Navigating change - rebranding Refining NZ

The challenge

Refining NZ has been both a landmark and established part of the New Zealand and Northland economy for over 60 years. When the company announced its plans to convert to an import only terminal and end refining they were set with a challenge to bring shareholders, employees and the community along on a difficult but essential journey, and at the same time continue to operate the refinery and start work building the new business.

Their communications and design requirements were multi-faceted.

They needed to continue to communicate as Refining NZ, but also start talking about the new business while it was still being developed. Quite simply they were riding the bike as it was being built. At the same time they also had to work with their workforce and contractors to ensure the refinery continued to operate – knowing that many of their long-standing employees and contractors would need to find other opportunities once the refining side of the business shut down.

The solution

As a long-term supplier to the refinery over the past fifteen plus years, bigfish has worked with Refining NZ and Channel on a number of projects over the years.

From Refining NZ Annual Reports, to Shareholder and Investors documents and presentations introducing the new company, developing the new company name and its brand and launch content.

Brand Development for the new business started with the need to find a compelling and easily communicated brand name and brand story.

For us it came down to the core essence of what the new import and pipeline business would do. They would continue to store and provide fuel imported into NZ at Marsden Point and then deliver it to markets via the Marsden Point to Auckland pipeline. Quite simply they channel NZ’s energy wherever it needs to go.

With a gentle nod to the location of the deep water harbour and channel at Marsden Point, the name Channel Infrastructure was born.

Working closely with the CEO and members of the leadership team, bigfish created the brand story to enable RNZ to position Channel with its shareholders and investors.

From here we worked with the company kaumatua and a core project team to incorporate a te ao Māori view into the brand, brand story and visual identity. The team focussed in on the view of the existing refinery from the top of Mount Manaia.

“Our mountain connects us to our land – Ko nga maunga to hono ki a tatau whenua”

It is this connection with Mount Manaia that determines our point of view – and now the images we use to tell their brand story.

From Mount Manaia you can see the single point where products come into New Zealand (the jetty) and how that single point creates a connection that reaches far beyond the site at Marsden Point.

The core of the brand is the theme of connection – connection to the land, with the outside world from the jetty and the ability for the fuel that Channel stores and delivers to connect people and places.

Through the logo and brand style we emphasise this change of point of view by using aerial views in our hero photography which from a ‘macro’ perspective allows us to show how all the connections work together.