Baxter Auto Group is a family-owned and locally operated dealership group—the largest auto dealership in Nebraska. Their goal is to provide the best customer experience possible, and they believe in giving back to the local community as much as possible.
Baxter was one big family, but they had two different brand names for the same collection of auto dealerships: Baxter and Performance. Each of these brand names had dozens of iterations when it came to visuals. They came to us for help in creating one unifying banner under which all Baxter dealerships could rally.
As a foundation to build on, we researched the storied history of the Baxter dealership and the family lore surrounding it so we could be true to their roots. We also created a comprehensive analysis of all the places and ways in which the old Performance and Baxter brands were being used. Then we engaged in competitive research to understand the market both locally and in the region—the goal being to figure out what all the other dealerships were doing so we could really elevate Baxter above the fray.
We went to work, first dialing up the sophistication in the Baxter brand with a modern logotype and comprehensive brand guidelines. We helped Baxter reimagine what a car dealer’s print ad placements and other media could look like: clean, crisp, elegant. We gave them a new, higher profile so they could stay true to their honest, neighborly brand and avoid the tired, gimmicky tactics of stereotypical car dealers.
We helped Baxter rethink how print ads could look—leaving behind the visual clutter and heaps of exploding snipes that are endemic to dealership ads in favor of clear, straightforward information.
When it came time to advertise the new brand on television and the web, we designed and produced a video for them that focuses on core values and their connection to the community over the traditional method of yelling monthly lease rates at the viewer.
"Smart, savvy, thoughtful and extremely in-tune to the nuances of great design and creative work — Rule29’s work helped move the Baxter brand forward during a very critical transition point in the company’s history."
Julia Doria
Chief Marketing Officer
Because we unified a citywide network of dealerships and service centers, the new brand became ever-present almost overnight. And when the opportunity presented itself to acquire the naming rights to the University’s new stadium, we helped Baxter become one of the city’s biggest logos—literally.
Because of their consistent branding, the Baxter brand has become instantly recognized across the city; since all their properties now share a consistent name and logo, it’s impossible for the public not to keep them top-of-mind. In the years following the consolidation to a singular brand, the company enjoyed a significant reduction in overall advertising expense—achieved by leveraging the new Baxter branding, increased brand prominence, and an enhanced strategy.
