Meet Oomi: The newest, simplest and friendliest energy brand
The business target
How to be interesting in a ‘low interest’ industry?
When 11 energy companies wanted to compete in the fierce electricity sales business, they joined forces to form a new company that would emerge as the 3rd biggest in Finland with more than 420,000 customers throughout the nation. Unfortunately, choosing an energy company holds little interest for consumers and essentially the decider is price. Small companies lack the resources to develop the necessary IT systems to compete with bigger players and so, as new companies and services emerge, the value of a strong brand and accurate positioning becomes essential. They chose Kuudes to help create a solid brand strategy and well-positioned identity.
From scratch in just three months
Oomi needed to enter the market fast – we had just three months to build a new brand from scratch, validate alternatives, and create and produce a range of brand assets (identity, illustrations and photography) so that advertising agencies and other partners had enough time to work on the project before the launch. Fortunately, we were able to base our work on fresh insight data offering a preview of Oomi’s key audience behaviour, meaning we could crystallise and conceptualise rapidly.
Insight-driven positioning with clarity
We combined new market insight with our Informed Consumer study and undertook a corporate culture study so that we could articulate shared values and identify possible cultural pitfalls. We held a Kuudes Brand Lab workshop working with the core Oomi team to position the new company.
As all the founding companies had long histories in their regions, we wanted to highlight their local Finnish roots. Our key learning was that the companies shared the ability to relate to their customers and had unique understandings of their daily lives and needs.
A new, memorable and friendly name
Naming the brand was fun but tricky. Of course, we had several rounds of long lists and shortlisting – with lawyers studying availability from trademark registers. Staff from all the companies were actively engaged in finding new naming routes, evaluation and validation.
Oomi is a new word without meaning, allowing us to create its meaning from scratch. In Finnish it’s pronounced, “ohm” – as in the electrical unit. It’s a snappy and unique name that has a cheerful echo.
Rapid delivery from concept to market
Based on the brand strategy, we created three options for the brand concept – these were validated in online community platforms and B2B interviews. After analysing the results, it was simple to finalise the brand identity and produce assets. In a month, we were ready to submit them. The brand-new brand came alive in just a few weeks.
Playful illustrations for a warm-hearted identity
There’s a generic and predictable feel to many energy companies and we wanted to do something different. Strong illustrations and a playful tone give Oomi a warm-hearted personality. The illustrations were made by Finland’s favourite cheeky illustrator, Rami Niemi, and made Oomi feel friendly, laid back and a natural part of everyday life. We finetuned the balance of illustrations and photos to ensure they appeal to both consumers and corporate clients.
Oomi’s unique identity really stands out in the energy market – and we’ve helped Oomi communicate great prices, a clear offering and a personal touch. Simple!
