SBO
Rebranding and brand strategy for a global technology leader — built around the idea of Optimum Precision.
An affinity for complex challenges combined with an almost uncompromising accuracy in achieving objectives – this may sound like a description of SBO’s high-precision drilling tools. Correct. But it applies equally to Brand Unit. Together, we worked on uncovering the core of SBO and aligning its name and communication with the company’s future strategy.
“SBO” was, until recently, not the company’s official name. The sign at the headquarters in Ternitz once read: Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment. Yet the company had outgrown that designation – not only geographically. Its product portfolio had evolved, its fields of application had broadened, its vision had become clearer – but the brand still spoke in the language of yesterday. It was time for a cut. Or, more precisely, for a drilling operation down to the essentials.
Together with the team in Ternitz, we posed fundamental questions: What defines SBO? Where does its real strength lie? The answer: precision – under conditions where others have long reached their limits. Deep underground. In scorching heat. In outer space. It is precisely there that SBO unfolds its capabilities – with “Optimum Precision.” This clarity was intended not merely as a claim, but as a guiding principle for everything the brand says, does, and shows.
“Optimum Precision” has become more than a performance promise – it is the red thread running through strategy, design, imagery, and tone of voice. This idea inspired the new logo: technical, geometric, forward-looking – with a subtle reference to NASA, as SBO components can now be found in space as well. Earth, water, fire, and air appear in the visual world as metaphors for the challenges SBO meets with technical brilliance and human dedication.
Yet a brand is not only a logo or a claim. It is a promise. And how does one convey a promise more effectively than through a strong narrative? An image film created as part of the rebranding became an emotional illustration of the new communication. Not a conventional corporate film, but a journey through the most extreme environments – and a statement that the future begins precisely where others hesitate.
What remains is a brand not only prepared for the future but actively shaping it. A story that marks only the beginning. The new visual identity creates clarity as well as momentum – momentum that accommodates the diversity of subsidiaries and the distinct strengths gathered under one umbrella. A strong brand thus evolves into a dynamic brand ecosystem – ready for new markets, new challenges, and new opportunities.