Eastman

website: eastmaninnovationlab.com

Challenge
Eastman Chemical Company manufactures and markets chemicals, fibres and plastics worldwide. It provides coatings, adhesives, and specialty plastics and is the world’s largest supplier of PET polymers for packaging with total sales revenue of approximately $6.6B annually.

As in the majority of commodities based industries, the end user engages with the original supplier via a series of distributors, formulators or any series of intermediaries. Rarely does the end user know or care where the base material originates. The challenge was to distance Eastman from other core market players and create brand equity by appealing directly to end users, in this case brand owners and designers.

Insight
Today, increasingly, materials are dictating the form. In many cases, designers are establishing criteria or driving choices of materials at the start of a project instead of the end. Developing innovative value propositions and innovative means of communicating to designers and brand owners was key.

Solution
We developed a brand programme targeted at distinct target segments in the value chain. The first initiative is the “innovation lab” (www.eastmaninnovationlab.com). Targeting product designers the website enables users to interact with the Eastman product range gaining direct insight about material application.

The “Material DifferenceTM” strategy speaks directly to brand owners and designers through the communication of emotional product attributes as opposed to technical product qualities. A packaged kit with moulded ‘pebble’ samples for Eastman’s plastics was designed to encourage you to hold the sample and experience its tactile qualities.

A third component of the comprehensive marketing programme, “personal care”, speaks directly to brand owners such as cosmetic companies that would use Eastman chemicals and plastics inside and out. This was communicated through a series of below the line initiatives including trade show fit-outs, customised presentations and customised mailers.

Results
Eastman has seen the quality of its potential client base expand significantly with designers and brand owners in companies such as Unilever, Coca-Cola and GSK communicating directly with the Eastman. With over 1 million hits and 2,500 new registrations at the Innovation Lab, several highly coveted marketing design awards, and significant press coverage, Eastman’s brand equity is on the rise with no sign of slowing.