Canadian Helicopters Group Inc., the largest helicopter transportation services company operating in Canada, had acquired Helicopters NZ, New Zealand’s largest helicopter operator with bases in New Zealand, Australia, Laos and Cambodia. They also decided to rename the corporate company HNZ Group Inc., in part, to end the confusion with CHC (their former owner prior to 2000). A new brand identity was required to unify the company under one brand. Cette étude de cas décrit l’image marque que nous avons créé pour le Groupe HNZ.

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HNZ Group
A global tra nsp or ta ti on bra nd ta kes of f
Capabilities applied
Brand audit
Brand architecture
Brand naming
Brand identity design
Brand implementation
Brand identity standards
Launch date
2012
Sectors
Transportation
Industrial
The situation
Canadian Helicopters Group Inc., the largest helicopter
transportation services company operating in Canada, had
acquired Helicopters NZ, New Zealand’s largest helicopter
operator with bases in New Zealand, Australia, Laos and
Cambodia. They also decided to rename the corporate company
HNZ Group Inc., in part, to end the confusion with CHC (their
former owner prior to 2000). A new brand identity was required to
unify the company under one brand.
Actions
A comprehensive identity system was developed to include the
HNZ brand name, as well as Canadian Helicopters (the name
retained for operations in Canada), HNZ Topflight (the advanced
flight training school in Penticton, BC), and maintenance
operations operating under different names in Langley, BC and in
Idaho. The final logo was selected from a large number of initial
concepts shown to the client. These were narrowed to four

2. concepts when presented in the second round. Further
refinements were made after each round until the final logo
concept was selected in the fourth round of presentations.
A series of ads, created for launch of the new name and identity,
appeared in major newspapers in Canada, New Zealand and
Australia at the end of September and early October 2012. A small
launch brochure and e-blast were also used to launch the new
name and brand identity. Full stationery packages for all bases
and operations was produced. New web sites for HNZ Group and
for Canadian Helicopters were also ready for the brand launch and
a new trade show booth was created to increase the company’s
presence at industry trade shows. Standards for signage,
uniforms, livery and promotional items were distributed in

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addition to interim brand identity guidelines, while the
comprehensive graphic standards manual was currently being
finalized.
Results
Response from HNZ customers was very positive, as has been the
response from both external and internal audiences since the
brand launch in September 2012.