Rotax

Rotax – specialists in powersports engines – needed to overcome a dated image and unite three distinct business areas under one identity. Our Brand Idea, The Beating Heart That Keeps You Moving, inspired a refined, distinctive identity that brought its precision engineering to life while creating a stronger, more cohesive brand built for growth.

Where we started
Rotax – specialists in engines for powersports products – had an imagine and unity problem. It was an engineering business with a history of innovation and a super-strong culture that was getting lost in a traditional and heavy aesthetic,  inconsistent storytelling and frustrated teams. 

Rotax needed to express the precision, minute tolerances and technical sophistication of its products. At the same time, its three business areas lacked a coherent identity, making it difficult to communicate its full capabilities. 

The journey
First stop, Gunskirchen to host a series of fast, furious workshops to get to the root of their business, their values and the elusive Rotax spirit.  

Using our unique model of bringing together strategy, design and comms, we aligned around a  simple truth and compelling Brand Idea:  Whatever the vehicle, whatever the terrain, Rotax is the power source at the heart of every adventure.  

The moving parts we built to bring this to life? A new colour palette and a light, refined and modern design approach – a departure from the macho weight of the rest of the industry. A bright, bold tone of voice with a set of versatile, powerful messaging frameworks – delivering consistency and confidence throughout their communications. The heartbeat itself. Precise, passionate, dynamic and crafted.   

Where are we now  
The Rotax brand is transformed. Communications are consistent and compelling. Rotax has a clear role in customers’ passions and the internal team are excited to tell the story. The new identity stretches across their diverse audiences and channels from recruitment fairs to racetrack sidings to websites and brochures, unifying three business areas and giving Rotax a highly distinctive positioning for their future growth and success.