The story of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is more than 90 years in the making. Founded on the cornerstones of integrity, innovation, teamwork and empathy, Gallagher Insurance and Risk Management has built its proud legacy one success at a time.
Though it's a large global corporation, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. didn't have a centralized marketing department or plan. To help support Gallagher’s newly-assembled core marketing group, we fast-tracked the process of brand development. Working closely with the new team, we performed a full brand audit, conducted multi-tracked research, defined an updated marketing strategy, and established an integrated new creative look and feel. Within a short 90 days, we had developed the foundation of the new Gallagher brand.
NUMBER OF CONSOLIDATED BRANDS - 75 BRANDS
With an overabundance of brands under the Gallagher umbrella, a consolidation was needed. We helped to bring these 75+ brands together under one name.
NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS AUDITED - 80 DOCUMENTS
We like to get as familiar as possible with our client’s brand. That is why we audited 80+ brand documents from Gallagher before we did any strategic or creative work.
NUMBER OF EXTERNAL SITES THAT LINK AND REDIRECT TO A GALLAGHER WEB PROPERTY - 435 EXTERNAL SITES
With many brands, came many websites. We worked with Gallagher to help consolidate their over 435 URLs from merger partners, small niche brands and more.
IDENTITY REFRESH
Our first task was to update the ID system. The logo, developed in the 60s, had taken on special meaning within the company. It was more than just a logo—it was their company crest. A new three-dimensional trademark badge was developed as a modern take on the existing logo, and the original colors were retained due to their equity. We shortened the name from Arthur J. Gallagher to simply Gallagher, as many clients already refer to them. It helped give the brand a familiar, yet contemporary feel.
LIVING THE COMPANY’S PURPOSE
When a company defines its purpose, it’s as important that the internal team members understand it as the external audience. This short video distilled Gallagher’s new Purpose into a single compelling message and was shared with all 30,000 Gallagher employees worldwide.
CUSTOM PHOTOGRAPHY
For Gallagher, photography forms the foundation of their brand look and has the greatest impact on brand impressions. To start building a library of imagery for use on their marketing materials, they enlisted Brand33 to art direct a multi-day custom photoshoot at their Chicago headquarters. The photographic style we established for Gallagher is essentially a focus on humanity, featuring a wide range of genders and ethnicities in a modern, bright office or business setting. This clean and natural approach is used for all primary imagery in all Gallagher brand communications.
BRAND GUIDELINES
Next, we generated a new Brand Identity Guideline, modernizing the look and feel, voice and tone. Mirroring Gallagher’s authentic, relationship-based approach to business, we created an authoritative, yet approachable communication style. We carried the look through their photography, too, defining a lighter, brighter style and enhancing it with a slight tan coloration to help unify the assets. From collateral pieces and trade show events to digital ads and social media, the brand delivers a fresh, cohesive message.
COLLATERAL AND INFOGRAPHICS
To express the brand in printed communications, we developed a fresh and flexible collateral system utilizing the signature brand photography, font family and brand voice to engage current and prospective customers.
To help bring factual information in line with our approachable feel, we implemented a new color palette and developed a dynamic group of custom infographics to add interest to what can often be stark, unintelligible data.
EXHIBIT BOOTH
Gallagher’s event exhibit booth, too, received a brand update. The new space is a sleek and modern environment that expresses the new look in three dimensions, utilizing all the brand elements, photography, style and language.
MOBILE / DIGITAL / WEBSITE / BRAND CENTER
Digital ad units, social media, and web content are essential parts of any marketing strategy, reaching a multitude of audiences across a wide range of digital devices. Bringing the brand online, the U.S. website was quickly re-branded to reflect the new vitality of the brand refresh and signal a change to Gallagher’s online audience.
Once the Brand Guideline was complete, we helped coordinate its implementation across their vast global network. Now, all global and regional operations are working from a consistent set of guidelines, accessible from a central online resource. Brand assets are available to affiliate offices in 34 countries around the world on gallagherbrandcenter.com, an updatable brand portal.
GALLAGHER PARTNERSHIPS
To grow brand awareness and recognition, Gallagher partners with organizations that share their values. Gallagher brought us in as strategic partners to elevate the brand through these opportunities. Since the first partnership launched in spring of 2018, we have since been involved in several strategic and creative projects to activate and sustain these partnerships. Our work has involved: developing partnership identities, consulting on environmental signage and creative, activating partnerships, and creating content. With each partnership, the brand opportunities differ. However, our role remains the same: to uphold the integrity of the Gallagher brand, bringing the brand to life in these spaces.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP VIDEO
In 2020, Gallagher wanted to acknowledge and thank their partners for their community impact across the U.S. and the world. We developed the following Community Partnership Video to showcase those efforts.
GALLAGHER PARTNERSHIP: Chicago Cubs
As longtime residents and neighbors in the Chicago community, Gallagher and the Chicago Cubs became proud legacy partners. It’s an ideal fit, as both organizations share a deep commitment to their neighborhoods and the city. To learn more about this partnership, click here.
GALLAGHER PARTNERSHIP: Special Olympics
Gallagher has teamed up with Special Olympics to spread their shared message: Inclusion, equality and acceptance for all. To learn more about this partnership, click here.
GALLAGHER PARTNERSHIP: AMBSE, the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United
Gallagher partners with AMBSE, the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta United to bring the community together on and off the field. To learn more about this partnership, click here.
GALLAGHER PARTNERSHIP: The San Diego Padres
Gallagher partners with the San Diego Padres to bring the entire San Diego community together at Gallagher Square. To learn more about this partnership, click here.
GALLAGHER PARTNERSHIP: Jacksonville Jaguars
Gallagher brings confidence to the Jacksonville community through their partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars. To learn more about this partnership, click here.
OUR IMPACT.
With the brand refresh completed, we continue to support Gallagher in its marketing activities. We have two objectives: increase awareness, which we believe directly impacts our second objective, increase revenues.
It’s Working. Marketing efforts are responsible for increasing qualified leads year over year. Another area of focus that is creating significant value is Gallagher's global partnerships. Reports show that the activation and maintenance of these partnerships have generated new business that accounts for increased revenues over previous years in those regions.