Background
Elation Professional, known for illuminating stages worldwide— Imagine Dragons’ and Dave Matthews’ concerts to Super Bowl halftime shows— sought a fresh identity to encapsulate its innovative spirit. The acquisition of the M-Series controller platform presented a golden opportunity, and the challenge was clear: How to transition into a new brand without losing the essence of what made Elation so unique?
Challenge
Our mission was to transition Elation Professional into Obsidian, ensuring that the rebrand not only resonated with its existing, highly engaged community but also ignited a new wave of excitement and connection. The challenge was monumental: to strike the perfect balance between technological innovation and creative expression, engaging both technicians and artists alike.
Approach
Leveraging our expertise in strategic branding, we embarked on a comprehensive journey to understand the very niche, engaged and vocal Elation audience. Our approach was threefold:
- Insightful Research: Diving deep into this community, we unraveled their unique characteristics—finding a delicate balance between their technical proficiency and artistic flair.
- Strategic Branding: Utilizing these insights, we crafted a brand strategy that embraced both the chaos of creativity and the order of technology, giving birth to Obsidian.
- Creative Naming: Beyond the brand name, we extended our creative expertise to naming the product line, ensuring every aspect of the brand resonated with our target audience.
Solution
Obsidian emerged as a beacon of innovation, creativity and community engagement:
- A Fresh Identity: Obsidian, symbolizing a rebirth, perfectly blended the artistic and technical, supported by a logo inspired by the intricate patterns of volcanic rock.
- Engaging Product Line: Introducing “Onyx” as the software platform and the “NX” series for hardware controllers, we ensured a cohesive and engaging brand experience.
- Community Re-engagement: Our strategic branding and naming efforts reinvigorated the existing community and attracted new enthusiasts, setting the stage for Obsidian’s bright future.
Key Takeaways
The transition from Elation Professional to Obsidian was nothing short of spectacular. With a 27% increase in followership, a 66% YoY user growth and an unprecedented 2.04% Facebook engagement rate, the rebrand was a resounding success. Obsidian stands today as a testament to the power of strategic branding, proving that with the right approach, brands can evolve while preserving their legacy, re-engaging communities and setting new industry standards.
