Powell Industries

The need

Powell is the leading designer and manufacturer of medium voltage industrial electronic switchgear in North America and Europe. Its products are considered the gold standard in safety and functionality in custom critical applications. Powell provided innovative electrical solutions—but investors and customers struggled to understand their business and what truly set them apart from other, larger switchgear manufacturers. In a sea of gray switchgear boxes, how do you make what’s inside stand out?

The thinking

Based on discovery sessions and market research, we revealed that many investors didn’t have a real understanding of Powell’s market differentiation. For them to be successful, we needed to remedy that. It wasn’t about the box—it was the technology inside, the custom solutions it provided and the team of talented, dedicated designers and manufacturers that stood behind them. We needed to entice people to take a more in-depth look behind the curtain—or gray panel.

The idea

Our strategy was a simple one. Stop showing gray boxes. We switched the focus from switchgear boxes to innovative solutions and, more importantly, the talented people behind them. The ideas, research and people became the focal point over the equipment. Using custom photography and illustration, we communicated Powell’s differentiation and elevated their visual representation. We went from static, heavy and dull designs to a lighter, more innovative feel.