Beyond startups: weaving The Nestlé R+D Accelerator’s new brand story
Challenge
Defining its unique strategic positioning, and enabling an innovative brand expression
Powered by Nestlé R+D, The Accelerator wanted to establish itself as a global community of curious and open-minded doers with a shared vision to bring lasting impact to the world’s food and health systems.
To achieve this, The Accelerator aimed to boost its visibility, not just to attract a higher volume of applicants, but primarily to identify the most innovative startups and cultivate highly impactful partnerships. Redefining The Accelerator’s distinct strategic proposition was a fundamental enabler to achieve outcome beyond the project’s objectives.
Immersion
Competitive analysis, stakeholders consultancy, qualitative and quantitative desk research, market research, audience analysis, insight unearthing, strategic opportunity scoping
Strategy
Strategic brand recommendations, brand positioning, brand values, brand architecture, brand personality, tone of voice, value proposition, brand manifesto
Creative
Brand identity evolution, look and feel guidebook (including creative branding and visual identity, graphic identifiers, visual storytelling), strategic content, website copywriting, website front-end design and prototype, web interactivity analysis and proposition, social media campaign visual approach
Activation
Enable new website launch, social media campaign strategy and plan including all assets, touchpoint recommendations integrating industry and startup events, KOLs, conventional media and public relations, alternative media, event design, LinkedIn organic posts and paid campaign
Immersion
Navigating the startup landscape
Our journey began with a deep dive into the startup competitive world to ensure that every subsequent phase would be built upon a solid understanding of the landscape to differentiate in the food and health marketplace.
We unearthed insights, analytics, and opportunities, that were subsequently formed into initial scenarios and brand recommendations. The competitive and audience analysis, as well as the market research and stakeholder consultancy enabled us to craft a strong brand foundation.
Strategy
Fit. Accelerate. Grow.
Collaborating closely with The R+D Accelerator team, we observed a cyclic pattern where creating awareness would drive an influx of startup applicants, diluting the quality. The importance of effective filtering for top-tier partnerships was paramount. However, it was clear that maintaining awareness was equally essential to continuously attracting the most innovative applicants.
To distinguish The R+D Accelerator in this dynamic landscape, we recognised the need for a unique, tangible value proposition tailored to the specific insight based on the founders’ needs.
We identified a system of three key strategic pillars – “Fit. Accelerate. Grow.” – that led to a clear strategic narrative composing The R+D Accelerator positioning, brand values, personality and manifesto. With these pillars in place, we proceeded to define the brand expression, communication methodologies, and foundation for the full communication ecosystem. This strategic groundwork allowed us to steer the brand’s creative approach and filter the best startups in the application funnel.
Creative
Accelerating creative brand expression
Building onto the existing identity, we augmented the brand expression and established a robust set of creative guidelines and implementation systems to drive its overall brand presence and resonance.
The guidelines take the form of a comprehensive yet user-friendly guidebook, designed to inspire the creative approach for the The R+D Accelerator’s branding and communication pieces. They define not only the visual approach, but enable creating meaningful storytelling strongly tied into the brand strategy.
The R+D Accelerator’s graphic identifier – “the mesh” – was given a new life, through a vastly versatile implementation system that can be customised for each narrative, while fully remaining a strongly recognisable brand element.
Activation
Real-world rollout
We put the newly shaped creative system to the test and applied it onto The R+D Accelerator’s brand new website, building the front-end, setting the seed for the tone of voice, and consolidating proposals for its cutting-edge interactivity.
Further, driving awareness, we built a LinkedIn social media campaign, focusing on start-ups and their founders looking to bring to life groundbreaking food and health technologies to better lives and reduce our impact on the planet.
Further, driving awareness, we built a LinkedIn social media campaign, focusing on start-ups and their founders looking to bring to life groundbreaking food and health technologies to better lives and reduce our impact on the planet.
Graphic identifier: volumetric mesh ↑
Photography ↑
Social media ↑
Augmented brand identity ↑
LinkedIn campaign sample →
Impact
Reaching the right audience, globally
In the first two months since launching the website, and with only the initial phases of an organic social media campaign, concrete tangible results became a pattern.
60 new startups already applied spontaneously in this short timeline. The website reached audiences worldwide, from Switzerland, South Africa, USA, India, France, UK, Germany, and more, allowing them to do the right liaison with each of the global community of Nestlé R+D Accelerators to turn ideas into tangible innovation.
spontaneous startup applicants in the first 2 months
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“I am thrilled to recommend Magic Pencil as a partner. Their exceptional skills in driving creative strategy and creating a powerful branding approach for the Nestlé R+D Accelerator have truly impressed me. Working with Magic Pencil has been an absolute pleasure, as they seamlessly blend their professionalism, sharpness, and expertise with a kind, approachable, and fun demeanor. Their ability to deliver outstanding results while maintaining a positive and enjoyable working environment is truly inspiring.”
Susana Reber
Startup Acceleration Lead
