FinishWorks

FinishWorks, a specialty product brand under the RPM Industrial Coating Group’s portfolio, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of industrial coatings to the wood and metal industry. Previously operated as two separate companies, RPM Industrial Coating Group, a subsidiary of RPM International Inc., decided to merge FinishWorks and Mohawk together. The issue? How to merge the two products’ names and brands without losing recognition from their audiences. While members of the Mohawk team were attached to the Mohawk brand, which enjoyed strong name recognition, thanks to its popular consumer-facing line of touchup and repair products, the name FinishWorks, on the other hand, implied a broad spectrum of quality finishing solutions, which aligned with the company’s long-term strategy.

RPM Industrial Coating Group engaged Phase 3 to conduct a thorough evaluation of the current brand names against a set of new names we developed, using a set of criteria developed in collaboration with all stakeholders. When FinishWorks was selected as the go-forward brand, there was a clear rationale and buy-in among the team for the decision. To signal a new beginning and broader vision for the brand, we embarked on a comprehensive rebranding, including identity, brand expression and key messaging.

We were able to take this established brands and give it clarity in positioning and architecture and breath new life into their story and brand identity. The refreshed, innovative brand expression sets them apart from their competition and sets them up for significant future growth. For FinishWorks’s new brand identity, the team used the big idea “All the Way Across the Finish Line,” as their foundation. A symbolic flag made of the “F” and “W” signifying that we’ve made it, and the idea of joining together with our customers to partner on innovation.