Building a bright future without leaving the past behind
A new corporate identity allowed General Motors Asset Management to expand its pension outsourcing and investment management business.
Situation
Can a company forge a new identity without turning its back on a successful history?
In late 2008, General Motors Asset Management (GMAM) was at an inflection point. The company had very successfully managed its parent corporation’s pension plan for more than 50 years, as well as the assets of its many affiliates. However, to continue growing its business, expanding opportunities with unaffiliated institutional clients was critical. Despite some success with this strategy, GMAM found that its close association with the General Motors brand was at times viewed as a detriment by consultants and pension managers. To successfully market its capabilities in pension outsourcing and alternative investments, GMAM realized that the time had come for it to choose between its proud history and the promise of an even brighter future.
Solution
Finding the right balance between yesterday, today and tomorrow
GMAM engaged Carpenter Group to determine whether the firm should continue operating under the GMAM banner or adopt a new corporate identity. Following a thorough review of the competitive landscape and the firm’s business strategy, Carpenter Group recommended that GMAM change its name to Promark Global Advisors. The new identity was a derivative of one of its existing investment product lines. Carpenter Group also developed a new corporate positioning and messaging platform that embraced the firm’s heritage as the manager of the country’s largest corporate pension plan and its proficiency in the areas of total pension management and alternative investments. To help bring the new name and positioning to life, Carpenter Group created and implemented a corporate identity system that included a new wordmark, color palette and typography. This system was then applied to all corporate and product communications, including the firm’s website and advertising. With its new identity in place, Promark Global Investors is building on its legacy as it looks toward the future.
