KMART TYRE &
AUTO SERVICE/
A BRAND
TRANSFORMATION/
POISED FOR GROWTH
Kmart Tyre & Auto Service (KTAS) (a
division of KMART Australia Ltd) is
an aftermarket automotive repairs,
servicing and product supplier with
a network of over 250 retail service
centres around Australia. KTAS is
represented in every state and territory
and employs over 1300 people.
The business identified that the
Kmart brand had substantial brand
recognition, whereas KTAS brand
had potential to enhance its brand
recognition levels. A brand revitalisation
would be the solution and also the
catalyst to expand the network.
Kmart saw the KTAS rebrand as a
transformation – a call to action to grow
its network footprint by 50% and open
125 new sites over the next five years.
The KTAS vision is to be Australia’s
largest and most respected automotive
service, repair and tyre retailer.
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KTAS engaged Davidson Branding to
rejuvenate the KTAS masterbrand and
associated visual brand collateral, and
Diadem to support the design process
with mission-critical expertise in
overlaying the new brand assets into
multiple physical spaces.
KMART TYRE &
AUTO SERVICE/
PARALLEL DESIGN
AND STRATEGY
Diadem, Davidson and the client worked
collaboratively from the outset. As a
brand implementation advisor, Diadem
supported the creative process,
ensuring it aligned to the imperatives of
the subsequent implementation phase.
Conducting multi-site network auditing,
strategic planning and cost planning at
this stage pinpointed potential issues
and opportunities.
The project evaluated opportunities
to introduce complementary product
extensions, increase current store
capacities and contemporise the store
image. Doing this work early, in tandem
with Davidson Branding, meant the
creative was developed around these
possibilities rather than re-engineering
them back into design work later (a
costly, time-hungry process).
4M RECEPTION DESK
REVISION
Melbourne 3000 Victoria Australia
T 03 9670 6767 F 03 9670 6769
www.diadem.com.au
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CLIENT / PROJECT
FOR APPROVAL
Melbourne
Level 3, 473 Bourke Street
KTAS
KOP DOCUMENTATION
CLIENT APPROVAL
©Copyright Diadem Pty Ltd.
Reproductions of the whole or part of this document constitutes an infringement
of copyright. The information, ideas and concepts contained in this document are
confidential. The recipient(s) of this document is prohibited from disclosing such
information to any person without the prior written consent of Diadem.
Figured dimensions shall take precedence to scaled.
PROJECT NUMBER / PM
KTAS 10266
TK
DRAWN / CHECKED
TN
SCALE
SHOWN @ A3
ISSUE / DATE
1
02.06.2010
KMART TYRE &
AUTO SERVICE/
THE BUILDING
BECOMES THE BRAND
KTAS has a large percentage of
properties with intrinsic “captive
audience” media value due to their
location near major roads and within
carparks at shopping centres. The
project team identified that the
stand-alone buildings provided a
blank canvas opportunity to fully
integrate the associated branded
elements. Instead of simply
applying the brand to the building,
the building “becomes the brand”.
This initial concept of the branded
environment extrapolated to a 160item list of a Kit of Parts (KoP) that is
inherent in the branded assets and
makes for competitive procurement.
The list includes everything from car
park line marking, bollards, awnings,
tiling, lighting, technician spaces
and, of course, signage.
THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
Customer-based focus group research
revealed what customers were looking
for in and from the KTAS environment.
In response, project initiatives included
integrating the customer journey and
the sales interaction process with the
objective to instil a more engaging
process between the customer and
the staff via joinery and technology.
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Research indicated a 50% female
customer profile – KTAS has since
employed female service centre
advisors (a highly successful initiative)
and site imagery also reflects this
demographic.
KMART TYRE &
AUTO SERVICE/
FROM PRODUCT
TO PROTOTYPE
TO PROCUREMENT
Product design, prototyping,
procurement and implementation
management services were all part
of Diadem’s charter on the project. A
prototype site at Airport West preceded
national roll-out.
The development scope included both
internal and external branding, internal
joinery and fit-out works, all to be
planned and developed on a scalable
framework that optimised integration to
the various sites.
The development phase had to address
the anticipated challenges of the fitout exercise:
// execution of the project to meet the
client’s budget
//
compressed delivery lead-times for
the external scope (exacerbated by
lengthy DA approvals)
//
continual changes and updates
to the elements to achieve the
“ideal” prototype.
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Flexibility within the procurement
strategy would provide cost savings
and bonus efficiencies to the project
delivery. Diadem is assembling a vast
panel of suppliers to cater for the
geographic site spread and overlapping
delivery. Some 50 suppliers have so far
been involved in the project and over 40
tenders let.
KMART TYRE &
AUTO SERVICE/
DELIVERING
THE TRANSFORMATION
Detailed project management and
cohesive designs have ensured that
KTAS is on track and on budget.
Diadem continues to roll-out the
brilliant new KTAS brand created by
Davidson Design (including Project
Managers Louise Bay and Scott
Burroughs) across its sites. To date,
more than 5,000 branded assets have
been revitalised. All managed through
a single, streamline point of contact.
New motion graphics and colour
palettes have been introduced to
portray the modern, consistent,
professional and dynamic KTAS
personality.
Initial concept and completed trial
stores indicate that KTAS now has an
engaging and relevant image – clean,
crisp and fresh. Pilot site store sales
have increased (without any boost to
advertising budgets) with the majority
of that increase attributed to the new
brand initiatives.
An internal cultural change has
lifted enthusiasm and staff morale.
Confidence is high, with the rebrand
program forecasting more positive
outcomes for the future.
The KTAS vision to lead its field is
becoming a reality.
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