Repositioning a global B2B brand for the UK market by harnessing the integrity of its team’s distinct character.

Socotec's Bold Space

Made of substance

Background

Socotec UK has only recently become known as Socotec after years of consolidating various construction services, foundation testing and asbestos support brands. While the name is not necessarily known in the UK (Socotec is a giant French institution in its own right) it does have an impressive national footprint as well as many long-term partnerships with major global clients.

Socotec UK came to Boldspace looking for help communicating their value proposition both internally and externally.

How We Got There

Boldspace spent time researching, auditing and getting to know Socotec UK, developing a bold space which would link the global brand to the unique DNA of the UK offering.

Made of Substance was a positioning and tagline which linked the human dedication, strong character, straight-talking nature and signature integrity of the team (in an industry which valued this greatly) with the belief in trusting and excelling in data and science. This became a simple, single-minded platform in line with the global brand values but that would further resonate with the UK client base.

Repositioning | Internal Comms | Tone of Voice | Social Strategy

A local proposition within an iconic group

The Socotec brand is established, almost iconic, within France and so our challenge was to make the UK proposition fit within the group values and architecture but in line with the UK team’s needs and personality. We spent time aligning with key stakeholders and existing guidelines while balancing opportunities to dial up a unique UK tone of voice.

Bringing the team to the fore

As a brand that had been built through years of mergers and acquisitions, there had not always been clarity in how to communicate many different offices and service offerings. In truth, Socotec UK’s client base appreciated their reliability, versatility and on-the-ground coverage. As the new positioning brought the team to the fore, we were keen to communicate this was not only a team of networks, but an interconnected network of experts. This was reflected in a new imagery approach which showcased a real team, not just as headshots on a website but on the ground and in the real world.

Customer character

We are determined to empower the UK’s most ambitious companies to achieve their goals.

We know that every detail matters when you’re building the future. It’s why we are committed to building working relationships of the highest standard.

These principles are a code we stand by and a promise to you.

We start with dialogue.

Whether it’s a large procurement process or a small quote, we like to begin every project with discussion.

Only with dialogue can we ensure you have the right team with the right expertise for the needs of your project.

We are backed by expertise.

We are grounded in real-lived expertise and a source of pride is the tenure of our teams starting on the ground or in a lab and progressing their way up. This means we can share with you the most complex data and reports in ways which are easy to understand, and easy to action.

We are fair and transparent.

We want to ensure that across all our services, you know exactly what you are getting with SOCOTEC.

All estimates are quoted in plain English, with no hidden fees.

Our management team have all worked hands-on in the company; so they can advise you on any details that might need clarifying.

Our business is built on the quality, trust and integrity of thousands of partnerships between our team, suppliers and clients.

We love what we do, and the tightness of the collaboration within our teams.

We are proud that our business is a place people can grow, which is why so many members of our team have been here for many years. This means you are talking to a team who are engaged, who care, and who give you full attention.

Tangible service

With such a vast service offering, Socotec UK struggled between departments to consistently and cohesively communicate why they were different and what exactly they offered. Our new positioning and tone pushed the language towards the simple and tangible.

In an industry where people talk so technically and broadly, we say we are ‘in the lab, in the field and in the courtroom’ – phrasing simple enough for all to understand Socotec UK’s professional services.

We are very impressed.

Charlotte Hughes
Marketing & Communications Director

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