Branding Campaign

Bell’s rebrand takes the company beyond helicopters

Culture change was required to breathe life into the new brand.

Creating an Iconic Brand for an Aviation Pioneer- Logo

Bell Helicopter was a well-known brand because of its helicopters. Over the years, though, the company lost sight of its vision—to be aviation pioneers who define the future of on-demand aviation mobility—and became hamstrung by silos. For its comprehensive rebranding efforts, Bell (its new name) is the first-place winner in the “Branding Campaign” category of Ragan’s 2018 PR Daily Awards.

The rebrand was, ultimately, a recognition that the market had changed, along with the company’s customers, and that the stagnant brand needed a reboot in order to be relevant in the modern marketplace. In addition to the usual elements of a rebranding effort, Bell undertook a “one company” initiative (“One Bell”), to unify the company’s business units under a cohesive and consistent approach to doing their work.

Intensive research drove the rebranding effort, focused on employees, commercial customers and military customers; the team also conducted a brand study and audited competitors. The objectives for the new brand were lofty, including honoring the company’s legacy while showcasing a vision of the future that includes innovations like autonomous air taxis.

The Bell brand, including a new logo, was introduced by the company’s president/CEO at an employee launch event. Rollouts also occurred for partners and the marketplace, which was paired with a Las Vegas trade show.

Employees snapped up logo merchandise and gave the company a Net Promoter Score of 82%. Customer feedback sessions validated the new brand.

Congratulations to Bridget Hall, Vince Lewis, Brad Holloway, Brooke Boyd, Mike Mason and Lindsey Hughes.

View More PR Daily Awards 2018 Winners.

Visit Ragan.com/Awards to learn more about awards opportunities.