Case Study

A New Brand Built For Gaining Ground

The Challenge

REDEFINING A LEGACY BRAND FOR INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

How do you create a new forward-thinking brand focused on innovation and international growth, while staying true to a hundred+ year legacy? That was the challenge for MLC, a calcium lime products and solutions provider formerly known as Mississippi Lime Company.

Founded as family-owned company, the St. Louis, Missouri-based company built a reputation on the unmatched quality of its products and tradition of exceptional service. In recent years, MLC's growth strategy focused on significant long-term investments for portfolio expansion, infrastructure development and technological advancement.

In 2022, MLC expanded its global reach and capabilities with the acquisition of Singleton Birch, the largest independent lime supplier in the United Kingdom, based in Melton Ross.

To bolster their growth strategy and entrance into new markets, MLC turned to Godfrey for help building a new brand identity that would position them for success now and in the future. They asked the Godfrey team to develop a brand strategy that would support their recent acquisition and scale with future acquisitions as they grow into new markets.

The Solution

EVOLVING AN IDENTITY FOR THE FUTURE

To help MLC build a new brand from the ground up, Godfrey began with extensive research to inform a new strategy. Godfrey conducted interviews with internal stakeholders, partners and customers to understand current brand perceptions and identify opportunities for growth. The Godfrey team also conducted a market landscape analysis and competitive review to understand MLC’s and Singleton Birch’s position in the marketplace.  

Building from those research insights, Godfrey developed an updated brand strategy that included brand positioning and messaging, brand architecture for incorporating acquisitions and a go-to-market plan for the brand launch. By combining the value of Mississippi Lime and Singleton Birch, Godfrey identified several areas where MLC could make differentiated claims beyond competitive positioning.  

The market-leading quality of their products, efficient logistics, sustainability mindset and value-added services like waste removal make MLC more than a commodity supplier. The new brand strategy would position MLC as a lime solutions partner with the capabilities, expertise and infrastructure needed to help critical industries around the world reduce risk and drive competitive advantage.  

With a strategy in place, the Godfrey team developed a creative brand concept with a new visual identity, new logo and new language to tell their story and position MLC as a world-class, trusted partner in the industry. Godfrey also supported the launch with an internal and external rollout plan and creative execution on a variety of tactics including a brand video, PR outreach and a paid media campaign designed to drive awareness and engage new audiences. 

That’s why Godfrey’s support didn’t stop at logistics. The Godfrey team again leveraged their industry knowledge and understanding of each influencer’s audience to equip subject matter experts with a comprehensive message house and talking points designed to ensure consistency, confidence and clarity across every engagement. Whether an influencer was conducting a booth-side interview or recording a podcast segment, the experts were prepared to deliver meaningful insights that aligned with audience needs — making each interaction not only seamless, but genuinely impactful.

The Results

UNVEILING A GLOBAL BRAND PLATFORM FOR A NEW KIND OF LIME SOLUTIONS COMPANY

The launch of the new brand identity gave MLC a platform to communicate its key strengths in the global market, while also providing a logical architecture for new acquisitions like Singleton Birch. The market responded with strong results.  

The paid media campaign, which included paid LinkedIn, programmatic and paid search ads, garnered significant engagement and conversions across channels. Programmatic ads drove over 14,000 website event actions with strong CTR and over 1.5 million impressions. LinkedIn ads that leveraged the brand video attracted a 33% view rate over four months. And the paid search campaign gained over 52,000 impressions and 545 key events/conversions over five months.  

By effectively communicating the inherent, combined value of the new brand and defining its unique offering to new markets, MLC attracted significant interest and engagement from new and existing customers. Now MLC has a stronger presence in the marketplace and is positioned for growth in the future.