member companies that manufacture cast iron soil pipe products domestically.

In addition, we wanted to bring greater emphasis to the “C I” (for Cast Iron) trademark. Because the “C I” is branded, literally, on piping, fittings and couplings, it was important for the new mark to be distinctive, memorable and unique. The new branding maintains this feature, but modernizes it for the 21st century.

“Member-companies were very excited to see and hear the C I trademark required no retooling of cast elements and cores used in the manufacturing process of ductile pipe—saving the industry tens of millions of dollars.”

Elizabeth McKenna, CAE, Agency McKenna’s Managing Partner

Updating the Tagline to Forge a Unique Promise

We wanted to create an effective tagline that positions the Institute as strong brand that stands for quality, durability and fire resistivity. The new tagline, “CISPI – The Mark of Quality™” highlights the high-quality found only in American-made products.

The Institute communicates with a host of professionals who are involved in the plumbing specification and installation process, including building owners, contractors and commercial plumbing professionals. This new branding helps build credibility and cement lasting relationships with all of these groups.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Dave Parney, CISPI Executive Vice President, is especially pleased with the new look and its meaning.

“I am very proud to announce the launch our new brand. I believe our new branding is distinctive enough to appeal to younger audiences, but will still resonate with the seasoned industry professionals who have known the CISPI brand for years.”

Dave Parney, CISPI Executive Vice President

Warren McKenna, CAE President & CEO at Agency McKenna agrees. “We are thrilled with the new Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute rebrand—we believe this new identity helps CISPI develop relationships with the next generation of plumbing professionals. I’m especially excited to see our teams working on a rollout program for all of the Institute’s digital platforms and strengthening their marketing communication assets. This distinctive look will really elevate CISPI’s role in the AEC industry. We value our relationship with the Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute, and we look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come.”

Your brand is one of the most valuable assets for your business. It is your first introduction to new prospects, expanding markets and existing customers. It symbolizes the organization’s values and differentiates you. Your brand is the set of intangibles that increases your value to customers both now and in the future. In the end, a brand when done well, creates a positive image and communicates what you stand for and makes you remarkable.

If your organization wants to grow and increase marketshare, you may need a revitalized brand that better represents your business. Let us know – We’re up for the challenge.

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Elizabeth McKenna, CAE

Principal & Managing Partner

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2024-03-15T15:53:48-05:00
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