NCF Annual Report 2003

When your company makes major organizational changes (closes an office, redraws the whole org chart or sends the CEO packing) it’s tough to get folks to look past the “bad news” and focus on the “good news” — the potential created by these tough and sometimes unpopular decisions. Such was the case for National Commerce Financial Corporation (NCF) when poor earnings led the $23 billion company to reshuffle its top management, including the early retirement of its chief executive officer. The subsequent annual report needed to provide a clear and balanced picture of NCF. It had to connect with both internal and external audiences and define the new NCF brand — its people and its culture. "NCF NOW" provided the platform for depicting NCF as over-the-hump and back-to-business — a subtle and polite way of saying, "We are not what we were." Photographs and quotes from employees across the geographical footprint provided a snapshot of "NCF NOW", a team with broad experience and a renewed enthusiasm.

FFC Web Strategy

A leader in the manufacturing and distribution of aftermarket aircraft fuel cells, FFC knew they needed an updated web site, but they never dreamed how significantly that decision would impact the way they do business. Had they not committed to a half-day "brandstorming" session between their six-member management team and Perdue Creative, they might not have discovered their unanimously shared desire to incrementally move away from selling their products through distributors toward direct sales to aircraft owners and fixed base operators (FBOs).

With a Strategic Concept Document defining FFC's Mission, Key Business Objectives, and a detailed Web Strategy, Perdue Creative developed an Internet web site sharply focused on achieving each outlined objective.

Designed to maintain an effective open line of communication 24/7/365 with aircraft owners, pilots and mechanics around the world, www.ffcfuelcells.com utilizes the Internet to build customer relationships as well as to market specific services to specific target markets.

NCF Corporate Identity

The "merger of equals" in mid-2000 between Memphis based National Commerce Bancorporation and Durham based Central Carolina Bank necessitated a corporate name change and created the opportunity to communicate to Wall Street the full story of what this newly created financial institution had become. And the timing of National Commerce Financial Corporation's new identity would coincide with announcements of the company's switch from the NASDAQ to the New York Stock Exchange.

After first defining NCF's multiple audiences and the messages the new identity should convey to each, Perdue Creative set about distilling all that this 130-year old institution was and hoped to become.

Following a battery of internal reviews, a "final four" logo options were put before two focus groups for independent feedback. Working with Atlanta-based market research group Moore & Symons, Perdue Creative established five criteria by which the focus groups would rate the contending logo designs. Based on the results of these tests, a final choice was determined, and implementation was underway.

Corporate stationery systems were created and new corporate branding extended to the design of the company's Internet web site, including a Flash-animated introduction of the new name and logo. Detailed usage guidelines and printing specs were outlined in a Corporate Standards Manual and provided along with production supervision to NCF's printing and fulfillment vendor.
NCF Web Site

IP Corporate Research Center Expansion Project

Video Clip
Event Photos

A multi-million dollar expansion of International Paper's Corporate Research Center in Tuxedo, New York, promised to create an unparalled "think tank" for the research and development of coated and supercalendared papers. To leverage this investment as a competitive advantage, a communications campaign was needed that would be sustainable from groundbreaking to grand opening ceremonies and beyond -- a time-frame of more than a year.

"See the Future" became not only a call to action, inviting the audience to visit the Center, but also a description of what IP has done by creating this R&D facility and the work that goes on there -- anticipating the papers of the future.

The campaign theme and its futuristic look were carried out from groundbreaking invitation to ribbon-cutting event graphics and premium takeaways. (Paper "holospex" eyeglasses allowed wearers to literally see the word "future" when gazing at points of light.)

A capabilities brochure and companion CD-based video completed the campaign, informing customers of the company's ability to anticipate future needs and develop "tomorrow's papers today", as well as continuing to improve current products for the changing needs of the market.

The Reintroduction of NCBS

Having successfully played matchmaker and mentor to hundreds of supermarket chains and financial institutions around the world, in-store banking consultants NCBS found themselves in a saturated market and in search of new revenue streams. With a wealth of intellectual capital and nearly two decades of industry benchmarking and firsthand experience, NCBS had plenty to offer but needed to redefine its value proposition to the marketplace.

An intensive full-day "brandstorming" session led by Perdue Creative with NCBS's six-member leadership team was followed by two roundtable discussions, providing the forum for imagining what the "new" NCBS was to be. The resulting deliverable, a 38-page Strategic Concept Document, concisely articulated NCBS's complex Products and Services, Target Audience Profiles, a newly crafted Positioning Statement, Key Business Objectives and Communications Objectives, as well as recommended Strategies and Tactics for accomplishing them.

With this foundation firmly in place, Perdue Creative began building integrated marketing tools, including an Internet web site (www.ncbs.com), sales presentation materials, direct mail and corporate stationery re-establishing NCBS as the source for "inside information on in-store banking."