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As H&E Equipment Services' Agency of Record, Rockit Science has developed award-winning branding, public relations, internal communications, UI/UX, website design, and integrated national advertising campaigns for them for the past 10 years.

The Challenge

H&E Equipment Services is a 61-year-old rental, sales, parts and service heavy equipment company based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with more than 100 locations and a national operating footprint. They are one of the largest Komatsu earthmoving equipment dealers and are the largest dealer of Manitowoc and Grove Cranes in the world.

H&E had never worked with an advertising, marketing, or branding agency before hiring Rockit Science. They came to Rockit ready to completely rebrand in a way that confirmed their industry leadership and national presence and set them up for strong growth.

The Approach

The agency's initial scope of work was focused on repositioning H&E in the marketplace. In the Discovery phase of the project, the Rockit Science team traveled around to H&E locations all over the United States to capture insights through qualitative research models and immersion processes. This invaluable research phase helped the agency to identify and present a strong new brand position that ensured alignment of internal and external communications with H&E's culture, operations, and ongoing acquisition model. The brand strategy found an emotional trigger that appealed to consumers because it confirmed and aligned the purchase decision process with H&E's value proposition. The powerful brand affinity started by the campaign has clearly played a role in H&E's continued company growth and outstanding client acquisition rates since the campaign's inception.

An employee for H&E providing service to heavy equipment at one of the nationwide locations.

Creative Strategy

"It takes true grit to wake up every morning, dedicated to a higher standard of work. Where others stop, we continue."

Based on our research, the agency knew we wanted our creative strategy to work outward from what we had learned about H&E’s core demographic. We discovered that H&E's audience had consistent internal persona views of “American,” “hardworking,” and "valuing an honest day's work putting a meal on the table for my family.”

The use of the term “higher standard” in the new messaging we created for H&E provides a strong position statement for how H&E approaches interactions with its customers.

The use of the phrase, “Where others stop, we continue” provides support for the brand’s integrated equipment approach. It communicates that the company's culture is such that employees are expected to provide the "higher standard" of rolling up their sleeves and dusting off their hats to serve their customers' needs.

H&E promotional materials box for external marketing.

Persuasive Brand Position

“H&E Equipment Services, an equipment company, run by equipment people, provides you reliability, fair prices, and the support of a first-class service team through a higher standard of equipment sales, rental, parts, and service.”

When H&E refers to itself in this brand statement as “equipment people,” it aligns with its customers' values and mindset; it says “we get you" and “we’re cut from the same cloth.” Another word that specifically boosts brand confidence for the audience is the word “reliability.”

In the discussion of price--often an overlooked factor in a brand's strategy to woo its audience--the agency presented something new: a “fair price” position. Fair prices for H&E, and fair prices for their customers. It's phrasing that implies the unspoken value of doing business with a company you can trust who "gets you," rather than simply being the cheapest rental brand in the market.

The agency engaged H&E's rebranding campaign and subsequent advertising campaigns in major metro areas and greenfield locations across the United States with great success.

Over the past ten years, the agency has continued to drive successful internal and external communication initiatives and marketing strategies across a broad range of services, including but not limited to ongoing brand development, advertising, public relations, digital, and interactive services.

Responsive mobile website for H&E Equipment Services.

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The Results

H&E has seen rentals, sales, call volume, and digital inbound interest steadily increase over the past nine years of agency engagement. H&E continues to be one of the strongest brands in the heavy equipment landscape, with more than 100 locations across the United States.

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