Protecting the
COR-TEN® name and brand from genericization
SSAB is a Nordic and US-based steel company. SSAB offers value-added products (COR-TEN® is just one example of this) and services
developed in close cooperation with its customers to create a stronger, lighter, and more sustainable world. SSAB has 14,300 employees in over 50 countries. SSAB is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and has a secondary listing on Nasdaq Helsinki.
Challenge
COR-TEN® steel is at risk of genericization, where the name is commonly used generically to refer to any weathering steel. Our challenge was to educate consumers, architects,
engineers, and other stakeholders about the specific properties and qualities of genunine
COR-TEN® compared to other weathering steels, emphasizing its unique characteristics and benefits.
Result
The concept of ‘A natural beauty’ was created to help safeguard the brand against
genericization, positioning SSAB as the producer of genuine COR-TEN® steel under
license from US Steel Corporation.
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Our strategy aimed to ensure visibility at key touchpoints for our target audience,
emphasizing the unique characteristics, benefits, and support SSAB can deliver. When
selecting building materials, we know that there is plenty of choice, but we want COR-TEN®
to be top of mind when someone wants to go in a different direction from the ordinary.
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In connection to the conceptual work, we created a new brand identity that reflects the
natural aesthetics of COR-TEN® steel: a brand that instills internal pride, inspires architects,
and continuously communicates the knowledge that helps bring buildings to life.
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A new colour pallette draws inspiration from the various stages of patina, as the steel transitions
from a fresh, newly developed orange-brown hue to light and eventually dark brown.
Imagery plays a crucial role in this identity, prompting us to collaborate with world-renowned architects and photographers.
We focused the brand presence on platforms like Instagram to connect directly with our target audience and clarify that COR-TEN® isn’t a generic term for weathering steel. Through engaging content, we educate the followers about COR-TEN’s unique properties and applications, reinforcing its distinctiveness in the market.
