We’re a social bunch
A compelling new brand strategy and website for PML Applications, experts in the fields of marine biology, biofouling, corrosion and remote sensing
PML Applications, the commercial arm of Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), is a uniquely diverse marine environmental consultancy, providing scientific research, consulting and training services to help clients understand the marine environment’s impact on their business, and their impact on the marine environment.
Experts in the fields of marine biology, biofouling, corrosion and remote sensing, PML Applications works with some of the world’s biggest names in shipping, offshore energy, aquaculture and environmental services.
All of its profits are donated towards a sustainable ocean future by funding PML’s world-leading and cutting edge research.
PML Applications’ Centres of Excellence in Marine Biofouling and Corrosion, Coastal Technologies, Geospatial Applications and Environmental Solutions have built a leading reputation for independence and impartiality, with world-class testing facilities and expertise dedicated to bridging the gap between research and real-world practical solutions. However, its existing brand and messaging suggested it was an academic or scientific institution, rather than a commercial consultancy with a customer-centric service portfolio.
BLUE was engaged to develop the PML Applications brand, help build networks in key market sectors, and drive increased enquiries and sales through digital channels.
In creating a new narrative and evolved online identity BLUE’s brand strategy and creative team has helped improve the positioning of PML Applications, supporting its growth strategy as it seeks to engage with new clients and market areas.
BLUE helped PML Applications rethink its service portfolio from the clients’ perspective, making it easier to access and understand the diverse service offering, and the Centres of Excellence.
Brand discovery
The starting point was to conduct a perception audit to build evidence for an updated, compelling and inspiring brand position for PML Applications, ensuring that the brand is positioned appropriately to both maximise commercial opportunities and support brand association with the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), a charity dedicated to researching and developing marine science. The perception audit also provided evidence for how to organise content from the individual ‘Centres’ in a revised, customer focused, service portfolio.
The research underlined PML Applications leading reputation for world-class expertise and reputation for going the extra mile for customers, but also provided evidence of the need to clarify its purpose and articulate its unique offering to its diverse client base.
Brand strategy and narrative
The evidence from the brand discovery work supported a clear opportunity to differentiate PML Applications by articulating its purpose and finding its unique voice, explaining the sum of the parts in language that the industry understands.
PML Applications’ new brand narrative was built around a purpose-led proposition: ‘Applied science for the blue economy’, which articulated its role in accelerating new technologies for a sustainable blue economy – across the marine, energy, defence, aquaculture & fisheries and environmental sectors.
The narrative highlighted its contribution towards a sustainable ocean through the delivery of exceptional and environmentally responsible marine consultancy services and products to a global client base, and positioned it as a truly social business, giving profits back to society through funding PML’s world-leading and cutting-edge research.
Creative
Building on the narrative, BLUE developed creative concepts and delivered an updated brand identity, showcasing PML Applications diverse offering and talent with a new visual identity system and tone of voice for a new website and brand assets.
The website design process centred on developing a new customer-centric service portfolio, making it easy for clients to navigate via services, their sector, or the Centres of Excellence, and was built to optimise accessibility, usability, SEO, and conversion.
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