Honesty

The Woolworths Limited corporate brand is part of the fabric of Australian society. It is a stable, reliable and respected institution with a long-established identity. It’s a national treasure.

Commissioned to develop Woolworths Limited’s annual reports since 2005, Precinct was able to add a renewed freshness and vigor to Woolworths Limited (as opposed to Woolworths the supermarket brand) that fully understand and respect its heritage. It was a direct but subtle undertaking.

Woolworths Limited’s shareholders love and understand its authentic identity and want to be spoken to honestly and in a clear and concise way. Every corporate brand periodically needs to be refreshed and refocused, but how do you do that with a name that has sailed on an even keel for decades? It is done with nuance.

It is not about logos or strategy, it is more about a keen understanding of the full range of different stakeholders’ needs, demands and aspirations for a company with a proud tradition in a rapidly changing marketplace. It is about treading the delicate balance between embracing the contemporary and yet respecting the weight of history, while strongly reinforcing the fact that Woolworths Limited continues to perform at a high level. That is the critical thing. Companies such as Woolworths Limited always have to fight the complacency that can come from such a long history of consistent and enduring success.

Precinct understands the need to maintain a very careful strategic balance in letting shareholders know of continued success and relevance in the contemporary marketplace without resorting to hype, or compromising reputation and heritage.