Eternit : How do you reposition a heritage brand to support its move upmarket?
Transforming the perception of an iconic material to open up new specification territories
An iconic product trapped by its own image
Everyone knows the corrugated sheet. Its instantly recognisable shape has been part of the French landscape for more than a century. But that is precisely where the problem lies: in the minds of specifiers and builders, the corrugated sheet is still associated with agricultural buildings. Rustic. Functional. Ugly.
For Eternit, a French manufacturer of fibre-cement solutions for more than 100 years, the gap between the reality of the product and how it was perceived had become a strategic obstacle. The material is durable, certified, locally made, high-performing, and available in several ranges and many colours. Remarkable architectural projects exist all over Europe. Yet the communication remained technical, the image was ageing, and architects simply did not consider Eternit for their residential or commercial projects.
It was in this context that Eternit turned to our communication agency specialising in the construction, building and housing sectors to refresh the brand's image, move from a technical discourse to inspirational storytelling and open up new prospects for the corrugated sheet among specifiers.
BrandEternit
Etex Group
SectorConstruction / Roofing / Cladding
BusinessFibre-cement solutions - corrugated sheets for roofing and cladding
Website eternit.fr
ChallengeInspiring and guiding specifiersBuilding a strong and distinctive brand
Delivered byConvergence, communication agency for construction and housing
Convergence's creative approach builds on what makes the product unique: its corrugation. Rather than hiding it or working around it, we made it the heart of the concept.
“Faire bouger les lignes” works on three levels. The corrugated lines of the product, its iconic visual signature. The lines of construction, a material that answers the challenges of durability, short supply chains and local roots. And the lines of perception, by refusing to reduce Eternit to the agricultural world and demonstrating the aesthetic and architectural potential of its solutions.
The concept carries a message of movement and openness: the professionals who are changing practices and building differently.
To bring this repositioning to life, Convergence designed and produced a set of materials that deliberately break with Eternit's usual technical documentation.
A specification brochure that showcases the architectural potential of fibre-cement through emblematic projects. Alongside it, a project leaflet selects the most inspiring projects in a compact format, ready to use in meetings or at trade shows. A piece of snack content sums up the 5 commitments in a visual, educational and easily shareable format. Finally, LinkedIn posts roll out the campaign's key messages to feed the brand's digital visibility among its target audiences.
All the materials share the same approach: show rather than argue. Visuals of architectural projects rather than technical data sheets. Architects' testimonials rather than performance tables. A committed tone rather than a descriptive one. All in the service of one clear goal: making specifiers want to design with Eternit.
RESULTS
A brand that changes its stance
With “Faire bouger les lignes”, Eternit is making a strategic shift: moving from a technical product discourse aimed at the agricultural world to inspirational storytelling aimed at architectural specification. A move that accompanies the market's shift towards residential and commercial buildings.
Specifiers now have tools that make them want to design with fibre-cement, not just technical reasons to do so. And the sales force has a discourse and materials aligned with this new ambition.
This project illustrates a specific expertise of Convergence, the communication agency specialising in the construction, building and housing sectors: supporting the repositioning of a heritage brand by finding the concept that bridges heritage and ambition, and producing the tools that bring the transformation to life.
Would you like to reposition your brand and win over new specification targets?
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