Chaos Averted: A Savvy Approach to PowerPoint Re-branding

When a parent company re-brands (PowerPoint chaos may follow…)

Despite the pros and cons, many businesses depend upon PowerPoint presentations for sales meetings and business development. But when a parent company rebrands itself with a completely different look and feel — and a completely different set of Powerpoint templates — chaos may ensue.

Chris Talbot, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for Ascom Wireless Solutions (a major healthcare communications company) knows the feeling. He found himself in a re-branding dilemma. Hundreds and hundreds of slides — in different presentations for different product lines and markets — had to be updated. But he couldn’t afford to divert his team from their sales objectives.

However, Chris already had a solution in mind: keep people focused on doing what they do best.

Getting design help to stay focused on business…

Chris had worked with IDU Creative Services before (as the Director of Marketing Communications at PAETEC Communications), although that was several years ago. But even though he had relocated, and was now more than 1,000 miles away from Rochester, NY, he knew where to find the help he needed.

Chris reached out to IDU Creative on LinkedIn, and messaged David Wright. In retrospect, his message seems like a set up for a Hollywood comedy:

“How are you? May have a project. Contact me!”

Let’s skip the scary details, the enormous scope of the project, and the terrifying number of PowerPoint slides involved…

As experts in brand identity and executing effective design, the IDU team developed a plan to carefully and consistently work through this massive undertaking. The plan included:

• consistent application of fonts, colors, and approved imagery
• ensuring the tone of voice throughout all of the presentations
• recreating charts and graphics as necessary
• evaluating content for grammar and clarity, and making improvements as necessary

Updating PowerPoint Presentations for Looks — and Performance

And of course, IDU Creative also optimized the PowerPoint files “under the hood.” For example, IDU Creative updated the links between databases and other external resources. They also meticuoulsy integrated slide animations and transitions according to brand-compliant specifications. David and the IDU Creative team also handled updates to the presentation notes as well.

PowerPoint Chaos Averted

IDU Creative followed their plan, and successfully completed the massive undertaking. Every one of the hundreds and hundreds of slides were expertly re-branded, revised, and optimized. Chris and his sales team stayed focused on their business goals and objectives. With help from IDU Creative, they soon had presentations that aligned with the new brand identity, and better content. And they didn’t have to worry about performance issues (or clip art creeping in)!

Article Summary

Name

Chaos Averted: A Savvy Approach to PowerPoint Re-branding

Description

PowerPoint slides —hundreds of them — needed redesign to fit Ascom's new brand, so Chris Talbot, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for Ascom Wireless Solutions, called in IDU Creative to recreate the PowerPoint presentations.

Author

David Wright

Publisher

IDU Creative