Cobalt Biofuels
Introducing a New Fuel Solution
Cobalt Biofuels, an early stage venture-backed biofuel startup, came to Ecofusion for our experience in the renewable energy industry. With a revolutionary concept for a next generation fuel and an inherent sustainability value proposition, Cobalt asked Ecofusion to build an identity, a story, and a public relations platform to spread the word about biobutanol and the range of solutions the company will develop in the future.
After working closely with the Cobalt Biofuels executive team to construct and deliver a new biofuel brand and message systems, Ecofusion moved forward with implementing a third phase of the communications strategy; planning and managing a press and media rollout for major milestones in the company’s early development.
Food, Not Fuel;
Redefining the Future of Biofuel
We developed the Cobalt Biofuels logo into an identity that would speak to its multiple business audiences. Our goal was to elicit the feeling of a sustainable fuel brand and allow for the brand to grow into a commercial brand as the company evolved by introducing additional offerings. Like any brand, it was crucial that we build a design that could stand on its own and for the mark to resonate with Cobalt’s core audience.
In order to develop the appropriate brand characteristics in addition to the logo, Ecofusion created a 20-page brand strategy document after consultation with industry experts and the company’s executive team. This brand strategy document established the foundation for future design and messaging considerations.
Before Cobalt Biofuels had a web presence to tell the story of its new brand, the company needed a way to share information with investors, policy makers, and business partners. Ecofusion worked with Cobalt executive team to identify the key areas of the company’s value proposition: Energy Security, Economic Stimulation, and a Reduced Carbon Footprint. Additionally, Ecofusion created an informative collateral document to use for future communication documents.
Cobaltbiofuels.com
We believe in building comprehensive and unique stories on the web; we do not just design websites with the latest bells and whistles. Websites are the primary place—and first introduction--for many brands to communicate with potential business partners, customers, bloggers, and reporters.
Working with Cobalt, our team of strategists, writers and designers worked to produce a story unique to Cobalt. This story explored the value proposition the company offers at every stage of its value chain. Thus, we provided a clear narrative about the potential for biobutanol as a revolutionary fuel for the future of transportation in our world.
The site’s technical requirements were also an important aspect of the strategy and our team worked closely with Cobalt to develop a website that could be used as a tool, rather than just an outward facing website. The Content Management System behind the Cobalt site is as unique to the requirements of the client as the Cobalt story.
Representing the New Biobutanol Value Chain
Biobutanol is a new type of fuel. Biobutanol can be made without using food crops, be transported in existing pipelines, increase production efficiencies, and run in existing vehicles. It also burns cleaner and is better for the environment. We wanted to tell the story of biobutanol and answer questions about the fuel and about Cobalt in a way that represented the entire value chain of the product.
What does the next Generation biofuels company look like?
In working with Cobalt, we used unique imagery that captured the company’s mission. Stock imagery in the sustainability sector such as images of leaves in hands, trees, clouds, etc. gets recycled all the time. Cobalt is building a different company with a new product. Biobutanol as an alternative transportation fuel will impact people--real people in their everyday lives. Without being too preachy or cliché, Ecofusion strategically used specific imagery to tell the story of how Cobalt Biofuels will positively impact business, people, and the environment. The result? Cobalt was positioned to grow into one of the leading fuel companies of the future.
Making Good News Travel Faster
With an entire set of communications tools (brand, website, collateral, messaging) at the ready from a year long strategy development and deployment, Ecofusion implemented an aggressive targeted PR program in North America and Europe to announce Cobalt Biofuels’ successful $25 Million series C financing announcement and the transition of CEO leadership.
Targeted press stories in industry publications helped raise the profile of this up-and-coming Clean Tech firm with features in leading regional silicon valley outlets and global trade publications.
Within two months of the release of this information, Cobalt was publicly named as one the top 20 bioenergy companies of the year by Biofuels Digest.