IMI undergoes a brand overhaul

The IMI offers a wide variety of products and services, including IMI Awards Qualifications and Accreditations and the membership MIM magazine. Currently, there is a lack of awareness of the link between some of the sub-brands and the main IMI group itself. Cyber-Duck has been selected to execute a brand overhaul to simplify and amplify the IMI brand, complementing the IMI’s new strategic direction.

In the past, the IMI has created a large number of sub-brands for the wide range of products and services offered to its members and those working in different occupations within the automotive sector. An example of this is the two industry recognised accreditations:  Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) and Automotive Management Accreditation (AMA). Despite their popularity, these sub-brands could be better associated with the IMI group itself so more automotive professionals recognise the connection. If brands like these were associated with the IMI, non-accredited professionals and even the general public could also view these as an IMI ‘seal of approval’. This would raise standards and improve the public’s perception of the automotive industry, whilst building consumer confidence.

‘Cyber-Duck will help to define a new brand for the IMI, providing a blueprint for the future as the IMI re-calibrates how to communicate their range of products and services to their users,’ said Danny Bluestone, managing director of Cyber-Duck. ‘Creating a unified, consistent and clear voice across all communications will reinforce the integrity and heritage of the IMI.’

Using its ISO accredited user-centred design (UCD) process, Cyber-Duck will thoroughly research and distil the current brand architecture, to amplify the IMI’s brand in the future and help the IMI achieve full recognition by all as the professional, integral standard of the retail-automotive sector.

The intensive research-driven process is having a clear impact on the new strategic direction taken by the IMI this year, re-considering all current products and services and how they are represented in offline collateral and digital channels. Interviews conducted by Cyber-Duck with a range of different IMI audiences have been providing invaluable feedback on what the industry needs the IMI to provide for them. 

‘Refocusing the IMI as a future-oriented organisation requires more than a new strategic direction,’ Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI said. ‘The organisation needs a clearer, less complicated way of projecting what it is and what it stands for. Following a competitive tender, we felt that Cyber-Duck were the best qualified agency to help us with the rebranding exercise.’

The project will focus on the definition of a brand strategy to draw together the IMI’s current range of products and services under a single brand, including a single logo as well as consistent photography, typography and tone of voice across all products and services. In addition to providing clear and comprehensive brand guidelines, Cyber-Duck will also advise on the IMI’s brand presentation through offline collateral (brochures, adverts, stationery) and digital channels along with providing further marketing recommendations.