Rebranding re-energizes cable company

The problem: Chicago entrepreneur Bud Kinzalow bought Mold Tech Electronics in 2005. The company had been established some years earlier, but prospective customers didn’t know the company was a cable manufacturer. The firm’s name did not accurately reflect its business line or mission.

The solution: Based on creative work on his other projects, Kinzalow chose The Simons Group to help with the rebranding initiative. Numerous brainstorming sessions led to the company being renamed Meridian Cable, a choice that better reflects the firm’s focus, philosophy and products. The transformation wasn’t complete, however, until The Simons Group developed a new logo, website, print ad and business cards with the new brand. The effort is creating a welcome new awareness for the company.

The story: “When I talked with prospective customers, they were very confused about our name, Mold Tech Electronics,” Kinzalow says. “The name indicated to them that we were in the electronics industry. People couldn’t easily understand what we do, who we do it for or why we do it.”

The first step in the rebranding effort was to rename the company Meridian Cable, which is more indicative of the link Kinzalow makes between his manufacturing plant in China and his customers in the United States.

“I wanted a name that portrayed our organizational culture, our industry, our products and how we deal with customers,” Kinzalow says. “Meridian Cable achieves all of those goals effectively.”



With a name in hand, Kinzalow needed a powerful, professional logo that would grab attention and build on the company’s new identity. The logo he selected features a blue sphere symbolic of a planet and a swirling line that represents a cable, a meridian and an “M.” The dimension and movement reflect the company’s energy and global reach.

“It was a wonderful experience to work with The Simons Group on this project,” Kinzalow says. “Best of all, it was easy. The team takes ideas, instructions and requests, asks questions to clarify what is needed and then performs. You don’t have to do any follow-up. You can let go and put your energies elsewhere because you know they’ll provide a solution.”

The Simons Group also created a website, www.meridiancable.com, based on the look and feel of the logo. Clean, bright, well-organized and compelling, the site differentiates the company from competitors’ cluttered efforts. Traffic to the site has steadily increased since it was launched last year, and Kinzalow has seen an uptick in requests for information.

“The response has definitely been positive,” he says. “I’m even getting requests for a print brochure, so until we finish that, I’m handing out copies of my magazine ad.”

The Simons Group wrote and designed the ad for an industry trade publication, as well as a series of additional ads that Kinzalow could place in future issues. The company also provided Meridian Cable’s business cards, and Kinzalow couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.

“I have a great working relationship with The Simons Group,” Kinzalow says. “There are no preconceived notions about what should or should not be done, and the people there listen. I threw out some very nebulous concepts, and The Simons Group produced tangible results quickly.”

For information on how The Simons Group can help your company with rebranding, contact Lee Zoldan at lzoldan@thesimonsgroup.com.

The Simons Group 303 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1109, Chicago, IL  60601     Phone: 312/252-8900   Fax: 312/252-8909