Our client's context

‍Solutions by stc are the business IT integration services division of stc; Saudi Arabia’s biggest telecoms provider and largest brand in the Middle East. The division itself has grown over 25 years into SaudiArabia’s number 1 systems integration company. The division was spun-off from the parent stc brand with an IPO, after which they approached us to help them develop their brand strategy.

The company is experiencing growing competition, both from local and regional players, and large global brands entering their market. With a strength in legacy systems integration in the government and telecomms/media sectors, their strategic plan is to penetrate further sectors, expand their offering with innovative digital services, and expand internationally.

Until this point, they had invested in little marketing themselves, having traded off the parent stc brand’s equity. With their new-found independence, now was the time to develop their own unique story and build a powerful, differentiated brand proposition for themselves locally, regionally, and internationally. They already had an established brand identity which they didn’t want to touch. Our scope of work was strategic, focusing on the architecture of the brand’s core positioning and proposition.

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How we developed their strategy

The project started with a thorough process of discovery and audit. Interviews and workshops were conducted at all levels within the organisation, and with external clients and partners. This gave us insights into the challenges customers face, their desires and needs; and the characteristics and psychological make-up of employees working in solutions by stc.

Desk research uncovered the areas of their corporate strategy relevant to the brand story, perception gaps that needed addressing, the positioning white-space in the market relative to their competitors, and trends/challenges in the IT integration sector.

Our research objective was to identify a differentiated position in the market which would chime authentically with the attitude and ambition of the company.

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Our key insights

We discovered that the market sat broadly in two distinct brand narrative positions. Locally, the competition (including solutions by stc) had a functional positioning, describing what they did with little emotion or flair. Everyone looked and sounded very similar, with no differentiation. Meanwhile, the global consultants adopted a purely visionary position, painting a picture of a digital future with little acknowledgement of the practical challenges involved in digital transformation.

From here, the focus of our discovery process was to uncover WHY solutions by stc are the number one systems integrator in the market. Two insights from our interviews steered our thinking:

“Digital transformation isn’t easy. McKinsey reports that 70% of all digital transformations fail. This is why our customers turn to us. They need help to achieve better business results enabled by technology that works seamlessly together.”

“We are pragmatic realists. We balance the promise of innovative technology with the experience to make it work, often delivering what others thought to be impossible.”

Our conclusion was that a blended narrative, which positioned solutions by stc as practical experts who can deliver inspirational digital business futures, would differentiate them both locally and internationally.

These insights from the discovery phase, and our strategic conclusion, informed the brand strategy which was developed collaboratively with the client, and synthesised into a brand-house architecture.

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The essence at the heart of the brand

A brand’s essence is an emotive distillation of what it stands for. It is a single thought that captures the soul or DNA of the brand; its fundamental nature. Some examples of famous brand essences are: BMW: ‘driving pleasure’, Nike: ‘authentic athletic performance’.

A brand’s essence is not an external advertising headline or strap line. It is designed for internal purposes to unite the whole company behind the brand, to make sure everyone stays focused on its core ambition, and provide a measuring stick in evaluating the marketing strategy and execution.

Based on the insights from our discovery phase, the essence that we arrived at for solutions by stc was:

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Technology in harmony with your World

Working out from the brand’s essence, we developed the other pillars of the brand.

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The pillars of the brand

Vision

To create a digital eco-system where all our customers can achieve sustainable growth – locally, regionally and globally.

Mission‍

To provide harmonious technology solutions that allow our customers to think more boldly, to overcome every challenge and to succeed in evolving market conditions.

Benefit

Your success is built on the perfect blend and balance of technology.

Reasons to believe

Our track record

Our loyal customers

Our size and scale

Our people

Our collaborative approach

Our empowered culture

Personality archetypes

Sage

Wise, intelligent seekers of truth and clarity

Creator

Innovators, creating everlasting value

We will be working with solutions by stc, using the essence and strategic pillars of the brand, to direct and measure the impact of their creative brand building activity in the coming year.

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Need help building your brand?

Whether you need advice or support with positioning, visual identity, a digital refresh, or all of the above, we’re here to help. Get in touch and book a free consultation today.

Email: marketing@proctors.co.uk

Phone: +44 (0)117 923 2282