Design Army Rebrands Neenah As Solutions Company

Campaign Images Are, By Design, Not Designed

A sophisticated and edgy aesthetic is helping Washington DC-based creative firm Design Army reposition Neenah, Inc., taking it from being known as a “paper and packaging company” to the reality of the what the brand is: a solutions company that offers paper as the medium to create solutions for business needs. The strategy aims to not only shift the perception of the Neenah brand, but to also modernize the concept of paper. “Neenah’s strategy of rebranding paper from the substrate for print projects to a new solution is on target with the times. As the world works to reduce its carbon footprint, eliminate single-use plastics, and challenge brands to advance their sustainable practices, consumers and brand owners alike are seeking innovative solutions. From paper-based display graphics, to paper gift cards, to plastic-free packaging, paper is quickly being recognized as the preferable business solution,” says Pum Lefebure, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Design Army.

To initiate the strategy Design Army conceptualized and art directed a new advertising campaign – introducing a tagline “Where Ideas Lead” – that essentially invites the viewer to create the idea.

The campaign begins with eight key visuals, which are atypical (a renowned Design Army trait) of the expected path of paper company. Design Army’s Pum Lefebure puts her unique aesthetic to use on the series of images that show boxes, bags, and labels that are by design NOT designed.

“When you look at a photograph of an already designed box or label, you are seeing the result, the end. Yes, you may stop and admire the design, but you’re admiring the end of the creative process. The concept of ‘Where Ideas Lead’ is to provide a visual that demonstrates a business need and the setting, leaving the creative process open to interpretation. Challenging each viewer to decide where their own ideas would lead,” says Lefebure.