As most of their foreign competitors had little to no brand equity or unique identity, m+ set a goal to create a tight and instantly recognizable brand. m+ determined the solution should position this furniture line as being simple to access for first time buyers with no prior contract furniture purchasing experience. Options, finishes and materials would be pre-selected with limited options to provide easy decision-making and product coordination. We also encouraged the client to embrace and bandstand their competitive pricing, allowing the brand to clearly showcase the product for what it is: inexpensive and quickly available entry level product that has quality and value for the price. This differentiated basyx from competitors’ brands that consistently position products as being more upscale than they actually are. The HON entry level product line was developed to be simple, clear, easy, and “basic”, and so would be the brand.

From the name as inspiration, m+ created product information and presentations that felt more retail, capturing a more familiar process for first time specifiers and end users. This approach also helped streamline the amount of time and dealer involvement needed to select, specify, and order. In addition, we convinced the client to present large list prices tagged on products displayed at tradeshows, contract, and office dealer showrooms, an unheard of practice in the contract furniture industry. These moves as well as other attributes of the basyx brand rollouts would help make basyx more desirable by dealers, not wanting to spend a lot of time on this type of sale, or have to resolve problems they were accustomed to with other entry level products.