SFPUC

brand positioning | messaging | brand voice | naming

What They Needed

With aspirations of becoming one of the most innovative government agencies in the country, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) launched a project to turn the city’s biosolids into a usable resource and a beloved brand. Needing to understand the competitive landscape, audience perceptions, and how to get over the significant “ick” factor associated with biosolids, they came to us for positioning, messaging, naming, and identity. 

What We Did

As expected, when working with government agencies, the discovery process included an extensive list of materials to review and a diverse list of stakeholders to interview. After speaking with internal and external stakeholders, community members, employees, and members of their target market, we crafted positioning that focused on SFPUC’s role as facilitators for positive change within the community. 

We also highlighted their role as innovators creating a better future for the environment, being careful to ensure the new brand was equal parts forward-thinking and accessible.

The Outcome

The brand promise, “A Better Future, Made By Us” became the focal point of the creative brief as well as personality traits like; friendly, transparent, and optimistic. Our work was also critical to the naming brief and will be reflected in the messaging and brand identity.