master brand advertising

Branding Guidelines

Communications System > Advertising

Our new global advertising promotes in distinctive ways each of our two Master Brands and our company.

The repositioning of our Master Brands — and the

introduction of our company brand — through advertising

is critical in supporting our strategy.

We want our customers to understand what the

two heritage brands should stand for:

■ Their values

■ Their strengths

■ The dimensions that set them apart from competitors

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Branding Guidelines


What we want to accomplish through global adv e rt i s i n g

■ B ring consistency across Lines of Business and geogra p h i e s

■ L eve rage the reputations of our two bra n d s

■ E s t a blish a unique, individual and ow n a ble look and feel for each bra n d

■ C o m municate the benefits of doing business with ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties

■ Build a platfo rm for LOB strategies and i n i t i a t i ve s

■ Facilitate easy adaptation

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Goals

Master Brand advertising will establish the communication

platform for Exxon/Esso and Mobil brands so they can be consis-

tently perceived by our customers in a clear and focused way.

We are going to reestablish the Exxon/Esso brand with its core

benefit, RELIABILITY, through the values of quality and efficiency

that come with Exxon/Esso.

Mobil will be positioned on the promise of PERFORMANCE. This

is delivered through the brand’s unique expertise and innovation.

Master Brand advertising can be leveraged across lines of

business sectors … and geographies.

Branding Guidelines


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Brand targeting

Market research conducted around the world and across

lines of business confirmed that our customers fall into two

major segments whose lubrication needs and desires differ

in substantial ways.

One group, whom we call STREAMLINERS, seeks quality

products from reliable suppliers that perform with a high degree

of efficiency. Exxon/Esso is being targeted to this group.

The other group, whom we call INVOLVED BUYERS, look

for advanced lubrication technology and expertise, often thro u g h

close partnership with the supplier. Mobil is being targeted

to this group.

Key Insight Brand Stands for Appeals to

Esso Reliability, Quality, Efficiency Streamliners

Mobil Performance, Innovation, Expertise Involved Buyers

Approach

This campaign brings the advertising to a higher level, elevating

the brands beyond a single product or a single LOB. These

Master Brand ads, “big idea” advertisements, will establish a

universal brand campaign that relates the Master Brands across

product brands and LOBs. This will be accomplished by:

■ Common strategy

■ Common look and feel

■ Common positioning lines

In addition, ads will reinforce brand images and personalities.

Master Brand ads are the foundation on which to build product

brand advertising, so that one reinforces the other.

Branding Guidelines


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Branding Guidelines


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Implementation

The Path to Persuasion

The more profoundly our customers understand not only what

they can depend on from the company, but also what each of

the two heritage brands can offer them, the stronger the bonds

between our brands and customers will be.

That’s why it is fundamental that our communications build

a solid foundation of understanding . . . from which LOB/product

communications can be constructed.

To accomplish our goals, we have a three-phase plan:

Phase One: Set the context.

Phase Two: Focus on the Master Brands.

Phase Three: Promote LOBs and product brands.

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Phase one: Set the context.

■ Introduce the company, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties

to establish a clear understanding of the added value that

ExxonMobil will bring to customers’ businesses and their lives

■ Leverage the company’s major asset: industry leadership

■ Build the base for the two heritage brands

■ Build the core idea of the company as “endorser brand”

for products in Aviation, Marine and Basestocks

■ Neutralize customer confusion

■ Pre-empt competitive claims

Branding Guidelines


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Branding Guidelines


This adv e rtising is broader than any specific line of business tactics. It should be global enough to appeal across all line of business targe t s . In other wo rd s , for theMaster Brands, a dv e rtising commu n i c a t e s“ i m age and reputation” — in contrast to LOBa dv e rtising that will help sell product anda ddress specific strategic needs.

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Phase two: Focus on the Master Brands.

■ Reintroduce the brands from their most complete

perspective to our target audiences

■ Establish the traits that set the brands apart, giving them

their distinct personalities

■ Form the unifying ideas that give focus, consistency and

synergy to all communications of that brand across the world

■ Position the two brands in the minds of the target customer

base — to build and reinforce the understanding what each

of the two brands “stands for”

■ Provide the foundation from which to launch LOB and product

brand advertising

■ Set the stage to enable and provide context for actual

one-on-one sales calls.

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Branding Guidelines


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Phase three: Promote LOBs and product brands.

■ Persuade customers/consumers that Exxon/Esso and Mobil’s

branded products and services are better suited to their needs

than those of any other company.

■ Feed from and support the Master Brand ideas.

