Rivet Undergoes a Radical Re-Branding
Mires helps an insider brand move successfully into the mass retail market
San Diego, CA, September 13, 2005—When Rivet, a manufacturer of high-tech electronic accessories and attachment
devices, sought to refresh the look-and-feel of its sleek one-of-a-kind products for the mainstream retail market,
the company turned to Mires, San Diego’s largest brand design firm.
Rivet’s design-driven products are defining a whole new category of connection devices that goes beyond the
norm of plastic clips for cell phones. Instead, Rivet offers irresistibly stylish accessories that connect
technology—in its many modern forms—to a person’s lifestyle.
For years Rivet products have generated rave reviews from cool “core” customers. The Mires team was
challenged to position Rivet’s products to attract the general public and appeal to mass-market
retailers. The kicker: Mires couldn’t erode Rivet’s connection with existing fans and needed to
describe the company’s revolutionary product line on a small package footprint.
Rivet rolls out its new product wraps this month, and by all accounts, the Mires-designed packaging
is sure to “rivet” customers. According to Raleigh Wilson, president of Rivet, “Mires differentiated
our products from the competition and presented them to the public in a more visible and approachable
way. Most importantly, they positioned Rivet as a cool, cutting-edge brand. The feedback so far has
been outstanding.”
Keep it Simple: According to Mires, one of the biggest challenges was
presenting the Rivet products in a smaller space. “As today’s high-tech products and accessories
become smaller, so does their packaging,“ said Mires principal and creative director Scott Mires.
“In response to this trend, we have to tell increasingly complicated stories in less space. It
requires us to cull information and communicate more through graphics and imagery.’”
In contrast to previous Rivet packaging, which retail consumers found somewhat confusing and verbose,
Mires presented Rivet’s products in a smart, simple and intelligent way. By simplifying product
descriptions and utilizing straightforward instructional diagrams with minimal text, Mires was
able to convey Rivet’s message more effectively and show that using Rivet “is as easy as 1-2-3.”
Playing to Strengths: Mires played up the premium precision-designed
look and engineering of Rivet’s products. “Quality is one of Rivet’s most important characteristics,”
explained Mires. “It was buried before, but by adding the descriptor, ‘Quality alloy and stainless
steel,’ we saw an opportunity to convey a valuable message to consumers: They can buy Rivet products
with confidence that they’ll stand up to regular long-term use.”
Mires’ use of a “thought bubble” in the new packaging creates a metaphor for what the device can
do for users. It literally answers the all-important consumer question, “What is Rivet, and how
do I use it?” Mires also made significant improvements on the legibility of Rivet’s logo with a
bold red font and modern proprietary typeface.
Cool to the “Core”: Rivet’s heritage in action sports tied them to an
early core of “Rivet fans.” However, their products had to appeal to a wide range of people from
all walks of life. At the same time, Rivet had to balance its brand look-and-feel to avoid
coming across as too mainstream or corporate.
Mires integrated full-color lifestyle photos into package layouts to showcase Rivet’s brand
personality traits: Cool, core and versatile. The images show attractive, ethnically diverse
people using Rivet products with their cell phone, iPod and camera. “They’re fashionable, hip,
passionate and original—just like Rivet,” Mires explained. “They walk the walk, and talk the
talk. Most importantly, Rivet connects with their lives.”
Name of the Game: Mires streamlined product names to reflect Rivet’s
three main product categories: Mobile Wear, Music Wear and Pix Wear. They created consistent
naming guidelines for existing and future product lines, following three basic rules: Keep it
short (one syllable if possible); use action verbs; and choose a name that speaks to a product’s
application, styling or key component. For example, “Super Treker” evolved to TREK (Rivet’s cell
phone attachment device for a belt loop, backpack or car dash).
Tag, You’re It!: A promise statement and tag line can be a brand’s
lifelong legacy. Mires created one clear interchangeable phrase that says what Rivet is and
what it does: “Attach your [device name] to your life.” As Mires puts it, “This brand promise
is the largest legitimate claim Rivet can make, so we made sure to highlight it on all of the new packaging.”
Mires’ work for Rivet debuts this month in stores nationwide.
About MiresBall
Founded in 1984, MiresBall is one of the largest independent brand design agencies in Southern California. A trusted partner of leading national and global brands, MiresBall creates market differentiation by bringing together two powerful ideas—lifestyle and innovation. The agency’s expertise lies in developing and implementing fully integrated marketing campaigns encompassing positioning, identity development, messaging, advertising and print, packaging, tradeshow environment and Web design. For more information about MiresBall, visit www.miresball.com.
About Rivet
Rivet International is the inventor, designer and producer
of a proprietary, multi-functional attachment system for personal mobile devices that merges style
and technology. Rivet is committed to change the way people think about how they wear their devices. The
Rivet Attachment System is made up of interchangeable components that inspire users to find their
own way to incorporate their device into their life and lifestyle. To more information about
Rivet, visit www.rivetnow.com.
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