GIBBINS QUALITY MEATS

Gibbins Quality Meats, a family-owned commercial butcher, had been building its reputation since 1860. But as customers became more focused on price, quality alone wasn’t helping it stand out. We worked with the fifth generation of the family on a rebranding project, using brand strategy and brand identity to position Gibbins as a premium supplier.

Premium brand positioning

Gibbins supplied meat to restaurants, hotels and pubs across the South West. Its offer combined quality meat, skilled butchery and premium service. However, there was a perception it was expensive, and with competitors willing to undercut prices, the pressure on margins was increasing.

Our research had revealed that some customers already recognised that quality that Gibbins delivered. Our task was to make it a compelling reason to buy.

We recognised that Gibbins’ history gave the company a strong competitive advantage. Behind the founding date were generations of experience, a reason to trust the quality of its products and service. Following research with the Gibbins team and customers, we built the brand strategy and proposition around that heritage. We positioneed Gibbins as a premium supplier and created a strapline to capture that: “Delivering the Westcountry’s finest meat since 1860”.

Heritage-led brand identity

The identity needed to reflect this long history but still feel relevant to the kitchens Gibbins supplied. This influenced the design of the logo and our choice of typeface. It was most visible in the designs applied to their delivery fleet. We commissioned five woodcut-style illustrations, using their traditional character to reinforce the heritage of Gibbins.

This design style was used to create a suite of distinctive marketing material. Photography showed another part of the offer: the quality customers were paying for. From preparation and cooking to the finished dish, the images showed the quality we wanted customers to associate with the company. A set of brand guidelines were created, to support consistent application.

Together, the brand strategy and brand identity helped to position Gibbins as the first choice. Commercial kitchens looking high-quality meat knew that’s what they would get. This premium positioning helped the company maintain its margin in a price-sensitive market. When a competitor later acquired the company, the Gibbins brand identity was still used.

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