Behind the W – The Birth of a Brand
Back in early 2018 when I began to focus on developing my consulting business, I was looking for an identity. The name was easy; it’s my daughter’s first name and for someone as intense and serious as I can be, Wilowe is a great counterpoint, being the happiest and most carefree person I know. I often draw upon her energy to bring perspective.
I was then, and remain now, extremely passionate about leveraging my knowledge and experience to help businesses looking for a better customer and employee experience within an improved operating platform. While my experience had come from time spent in larger firms, I knew what I had to offer would also benefit small to medium-sized companies. In fact, I often see opportunity in my daily life as a consumer, thinking “Wow, if only they would have thought about this or done that…”. One such experience led to development of the Wilowe identity.
Those who know me well, know I prefer to keep a clean vehicle. In my quest for care car excellence and value I’ve been to many car washes in search of the perfect wash. I decided to try a local wash on the West Mall in Toronto for the second time. At the first visit, I took an exterior wash and was quite pleased with the result. This time I needed to take care of the interior and while self-serve vacuums were available with any wash, I decided to take the package with interior service. After paying, the attendant asked me to pull up to the wash and told me that after the exterior was complete, they would take it for the interior. I asked, “How long will that take?” and was told twenty minutes. At the time, I was quite put off by the fact I had already paid for the service without any indication of how long it would take. I assumed continuous service. I figured dealing with a refund would take time and I was already down the path, so I stuck with it, asking where I should wait. I was directed to a waiting room and proceeded through the wash
When I got to the waiting room, I couldn’t be more disappointed. The room was very small and dirty with a couch and coffee table that looked reclaimed from the curb on garbage day; it had an ancient, fluttering TV playing the Shopping Network; and a damaged, filthy reflective film over the windows obscuring any view. If the brand was meant to convey “cleanliness”, it was failing here. There was no escape; even with the sun shining, there was no outdoor seating option
Despite all this, there was extraordinary beauty in the way the sun was trying to break through the damaged, dirty window film so I pulled out my smartphone and snapped several photos through the pane, using the phone’s features to crop them and modify the colour, zooming in on some artistic elements. It was in this moment I thought about how this brand could be enhanced through some simple changes that would streamline overall process, enhance communication, and improve the overall customer experience. All I needed to do was bring clarity for the owner and articulate the enhanced value proposition.
From the outset of digital communication, I’ve always signed off with the trademark “W”. Friends and family members ride me for it, saying it’s clear the message comes from me. My response is always the same: “But, it’s my brand...”. I gave my daughter’s name, my car wash waiting room photos, and my “W” to Carol Pham and asked her to create an identity. In my opinion, she did a fantastic job with the branding and this website. We can do the same for you; if you’re looking to achieve the potential of your brand and need a little help articulating the issues and executing on positive change, we’re here for you. We provide strategic insight and planning for businesses in any industry that are looking to improve their value proposition and look forward to engaging with you.
© 2024, WAYNE TUCK
