A re-brand for Zeal: Case Study

Proud of its fresh thinking and professional energy, Zeal is a tax advisory business with offices in Newport, Worcester and Bath.

Services include Tax Advisory, Capital Allowance, R ‘n’ D Tax Credits and Fee Protection Insurance.

However, before Zeal existed, its predecessor was HJR Tax.

Although successful, HJR Tax recognised in 2020, that the company’s profile was not representing the culture of the business and its offer and therefore needed a refresh.

Finding a true voice

Brand consultant Insight 101 enables organisations to understand their values, beliefs and their unique vision, and demonstrate their difference. It is brand-led in its approach - it finds what is different about a company's culture and ethos and then creates a brand which successfully communicates this.

Insight 101 took HJR Tax through a process to enable it to find its true voice and relaunch as Zeal.

This began in 2020, when business owner Philippa Haynes was invited to meet the senior team at HJR Tax, to talk about a re-brand.

Slightly dated and, dare we say it, a little impersonal and generic, HJR Tax Ltd wanted to make their employees and clients proud by building a brand that perfectly reflected a young and dynamic team.

It was agreed that they would commit to the Insight101 Brand Discovery program which starts with a review of the company via individual interviews (in this case 10) among senior staff and representatives from across the departments. This gave insight into the similarities and differences in attitude and beliefs, but more importantly began to identify recurring themes which were the starting point for pinpointing HJR's culture.

These insights fed into the next stage; an Insight 101, full-day workshop, involving ten of the company’s 30 employees who had been interviewed. The day was used to discuss aspirations, the key themes coming out of the interviews, a possible future positioning within the market vs. their competition and an overall future vision for the business. The takeaway was a combined and agreed vision for HJR's future that could be worked up into the HJR brand blueprint.

This blueprint was sculpted and fed back to the team to ensure complete colleague involvement, it included recording the discussions and then integrating the output.

A 101 on the methodology

The overall approach included a full brand and marketing review, competitor assessments, identification of keywords and phrases (energetic/ ambitious/ bold/ tenacious/ we care/ etc), resulting in a new Vision Statement and a fresh business tagline.

Listening, reflecting and guiding

A recurring theme identified within this consultation was ‘energy,’ and images on a visual mood-board were collated to represent this. This was the starting point for all creative ideas moving forward.

Then came the brand redesign which included fresh copywriting by Insight101 and the briefing of a website and design agency. Insight101 remained fully integrated into the project acting as Brand guardian for HJR Tax Ltd.

A new company name, ‘Zeal’ was also agreed which communicated a fresh energy that HJR Tax Ltd brought to the tax category.

A new Zeal

With new lime-green branding, an engaging website, zesty graphics and eye-catching images (and even a promotional box of colourful, fizzy sweets to market the new Zeal DNA), the organisation’s internal and external brand conversations were now very different and, most importantly consistent and aligned.

From LinkedIn profiles, website through to weekly marketing activity and internal communications, the Zeal brand came to life.

Bringing a team together

If ever a team looked and felt united, the Zeal team is it! With LinkedIn profiles that communicate the zesty branding and internal communications to introduce and celebrate the brand with the team, the future looks bright for zeal

?Reaping the rewards

MD at Zeal, Matt Jeffery said,

“Insight 101 enabled us to understand our passion, access our energy, and fully realise our potential.

“Philippa was an outstanding facilitator who supported and challenged us in the best possible way.

“Our new brand now shapes our entire approach to business, and we’re significantly reaping the rewards.”

An ongoing relationship

Insight 101 continues to work with Zeal on a consultative basis and Zeal continues to celebrate with its team to ensure that the brand journey remains a constant in the lives within the offices and among friends and clients alike

For more information about what Insight101 can do for your business, get in touch by booking a FREE 30 minute call https://calendly.com/insight101/30