My role as CMO with Mats Inc was predicated on a rebrand and rename of the company. The 50 year old family run business was having difficulties telling their story, with the original company name, Mats Inc.

It was important to retain a sense of legacy to the Mats Inc name, while also communicating the company’s ambitions and commitments to wellness, product selection, and customer service.

The new name, which seems obvious now, arrived after a multi-month long development phase. The connection to the word “mat” quietly linked to the legacy of the company, while a distinctive bold font choice helped communicate the physicality of the products, while also that the product choice, well, matters.

Of course, a rebrand isn’t just about the logo. We engaged in internal poling and interviews to understand the nature and values of the company, and external research about audience mindsets to help focus our thinking.

In addition to the company rebrand, I also reworked the company’s product portfolio into branded collections. These collections gave the sales team a cohesive story to tell their customers, and a way for the marketing team to better communicate and amplify the collection’s values and benefits.

We introduced three new branded collections: Formative, Arrival, and Play. We also gave the Mats Inc brand an updated look and placed it along side our partner brands to ensure we kept a familiar destination for our customers in distribution and facilities management.

Results:
Post-launch the company saw double digit YoY growth for multiple years. This was more than a marketing activation, it was a company-wide transformation involving sales, customer service, and marketing.