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Branding Guidelines


Exxon/Esso AdvertisingExxon/Esso is targeted to a customer segment we call “ S t r e a m l i n e r s,”who in general, are lookingfor quality products at reasonable pricing, alongwith the ability to operate with reliability and e f f i c i e n c y.Not surp risingly the Exxon/Esso bra n da t t ri butes of reliability, quality and efficiency tendto hold great appeal for these customers.

This brand promise differentiates Exxon from all other lubricants in the marke t p l a c e.

We express this benefit to the customer with the new tagline: “ T h a t ’s why there’s Exxon”/ “ T h a t ’s why there’s Esso.”

The new campaign uses a “ s t r e a m l i n e ” rule tolead the reader through the ad by linking theheadline to the subhead.The bright red colorbl o ck is used in a fresh, contempora ry fa s h i o nto attract attention and reflect the Exxon/Essoh e ri t a g e.The use of the Running T i g e runderscores the brand equity. P h o t o gra p hy isfiltered to give it a distinctive bl u r.

The communications structure is simple:The problem is stated in the headline, the solution in the red circle, and the resolution in the tagline, “ T h a t ’s why there’s Exxon”/ “ T h a t ’s why there’s Esso.”

Key message s / c o m munications R e i n forcing the quality message in theExxon/Esso positioning is import a n t . It creditsthe brand for its history of superior products.We will also stress the ‘ r e l i a b i l i t y ’p e r c e i ved in Exxon/Esso.

E x x o n / E s s o ’s “ e f f i c i e n c y ”a t t ri bute is based onboth operational and transactional efficiency.

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Branding Elements■ Streamline ru l e■ Red bl o ck■ Logo and icon■ Ta g l i n e■ Blurred photogra p hy

Branding Guidelines


Mobil AdvertisingMobil is targeted to a customer segment we call the “ I nvo l ved Buye r,” who wants strong i nvo l vement, from a highly know l e d g e a ble supplier,technical services and access to advance technology in lubri c a t i o n . Not surp ri s i n g l y, thesecustomers are attracted to Mobil bra n d ’s identity:p e r fo rm a n c e, ex p e rtise and innova t i o n .We express this through the new tagline:“Command Pe r fo rm a n c e.”

The tagline reinforces the idea that eve ry t h i n gMobil does is focused on providing premium p e r fo rmance for its customers.

The concept behind this line also reflects our own commitment to perfo rm a n c e. T h e r e ’s an emotional component too:We want the customerto know they have the power to maximize the efficiency of their own equipment or opera t i o n swith the help of Mobil.

The graphic elements of high tech gears and the cropped red “ o ” represent Mobil’s invo l ve m e n tin their client’s technology. One cannot opera t ewithout each other (the circle and the gears).P h o t o gra p hy fills most of the area, and is gra p h i c,bold and colorful.

Key message s / c o m mu n i c a t i o n sWe must continue to reinforce the bra n d ’score unique benefits.This series of adve rt i s i n gfocuses on Mobil’s product innovations (synthet-ics), deep sector and product ex p e rtise andour heritage of partnerships with equipmentbuilders and original equipment manu fa c t u r e r s,all of which differentiate Mobil’s perfo rm a n c eleadership from the competition.

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Branding Elements■ Cropped red “ o ”■ Gear shapes■ Logo and icon■ Ta g l i n e■ Bold photogra p hy

Branding Guidelines


ExxonMobil Lubricants &Specialties AdvertisingExxonMobil, the company brand, represents a major investment in, and commitment to, the pursuitof excellence in the lubricants marke t p l a c e.

ExxonMobil adve rtising is directed to individuals who are on the frontline of oil-buying decisions on a global basis. T h ey are people who want to taketheir businesses to the next level and maintain con-t i nuous adva n c e m e n t . For them, ExxonMobil stands for unparalleled global scale (reach and consistency);global product availability and resources; t e c h n o l o g yand category leadership;and financial strength.

ExxonMobil then, is the lubrication standard-setterthat is “ M oving AHEAD,”as our tagline say s.

The new campaign showcases the strengths of our two master brands through the dual-strand of Exxon/Esso red and Mobil bl u e. P h o t o gra p hy is strong and panora m i c . The logo leads into ourt a g l i n e, placed in the blue tab.

Key message s / c o m mu n i c a t i o n sA d ve rtising highlights the unification of ExxonMobilL u b ricants & Specialties and its combined globalpromise of:Exxon reliability and Mobil perfo rm a n c e,in order to achieve Lubrication ex c e l l e n c e.

We will continue to emphasize the benefits of ourcombined brands — while using the company toendorse brands across global LOBs.Our messageswill position us as providing lubrication excellence at the heart of progr e s s.

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Branding Elements■ D u a l - s t rand ru l e■ L o g o■ Ta g l i n e■ Strong panoramic photogra p hy

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